Posted on 05/07/2008 6:48:40 PM PDT by blam
Irish Viking trade centre unearthed
Almost 6,000 artefacts and a Viking chieftain's grave have been discovered
One of the Vikings' most important trading centres has been discovered in Ireland.
The settlement at Woodstown in County Waterford is estimated to be about 1,200 years old.
It was discovered during archaeological excavations for a road by-pass for Waterford city, which was founded by the Vikings.
The Irish government said the settlement was one of the most important early Viking age trading centres discovered in the country.
Its working group, which includes archaeologists from Ireland's museum and monuments service, said it was of international significance and showed the community was wealthy and sought to remain at Woodstown permanently.
Almost 6,000 artefacts and a Viking chieftain's grave have been discovered at the site, which was established by the year 860. The grave contains a sword, shield and silver mark.
The working group report said the discoveries of silver and lead weights showed it was "apparent that Woodstown falls firmly into the Scandinavian tradition."
"There can be little doubt that many, if not all of the settlement's occupants were either Scandinavian, or had strong insular Scandinavian associations," it said.
"The Woodstown site provides a rare opportunity to study a Scandinavian settlement of this period outside Scandinavia itself."
GGG Ping.
Free trade ping.
GLIMPSE OF HISTORY: The fragments of a Viking sword found in the north west of the Isle of Man
BURIED for more than a 1,000 years, these beautifully cast fragments of a Viking sword could be a once-in-a-lifetime find for two metal detector enthusiasts in the Isle of Man.
The two Manx Detectorists Society members have found many interesting artefacts over the years, so they knew the importance of what they had found.
Manx National Heritage curator for archaeology, Allison Fox, said: 'This is only the 13th recorded Viking sword from the Island but Dan and Rob knew what they were looking at and what to do next, in notifying MNH.
'Even though they had done exactly the right thing by not cleaning the surface dirt from the finds, when they brought them into the Manx Museum it was clear straight away that we had something very special indeed.'
Initial cleaned by the museum's conservator revealed the intricate designs of sword's hilt.
Unfortunately the blade of the sword has not survived.
Landowner John Radcliffe has donated the artefacts to the Manx National Collection.
Further research will be carried out on the sword before it is permanently displayed in the new Viking and Medieval Gallery at the Manx Museum, Douglas.
During the interim period, the sword fragments will be on display in the foyer of the Manx Museum, Douglas, from Monday, May 12.
Please explain. Can you now get DNA tested for ancestry?
This is really cool.
Prices range from $119-$319 plus shipping etc.
https://www.genebase.com/order.php?is_special=c3ViLWFuY2VzdHJ5
When I was in Ireland last month I took the Viking Splash Tour in Dublin with my daughter and her Irish cousins. According to my tour guide, the Vikings did not have hats with horns. The Celts and later, Catholic priests, would draw them with horns coming out of their heads to make them seem more demonic.
Well, the Celts and the Catholics had good reason to think the Vikings were pretty nasty!
I’m so glad there are honest people in this world and they respect history. Now the rest of us can enjoy and understand our ancestors.
Oh, and my husband says when he dies he wants a simple ceremony, a Viking funeral.
The Irish never drank a drop until the Vikings came there and forced them to drink.
Yes. See the thread linked below...this is where I had mine done for $107.50 each.
The Genographic Project (Have Your DNA Checked, Find Your Roots)
Over 200,000 people have had their DNA done at the NG site.
I found out that my Dad (yDNA) was likely a Viking invader to Ireland who stayed in Ireland. My mother (mtDNA) was likely a Sa'ami (Laplander) from Finland.
"The Sami people are an indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. Their ancestral lands span across an area the size of Sweden in the Nordic countries. The Sami people are among the largest indigenous groups in Europe. Their languages are the Sami languages, which are classified as Finno-Ugric.
Cool.
Most cool.
As I recall (and I can’t remember the source), the legend that Viking helmets had horns started in the 19th century when artists put the kind of horned helmets worn by ancient Germans on Vikings in their artwork.
Buddha statue from 6th c found in Viking hoard in Helgo, Sweden
Biblical Archaeology Review | March/April 2005 | “Worldwide” editor
Posted on 04/26/2005 11:26:07 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1391864/posts
The Romans in Ireland
Archaeology Today | 2000? | L.A. Curchin
Posted on 07/18/2004 8:54:58 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1173950/posts
Hey, nice sidebar!
Incidentally, the surname association for my family has some kind of genome project going, haven’t read the details yet.
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Thanks Blam. |
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Everyone does.
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