Northumberland dig: Archaeologists start search for Viking Great Army camp

BBC ^ | October 10, 2022 (sez five days ago) | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Dr Jane Kershaw from Oxford University, who is leading the dig, said it may have been used by the famous commander Halfdan to launch attacks on the Picts.

A number of objects have been found there over the years, using metal detectors, such as lead gaming pieces and copper coins known as stycas.

'Incredible finds'

Volunteers are also working at the field, which Dr Kershaw believes could have been home to a "town of tents" in the 9th Century.

"They found some incredible finds that can really only belong to the Viking Great Army and their activities in the 870s ," Dr Kershaw told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"I don't think we are looking at many structures that would leave lots of archaeological traces because they are only here for a short amount of time."

She said it would be difficult to put a number on those who were there but believes the site could have spanned between 20 and 50 hectares.

"It's not just the warriors who are here but a whole kind of people who were involved in supplying and maintaining the camps - you are not on mission a lot so I think there's a lot of sitting around, hence the gaming pieces we have found," she added.

"What we haven't found yet is any silver - if we found some silver I think everyone would be very happy."

[SunkenCiv]

Research Shows Viking Bead Makers'
Advanced and Sustainable Methods in 700 AD
Kenneth John | October 05, 2022 03:51 AM EDT

[SunkenCiv]

(latest links from Archaeologica)

• October 14th, 2022 Edition
  • Superhighway of ancient human and animal footprints in England provides an 'amazing snapshot of the past' Live Science
  • A Smithsonian Museum Sharpens Focus on the History of Slavery New York Times
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  • Drone photos reveal an early Mesopotamian city made of marsh islands Science News
• October 12th, 2022 Edition
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  • Egyptian archaeologists call for return of Rosetta stone amid ancient artifacts Washington Examiner
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• October 11th, 2022 Edition
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  • These Gold Coins Were Stashed in a Stone Wall Nearly 1,400 Years Ago Smithsonian Magazine
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  • Northumberland dig: Archaeologists start search for Viking Great Army camp BBC
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• October 6th, 2022 Edition
  • Research Shows Viking Bead Makers' Advanced and Sustainable Methods in 700 AD Nature World News
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  • ROYAL HALL OF THE FIRST KINGS OF EAST ANGLIA HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN SUFFOLK Heritage Daily
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• October 4th, 2022 Edition
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• October 1st to October 3rd, 2022 Edition
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[SunkenCiv]

also related, see the link, “ROYAL HALL OF THE FIRST KINGS OF EAST ANGLIA HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN SUFFOLK”

[MotorCityBuck]

Cool. I love that era of British History. After the Romans left it gets pretty interesting. Talk about immigration issues. ;)

[EvilCapitalist]

I would think the camp would be located in the Green Midget Cafe in Bromley.

[SunkenCiv]

:^) “I can hear the maitre’d, but, oh, you’re down there, and, uh, green...”

[SunkenCiv]

Apparently York is getting ready to build a Roman York area, analogous to the one they’d built for Viking York.

[SunkenCiv]

Oh jeez, imagine, I missed that completely, and not because it was right out.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Bookmark

[EvilCapitalist]

I’m sure the Viking camp will contain several empty tins of SPAM.

[SunkenCiv]

The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, chrono sort:

• Exhibition: Roman Coins in India [2011] [10/13/2022]
• Hoard of 161 Roman coins found beneath campsite in Wiltshire [10/13/2022]
• Incredibly 'rare' Roman mosaic depicting the Trojan War is found in Syria [10/13/2022]
• Remains of Hundreds (280) of Human Bodies Found at Former Department Store Site in Wales [10/11/2022]
• 1820s Working Class Christmas - Our Dinner [10/11/2022]
• Maya sacrifice victims found with mysterious blue string in their teeth [10/11/2022]
• Di Leo: A Medieval Visionary at the Battle of Tours [10/10/2022]
• Flavia Sabora: Lost Roman town is rediscovered under a crop field in Spain [10/10/2022]
• Battles of the Roman era brought to life at Romanian festival [10/10/2022]
• Carlisle's Roman find could feature in national exhibition [10/10/2022]
• 76 child sacrifice victims with their hearts ripped out found in Peru excavation [10/09/2022]
• Ukraine accuses Russian troops of looting museums, destroying cultural sites [10/09/2022]
• Angry American [sic] Tourist Smashes Two Ancient Vatican Sculptures Into Pieces After Being Denied Audience With Pope [10/08/2022]
• Shower thoughts explained! Scientists figure out why we get great ideas while washing [10/08/2022]
• Scientists Just Figured Out a Way to Make Beer Taste Even Better [10/07/2022]

  ---

• Outside link: Royal hall of the first Kings of East Anglia has been discovered in Suffolk Heritage Daily

[SunkenCiv]

Well, baked beans *are* off.

[SunkenCiv]

The rest of the Great Heathen Army keyword:

• Two UK treasure hunters sentenced for stealing Viking-era coins [11/24/2019]
• Genetic analysis reveals Vikings had a wide and diverse family tree [11/03/2019]
• The most disturbing thing about Viking raids isn't what you think [01/30/2019]
• The Viking Torture Method So Grisly Some Historians Don't Believe It Actually Happened [11/23/2018]
• The Viking Great Army: A tale of conflict and adaptation played out in northern England [03/26/2018]
• Mass grave of 300 mutilated bodies in Derbyshire is the burial site of the Viking Great Army [tr] [02/03/2018]
• Sweyn Forkbeard: England's forgotten Viking king [12/30/2013]
• The First Vikings [06/18/2013]
• 'Pillaging' Vikings unmasked as eco warriors [12/03/2009]

[MotorCityBuck]

That is definitely a location to check when I visit there.

[Paal Gulli]

"I’m sure the Viking camp will contain several empty tins of SPAM."

I thought the The Vikings were so tough they ate the cans, too.
Then they would poop nails for making more longships.

[ComputerGuy]

I wonder what the Viking equivalent to Ham and Limas was.

[SunkenCiv]

Septimius Severus died there, Constantine the Great was ‘crowned’ there.

[MD Expat in PA]

That is definitely a location to check when I visit there.

I was planning a vacation to York pre-pandemic. It has all the English history I'm most interested in: Iron Age, Roman, Viking, Medieval. I had been to Hull on a business trip and wouldn't mind going back there too, quite a number of free museums including the Maritime Museaum, incredibly friendly folks.

[SunkenCiv]

Beef, mead, local talent.

[MD Expat in PA]

I wonder what the Viking equivalent to Ham and Limas was.

Lutefisk :)