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The Vikings (794 - c.1300) |
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The first Viking raid on Scotland occured at Iona, as well as Skye and the other outer isles, in 794
and the island was attacked several times in the following
years. It was during these raids that the chronicle of Iona
was lost although a copy of Adomnan's Life of Columba survived
on the Continent. The appearance of these invaders caused
great fear among the inhabitants, a report from Alcuin at
Lindisfarne states 'It is some 350 years that we and our forefathers
have inhabited this lovely land, and never before in Britain
has such a terror appeared as we now suffered at the hands
of the heathen. Nor was it thought possible that such an inroad
from the sea could be made'. The Viking successes were due
to their invention of the keel, mastery of rudder and sail
and, of course, their skill in navigation. Unlike the small Irish coracle the Viking long-boat was up to seventy feet long, carried thirty oars and was capable of being rowed across the North Sea. It was possible
for them to make long sea voyages with large forces of fighting
men. The boats themselves acquired significance of a religious kind and the Viking ruler was often interred in his boat surrounded by his weaponry and other equipment.
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Painting of Viking longships |
Viking longships approach the Hebrides
This image is available to purchase as a print from Scottish Realms |
The Pictish society of Orkney and Shetland became almost totally submerged by the incomers followed by the Western Isles and much of the northern mainland as well. It was not until 1266 that Norway ceded its lands, including Kintyre and Man, to the Scottish king.
In the main it was Norse who came to Scotland to raid, and eventually to colonise. The largest Norse settlement so far discovered is at Jarlshof in Shetland and another has been excavated at Udal in North Uist. The Norse invaders did not always destroy what they found, however, at Brough of Birsay the long-houses of the incomers respected the sacred site of a Pictish monastery. Indeed, many of the settlers converted to Christianity and it is reported that Olav Trygvasson of Norway had Earl Sigurd baptised in 955 after he himself had been converted.
Some Norse graves show a mixture of pagan and Christian symbolism. A ship burial on Colonsay contained a horse as well as ornaments, weapons and two stone slabs inscribed with crosses. Three other ship burials have been discovered on the isle of Sanday. Pagan Norse burials have been discovered on the mainland as well. |
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History Books on the Vikings:
| Author |
Title |
Published |
Price |
Order
Now From: |
| Graham-Campbell, James &
Colleen Batey |
Vikings in Scotland: An Archaeological
Survey |
1998 |
£15.00
or
$24.00 |
Amazon.co.uk
or
Amazon.com
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| Incorporating results from recent excavations, this
work presents a re-appraisal of the knowledge of the process,
nature and extent of Scandanavian settlement in Scotland.
Covering the 8th to the 13th centuries, this work places
an impact of the Norse in its wider context. |
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Magnusson, Magnus
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The Vikings
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2000 |
£9.99
or
$16.99 |
Amazon.co.uk
or
Amazon.com
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| A revised edition of a book originally published in
1980 by the well-known broadcaster and historian who,
being himself from Iceland has made particular study of
the Vikings and written a number of books on them. |
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| Olwyn Owen & Magnar Dalland |
Scar: A Viking Boat Burial
on Sanday, Orkney
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2000 |
£20.00
or
$34.95 |
Amazon.co.uk
or
Amazon.com
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| The story of the Viking boat burial which was dramatically
rescued by archaeologists in 1991 before erosion from
storms claimed the site. A very rich collection of finds
have since been conserved, and the authors present the
results of the investigations and try to piece together
the history and background of the people buried there.
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| Ritchie, A. |
Viking Scotland |
1993 |
£15.99 |
Amazon.co.uk |
| A look at the rich archaeological remains and historical
records to show the story of the Vikings in Scotland -
where they came from, what they encountered when they
arrived, how they interacted with te native peoples and
what the long term effects were of their settlement. |
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