EXCAVATIONS AT UNDERHOULL, , by ALAN SMALL, F.S.A.SCOT.

INTRODUCTION THE densit f ancienyo t monument Shetlann si well-knowns di Islane th f d o d an 1 Unst (fig . e mosti)th , northerly inhabite e groupd th isl f o e, excluding lighthouse, is no exception. Although a number of the more obvious sites wer intg eodu many decade relicr fo selo o st England n li sag , mos relativele tli - yun disturbed extensivs a , e islane areath f dso have never been deeply ploughed. Exca- vation commence invitatioe 196n dth i t 2a R.A.Ff no . Saxa Vord whose education officer, Flt.-Lt. Sawyer practicaa e kees se o nwa ,t l interest archaeologe taketh n ni y islande oth f . Whil Royae eth r Forc Ai l e have continue chiee th s fd a organiser f so excavatiothe n durin succeedinthe g g four seasons' work enthusiasthe , the mof formatioe th Unse o t th islander d f tn o le Fiel s dha s Club whic s contributehha d largelsucces e projecte th th o f yt so ; this turnn i grow,s ha ,enougg nbi requiro ht e assistance th studentf eo s from Aberdeen University Geographical Society. e selectioTh belie e bases sita th f esomf nwa o n fo do e islanders that prehistoric structures existed at a previously unrecorded site in the Westing. The site is located on the E. shore of Burga Sand, a small bay in the SW. part of the island (fig. i).

FIG. i. General location of site 1 Inventory of Shetland. 225 226 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1964-66 t lieI s som yds5 e4 . margie inlanth narrowa n f do no , gently rising are wellf ao - drained land alon cliff-topse gth . Betwee Broce th Underhoulf sitd e ho neth an e th l land rises much more steeply steeplfacn o i , to t permio yt t settlement (PI. XXXII, i). Surface indications were almost negligible, the hummocky nature of the terrain being suggestive of an old field boundary somewhat masked by solifluction and soil creep features, althoug a hnumbe f stono r e piles, apparently collecte o improvt d e th e surrounding pasture, suggeste stonieda r soi lcontiguoue thath n i s fields. Although the arebeed aha nt bee ovecultivateg manno r ndu s rfo pase ha y th t yearti n di t sbu the number of relics recorded during excavation in the upper 9 in. of the soil sug- gested that man d probablha y y been found befor d sincan e e lost, which would account for the local belief in the antiquity of the site. Broce Th Underhoulf ho l (fig occasionall, 2) . y know nBroce alsth Overs f oha o - brough, stands on a rock outcrop some 250 yds. to the E. of Burga Sand, about 160 ft. above sea-level and commanding extensive views in all directions although somewhat restricted by rising land towards the NE. On the SW. the steepness of

FIG. 2. Sketch plan of site area. (Scale approx. i in. — 400 ft.) CROSS SECTION UNDERHOULL, UNST, SHETLAND. 70 80 100 Feet

FIG. 3. Cross-section of site (N.-S.) along line shown in fig. 10 EXCAVATIONS AT UNDERHOULL 227 the rock outcrop provides admirable defence while the remaining sides are protected concentrio tw y b c earthern ramparts separate wida y db ew ditch no e sit s ei Th . completely grassed ove t sufficienbu r t trace visible sar shoo et wnormaa thas i t i t l broch some 55 ft. in external diameter with walls nearly 15 ft. thick at the base.

