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Author
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Topic: New Viking Discoveries in Ireland
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canadab
Senior Member
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posted 01-14-2000 08:31 AM
  
Baffling Viking Artifacts Found in Cave
Updated 10:27 AM ET January 14, 2000
DUBLIN (Reuters) - A hoard of Viking artifacts found in a cave in southern Ireland is baffling archaeologists.
The hoard -- discovered by a heritage worker cleaning the cave -- comprises coins, bronze and silver ingots and conical objects made of silver wire."Nothing like these have been seen anywhere, let alone in the Viking world. There is no parallel," Andrew Halpin, keeper of Irish antiquities at the National Museum in Dublin, told Reuters Friday. "We think they could be ornaments for garments, or some kind of cloak fastener, but we're not sure. It's a very important find for academics studying this era," he said. The hoard, found in county Kilkenny, south of Dublin, also includes Anglo-Saxon coins dating from 940, confirming historical evidence that the Vikings maintained settlements in both Ireland and northern England at the time. Halpin said the cave may have been used as a refuge and the artifacts probably formed part of someone's personal wealth -- stashed for safe keeping during some kind of emergency. A Viking presence at the site had been well established, he said, and there were records of a massacre of 1,000 people in the cave about 40 years before the earliest date on the coins. Vikings first carried out hit-and-run raids on Ireland in 795 and later founded settlements, including most of Ireland's existing major towns, around 840.
Brian Canada
aka Amberien du la Anair ------------------
If you can dream it, you can make it a reality. |
Levan
Moderator
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posted 01-14-2000 09:00 AM
Very near to my home at Castle Levan, is a town called Largs. The battle of Largs marked the end of Viking rule/occupation on mainland Britain. Rothsay on the island of Bute remained in Viking hands a little longer. Many place names in this part of Scotland (former Strathclyde) have Viking origins. Levan |
wurdsmiff
unregistered
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posted 01-14-2000 11:44 AM
caught the end of a news report on this find just before coming on, they showed the said buttons, made of silver thred in what was described as a 'Versace' style, though the conical shapes made me think more of Gaultier and Madonna. It is indeed a fascinating find, and they believe that they were buried by the owner just before a massacre. It may well be the recorded massacre you attribute to later due to the dating of the coins, dates in the dark ages are often suspect. Certainly what I caught of the news report indicated that a massacre had taken place.
Rothesay was attacked by the Norsemen in the 1230's, and captured by Hakon of Norway just before he went to defeat at Largs in 1263, on the way he sent half of his force northward to drag their ships across the land from Loch Long to Loch Lomond via Tarbet, to raid the lands there. It was in 1266, that the new Norwegian King Magnus, ceded the Western Isles to Scotland, but at a price. The deal was clinched with the marriage of King Alexander 111's daughter Margaret to Eric 11 of norway in 1281, producing a daughter, another Margaret, who died on her way to inherit her grandfathers throne, and so created the situation which precipitated the Wars of Independance. ------------------
'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm Gordon. |
Levan
Moderator
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posted 01-15-2000 07:52 AM
Thanks for the details. I had a suspicion that my accuracy was likely to be a little shaky on this one - I didn't even dare to speculate on the dates!Anyone into the 'atmosphere' of this kind of thing, my young boys (aged 6, 8, 10) thoroughly enjoyed the Vikingar Viking Centre in Largs. They've made a good job of bringing this period to life. There's a film show, a guide dressed as a Viking (selected children from the tour get chance to dress up too), lots of interactive stuff. All in all, a jolly good rainy day out (let's face it - that's most days in this part of Scotland). Rothsay also makes a great day out. There's plenty left of Rothsay Castle. The castle has a guidebook and display boards that give a little detail about its Viking past. Unusual in Scotland, Rothsay Castle has a curtain wall with towers and a moat. Snapshot: http://fp.kirkburn.f9.co.uk/castlelevan/nearby/rothsay/rothsay.htm Levan
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wurdsmiff
unregistered
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posted 01-15-2000 02:30 PM
I agree with you about the Vikingar Centre, though I think it opening cost us the annual re-enactment of the battle. Let me know if I'm wrong on that one, but I remember as a kid sailing from Craigendoran and 'Doon the watter' and on our way past seeing this spectacle. I have not heard of it in recent years.
Rothesay is a rarity indeed, and very unusual in that the curtain wall is round. It once stood on the shore, though land reclamation to allow a deep water mooring for the steamers is partly responsible. The moat was once filled by the sea. The whole island is full of history. I believe that Sir Richard Attenborough lives at Kames Castle on the island, and Johnny Dumfries the racing driver is heir to the Stewarts of Bute.(Dumfries is his title , not his surname).
PS forgot to mention that other great Largs attraction, Nardini's ice cream, not necessarily castle related, but just as enjoyable on a rare hot day.------------------
'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm Gordon. [This message has been edited by wurdsmiff (edited 01-15-2000).] |
Philip Davis
unregistered
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posted 01-17-2000 05:36 PM
http://news2.thls.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid%5F604000/604046.stm has a report on this find with photos.------------------
Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them, Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design and nurses clean out the garderobes!
http://www.castlesontheweb.com/members/philipdavis/index.html |
Philip Davis
unregistered
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posted 01-17-2000 05:39 PM
http://news2.thls.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid%5F604000/604046.stm has a report on this find with photos.
http://www.lp.se/gerrie-warner/hoards.htm has more info on Irish viking finds.What has this to do with castles me thinks/ ------------------
Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them, Psychiatrists charge the rent, art therapists do the interior design and nurses clean out the garderobes!
http://www.castlesontheweb.com/members/philipdavis/index.html | |
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