Finding the incredible Viking woman of Gurness
One man’s curiosity led to the discovery of an astonishing Viking grave and an Orkney village long lost from view, writes Alison Campsie
It is perhaps one of the great archaeological discoveries made in Scotland and unfolds the story of our ancient people and the elaborate ways they were celebrated in both life and in death.
The discovery of the remains of a Viking woman in a grave at the Broch of Gurness in Orkney more than 80 years ago was a breakthrough find that shed new light on the communities who settled in the far north.
Recent analysis on her bones has found that the woman was likely to have grown up in Ireland or the south east of England, before settling in the Northern Isles.
Found alongside her skeleton were a collection of grave goods, including a pair of bronze brooches and a sickle, suggesting the woman enjoyed a high status within her community.
Later analysis of similar graves has found that more Viking women were laid to rest in such burials in Scotland than in the rest of Britain and Ireland, suggesting that Viking women in Scotland often played significant roles among their people.
Julia Morrison, of Historic Environment Scotland, said the discovery of the woman at the Broch of Gurness was made in August 1939, just weeks before the outbreak of the Second World War.
It came about due to the curiosity of Orkney poet and antiquarian Robert Rendall, who was drawn to the area which was the known location of a broch, a stone tower unique to Scotland during the Iron Age that was used for domestic purposes.
The Orcadian was drawn to the land that had formed over the remaining rubble, with Rendall digging into the top of the hillock with a tenant farmer in 1929. The first thing they discovered was a staircase. It was to lead to an astonishing discovery, after experts were called in to carry on the work Rendall started.
Ms Morrison said: “The skeletal remains were found within the entrance passageway to the broch. The grave was enclosed by small, upright slabs.
“They were able to determine that this was the skeleton of a woman. She had been buried with an iron knife and sickle, an iron necklet and a pair of bronze brooches, which have survived in superb condition.
“She was buried around AD 850– 950, before the Vikings adopted Christianity. Other human remains found on the site suggest that she was not buried alone – it seems that other Vikings were buried here too.
“As far as we can tell, people began using the site at some point between 500-200BC. When our Viking woman was buried here, the site was already at least 1000 years old.”
Ms Morrison said it took ten years from Rendall’s initial discovery to unearth the full riches of the Viking grave.
Dr Hugh Marwick, secretary of the Orkney Antiquarian Society, organised a professional excavation and a donation of £200 was secured to begin investigation.
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland purchased the mound and excavations began in 1930.
What has since been uncovered at the Broch of Gurness site is a vast village that was built up around the broch over time.
Mr Morrison added: “When the full extent of the site was realised, ownership of the seemingly everexpanding site was transferred into state care in 1932. Excavations continued on an annual basis until the outbreak of World War Two.”
It is believed that the village began to come together sometime between 500BC and 200BC.
A large area some 45 metres across was defined by deep ditches and ramparts, with an entrance causeway later added to the east site.
A settlement of small stone houses and yards was then built up round the broch tower.
The broch was abandoned and the ditches filled in sometime after 100AD, with the land serving as single farmstead for the next 600 years.
Then, the Vikings arrived.