Understanding Torksey, Lincolnshire : a geoarchaeological and landscape approach to a Viking overwintering camp
Viking overwintering camps of late 9th century England have been excluded from most recent dialogues regarding Viking Age England. Although overwintering camps are directly mentioned in historical records such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, these sites have remained archaeologically elusive. The recent identification of the Viking overwintering camp at Torksey, now under investigation by the Torksey Project, has provided a key opportunity to fill the gap in the current literature about the relation between environment, landscape, and Viking winter camps. This thesis uses geoarchaeological techniques, including palynology, sediment analysis, and optically stimulated luminescence to determine that the location was defined by a waterlogged landscape with aeolian sediments. The landscape evaluation has identified sites within the surrounding area that would have been integral in shaping the physical and political form and long-term effects of the winter camp, including a royal estate, a burhdyke associated with Torksey, an intermittently active canal at the Foss Dyke, and historical documents linking the site with the Mercian royal family. The methods employed during this have produced results that definitively
Stein, Samantha
Understanding Torksey, Lincolnshire : a geoarchaeological and landscape approach to a Viking overwintering camp. Viking overwintering camps of late 9th century England have been excluded from most recent dialogues regarding Viking Age England. Although overwintering camps are directly mentioned in historical records such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, these sites have remained archaeologically elusive. The recent identification of the Viking overwintering camp at Torksey, now under investigation by the Torksey Project, has provided a key opportunity to fill the gap in the current literature about the relation between environment, landscape, and Viking winter camps. This thesis uses geoarchaeological techniques, including palynology, sediment analysis, and optically stimulated luminescence to determine that the location was defined by a waterlogged landscape with aeolian sediments. The landscape evaluation has identified sites within the surrounding area that would have been integral in shaping the physical and political form and long-term effects of the winter camp, including a royal estate, a burhdyke associated with Torksey, an intermittently active canal at the Foss Dyke, and historical documents linking the site with the Mercian royal family. The methods employed during this have produced results that definitively
lincolnshire geoarchaeological landscape viking camp viking camp england exclude recent dialogue regard viking_age england although camp directly mention historical_record anglo saxon_chronicle site remain archaeologically elusive recent identification viking camp investigation project provide_key opportunity fill_gap current_literature relation environment landscape viking winter camp geoarchaeological technique_include sediment analysis optically_stimulate luminescence determine location define waterlogged landscape aeolian sediment landscape evaluation identify site within surround area_would integral shape physical political form long_term effect winter camp include royal estate associate intermittently active canal historical_document link site royal_family method_employ produce definitively