n 186I 5 Irvine noted sign anotherf o s structure lying outsid e broce th eth o ht 1 E. and suggested that this might be later than the broch. No surface evidence has 2 been found during the present excavation, though air photographs support Irvine's observation. Another site some 200 yds. to the S. of the broch, near Newhouse, has also been noted t therpreviouo n bu , s ei s remainy recor. an f do SW s e lyinth o gt between the broch and the sea. After four seasons' excavation, three distinct period f occupatioso n have been recognised on stratigraphical evidence supported by an abundance of small finds. earliese Th t occupatio site associates th ei f no d t floowitattached hu an rha d souter- rain datable to the early Iron Age. The second occupation, indicated by a hut floor and workshop, has revealed broch period artifacts, while a Viking farmstead was established on the deserted ruins of this settlement in the ninth century and survived for some considerable time before it became ruinous (fig. 3). 3 THE EARLY IRON AGE SETTLEMENT On a site where sequent occupation covers some two thousand years, where the rat overburdef builf o eo p du smals n i wher d an l e building ston nons e i easilo eto y obtainable naturas i t i , expeco t l e extensivth t e destructio remaine th e f th n o f o s earlier periods. Further massive th , e remain Vikine th f so g perio e some th dar f eo finest of their type in and the necessity to preserve them has prevented the full excavation of the Iron Age horizons. However, the fragmentary remains of the primary occupation suggest a hut with a flat floor paved with flagstones. This structure is apparently approached by a kerbed pathway 39 in. wide, some 7 ft. of which has been exposed to the SE. of the hut (fig. 4). apparentld an t hu e yNWe th attacheth f o .o t T liei souterraia so d t n which sweeps round for 26 ft. in an almost complete semicircle. The W. end has been very much destroyed by quarrying for building stone for the Viking longhouse. In fact there can be little doubt that the unusually large boulders used as foundation stones in the Viking structure at the point nearest the souterrain are either roof or side-wall stones plundered from the earlier structure. The earth-house has been constructed by digging a trench some 2 ft. into the rotted bedrock of the hillside sloping gently up from the hut floor. Large stones were then used to cover this trench which is about 3 ft. in average width. Where the loosely compacted material woul t suppordno weighe th t f theso t e stones, large side stone r threso e coursef o s flattish stones were occasionally used to support the roof stones. An elaborate entrance was constructed protected by two pillars on either side with well coursed neat dry-stone walling sweeping outwards wit hshara p curvatur righd lefo et an t t 1 Inventory of Shetland, Vol. m, 133. 2 Inventory of Shetland, Vol. in, 133. A full catalogue of small finds recovered during the excavation has been prepared and copies deposited in th3e University library, Aberdeen, the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland and Shetland County Museum. 228 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1964-66 (PI. XXXII doublA . 2) ,e wal . sidee forecoure W l Th th .e existe d th an n t o d entranc souterraie th o et roughle nar y pave t therdbu hardls ei paviny e yan th n gi interior. The construction was completed by covering the souterrain cairn-fashion with a mound of smaller stones retained by a kerbing of large stones set on edge.

^ _s>, /<^r PAVEMENT

EARLY IRON —AGE

FIG. 4. Early Iron Age structures with longhouse outline superimposed e diamete Th aree th af o renclose thiy db s outer kerbin beed gha n approximately 24ft. Wainwrigh s admirablha t y surveye e literatur dth functione th n eo f souter o s - rains and this discovery does not alter radically the picture which he presents. Cer-

tainly1 the Underhoull souterrain could not have been used as a dwelling place as it is only just larg crawo t en lenoug intoma woult oncd i a , r an , impossibl ehin e fo d b e for him to turn round. With its elaborate entrance structure it would have been an obvious feature settlementh n i e consequentld an t f littlyo e defensive valuee Th . difficult entrancf yo e als ocomplicatioa seeme b o st usee n storager b werdfo o t t ei . About many Scottish souterrains, it is agreed that they had an 'enormous substanti-

1 Wainwright Souterrainse Th , T. . oF , f Southern Pictland (London, 1963), 9-19 'Souterraind ;an Scotn si - land', Antiquity, xxvn (1953), 219-32. EXCAVATION T UNDERHOULA S L 22Q ality',1 being often a more durable structure than was built above ground. This is indeed only partially tru thif eo s particular example wher minimue eth m amounf o t ston uses ei supporo dt rooe stabilisd th t fan sidese eth , which even coul e wheus dn i not have offered great confidence to anyone inside. The cairn-like covering, how- ever, suggests a degree of permanence and solidity. No relics were recorded from the interior of the souterrain with the exception of a few scattered fragments of broch-period pottery, being the contents of the scatter fro middee mth n whic beed hha n heaped agains entrance th t latea t ea r datee Th . signs are that the structure got very little use as there was no indication of rubbing

FIG. 5. Pottery and pendant from souterrain horizon agains baree th t , weathered bedrock sides (experiment showed that rubbing would occur wit hpersoa n crawlin largisr o n gi h objects being dragge pusher do d inte oth passage). Fro flooe msouterrai e th fronn i th r f o t n several fragment potteryf o s were recovered. On stratigraphical grounds these were clearly separated from and lying belo latee wth r midden. Three piece significane sar thickta (figs i e ., 5)reddishOn . , heavy ware of roll structure of very poor quality; it had a high steatite content and sectiorim a founn suc was Jarlshof. dat hsection as otherrim betteThe a sare sof r

d hardean r ware containin2 g much finer particle f steatiteo s , with finely carinated profiles. This is again paralleled at Jarlshof on the hut-circle and souterrain horizon.3 e onlTh y other reli notf co e from this perio smala s di l pendant whic betweey hla n the kerb stonemargine souterrainth e t th sa f so naturaA . l serpentine pebble . i £in in length by i in. at its broadest and obviously selected for the beauty of its markings has been highly polished. The drilling of the suspension hole has been started with considerable precision from each sidt nevebu e r completede ,th perhapo t e du s

