VIKING STAMPS GRAB THE HEADLINES

A new stamp release from the Royal Mail made headlines recently when it was launched on 15 February. The eight new stamps, which were issued on 20 February, celebrate the history, impact and legacy of Vikings in Britain and mark 40 years since the JORVIK Viking Centre opened in York.

Since it opened in 1984, JORVIK has welcomed over 20 million visitors. It had its origins in the Coppergate Dig, which began in May 1976 and led to the creation of the JORVIK Viking Centre on the excavation site, showcasing the finds and recreating the urban landscape of Viking Age York – including its sounds and smells – all based on detailed research. When it opened, the centre made a global impact. It showed that the Viking world was based on more than violence and told a complex story of settlement, manufacture and trade.

Featuring striking images, the stamps feature detailed composite images of Viking artefacts and locations of archaeological importance from around the UK. Two 1st class, two £1, two £2 and two £2.20 landscape stamps are presented as four se-tenant pairs showing:

Iron, silver and copper sword, Temple, London (1st) Olaf Guthfrithsson silver penny, minted in York (1st) Silver penannular brooch, Penrith, Cumbria (£1) Lindisfarne Priory, Northumberland (£1)

Norse settlement remains, Jarlshof, Shetland (£2) Antler comb and case, Coppergate, York (£2) Gilded bronze brooch, Pitney, Somerset (£2.20) Hogback gravestone, Govan Old, Glasgow (£2.20)

For the launch, David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy at the Royal Mail said: ‘We hope these stamps will inspire people to explore this fascinating period in Britain’s history further.’ As well as being covered on the national news, such as the BBC website and radio, the stamps were also extensively covered in local news outlets in areas covered by the stamps, including The York Press, Northumberland Gazette and Chard and Ilminster News.