Building mounds : Viking-Late Norse settlement in the North Atlantic, c. AD800-1200
The subject of this study is Viking-Late Norse settlement (c. AD800-1200) in the North Atlantic, focusing on Orkney and on longhouse complexes constructed on mounds. For the first time these mound settlements are investigated as a group and as deliberately constructed mounds. Settlement mounds in Orkney are also closely associated with nearly 40 Skaill ON skaÌli ('hall') place-names, which place-names linked the sites with the social and economic networks of Orkney's peripatetic leaders. This association is examined more closely. The analysis also demonstrates that constructing settlements on mounds required particular building techniques, which relied heavily on the use of midden-type material. Those techniques are examined using new and freshly analysed material from published and grey literature-published excavations and surveys of sites from the Viking-Late Norse period in Orkney and elsewhere. Three core data-sets were established to provide the evidential basis: the first, also drawing on site-visits, looking broadly at mound landscapes and skaÌli-areas in Orkney; the second at the building techniques and materials used on settlement mounds; and the third, also requiring site-visits, at all the skaÌli
Harrison, Jane
Human settlements--History--To 1500 ; Longhouses ; Vikings--North Atlantic Region ; Viking antiquities ; Names ; Geographical--Scotland--Orkney ; Orkney (Scotland)--Antiquities ; Scandinavian
Building mounds : Viking-Late Norse settlement in the North Atlantic, c. AD800-1200. The subject of this study is Viking-Late Norse settlement (c. AD800-1200) in the North Atlantic, focusing on Orkney and on longhouse complexes constructed on mounds. For the first time these mound settlements are investigated as a group and as deliberately constructed mounds. Settlement mounds in Orkney are also closely associated with nearly 40 Skaill ON skaÌli ('hall') place-names, which place-names linked the sites with the social and economic networks of Orkney's peripatetic leaders. This association is examined more closely. The analysis also demonstrates that constructing settlements on mounds required particular building techniques, which relied heavily on the use of midden-type material. Those techniques are examined using new and freshly analysed material from published and grey literature-published excavations and surveys of sites from the Viking-Late Norse period in Orkney and elsewhere. Three core data-sets were established to provide the evidential basis: the first, also drawing on site-visits, looking broadly at mound landscapes and skaÌli-areas in Orkney; the second at the building techniques and materials used on settlement mounds; and the third, also requiring site-visits, at all the skaÌli
building mound viking late norse settlement north_atlantic c_ad subject study viking late norse settlement c_ad north_atlantic focus orkney complex construct mound first_time mound settlement investigate group deliberately construct mound settlement mound orkney also closely_associate hall place_names place_names link sit social_economic network orkney peripatetic leader association examine_closely analysis also_demonstrate construct settlement mound require particular building technique rely_heavily use midden type material technique examine use new analyse material publish grey_literature published excavation_survey sit viking late norse period orkney elsewhere three_core data sets establish provide evidential basis first also_draw site look broadly mound landscape areas orkney second building technique material use settlement mound third also require site