Burton, J. H., The History of Scotland from Agricola's Invasion to the Revolution of 1688, Vol. I (Edinburgh and London1 , 1867). 2 Curie, A. O., 'An Account of Further Excavation at Jarlshof, Sumburgh, Shetland, in 1932 and 1933 on behalf of H.M. Office of Works', P.S.A.S., LXIII (1928-9), 292, fig. 57 (8). Hamilton , ExcavationsC. . R . ,J Jarlshof,t a Shetland (H.M.S.O., 1956) , fig37 ,. 18 (3). , fig20 38 ;. 3 0 23 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1964-66 manufacturer dropping it among the stone pile of the souterrain and never re- coverin. git stratigraphican O l grounds this complex must pre-dat superimposee eth d broch- period structure potterye th d san , being analogou Jarlshoe thao th st f to f souterrains (althoug somewhaa h f o thes e ear t different construction), suggest Earln a s y Iron Age date. THE BROCH PERIOD Ther a definit s i e e stratigraphical e souterraibreath f ko t betweenhu e th n builders and the more extensive remains of the broch period. On this horizon, situ- ated directly above the early Iron Age hut, are the fragmentary remains of the paved floor of another hut in which one post-hole has so far been definitely established (fig. 6). It has been impossible to estimate the original dimensions of the building as it extends beneath the important Viking buildings, but the presence of two separate hearths suggests a sizable structure. It also appears to be much larger than the . sid earlie smalSE ea e rth l hutsection O . kerbef no d paving overlappine gth Early Iron Age paved approach suggests a similar layout of settlement (PL XXXIII, a larg t ehu middee th f o n . deposiN e d accumulateth ha t o i)T . d againse th t

FIG. 6. Broch-period horizon with longhouse outline superimposed souterrain entrance which had been partly blocked by a large stone. This midden, which consisted chiefl f peao y t ash, contained numerou s distinctls wa relic d an sy stratified, showing its method of build-up and establishing clearly the stratigraphical relationshi structurese th f po middee Th . n sloped dow littlnA toward f . eo W e sth the material had overflowed the blocking stone into the souterrain and a few frag- ment caire eved th sha f n no structurlandep to n do e coverin earth-housee gth . Peat ash also forme thia d n layer ovet floorhu r e muc, th agai f ho n containing relicf so EXCAVATION T UNDERHOULA S L 231 household goods, which were more plentiful and of a similar nature in an area to theSW .sitee ofth . From . areathisSW , . distantsomft 5 e5 potter e considerablf o th , s ywa e interest. t varieI coloun di r from black, grey, through brownalsd d oan orangha d d san re o et considerabla e variatio texturn i e from very fine grained clay rougo st h ware, with varieta f temperinyo g agents moste th , commo whicf n o steatits hwa varyinf eo g grain size. Nodule f clao s y fro e aremth a also reveale da wid e variet f colouyo r suggesting that the raw materials had been collected widely over the island. Typo- logicall pottere dividee b yth n yca d into three groups e materia e bulth f Th ko . l recovered was fragments of large ovoid cooking pots with everted rims which often

I J FIG . Potter7 . y from Broch-period horizon (grou) pA 2 23 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1964-66 applien a d dha neckband wit varietha diagonaf yo l lin finger-pincher eo d decora- tions (group A) (fig. 7, PI. XXXII, 3). Some of the ware has exact parallels to that foun t Jarlshofa d d similaan r materia s recordei l d from other Shetland sitet a s Olnesfirth,2 1Hillswick,3 Newhouse (see above . 227Skelberryd p , an ) fragmene Th . t fro lase m th neckbana t sits eha d with finger-pinched preservedesigs i d e nan th n di Shetland County Museum. This pottery, which Hamilton has traced to the area around Scapa Flow in Orkney with antecedents further S., can be accurately dated 4 to the 'Broch Period' from the first century B.C. to the middle of the second A.D.

FIG. 8. Pottery from Broch-period horizon (group B) Hamilton also draws attentio secona o nt d variet f potteryo y foun n Shetlani d d broch sites - a native ware rich in steatite. A number of sherds of this material were recovered mostly with straight flat or only slightly everted rims (group B). Most of this ware is plain and undecorated but a few fragments which appear to belong to this grounumbea d pha incise f ro d paralle vessel e bodle thirlinee th th f yn o Th .dso group of pottery (fig. 8) was characterised by a roll rim or with a slight incision below the rim to give the impression of a roll rim (group C). This ware was usually of a finer quality than that with the applied band. By their find spots there can be no doubt that these three types of pottery are contemporaneous on this site. It is important to

1 Hamilton, J. R. C., op. cit., 46, fig. 25. 2 P.S.A.S., LXXI (1936-7) . Illustrate23 , P.S.A.S.,n di LXXXI (1946-7), 192, fig. i, Nos. 5-8. 3 Coughtrey, M., 'Notes on Materials Found in a Kitchen Midden at Hillswick, Shetland, with special referenc long-handleo et d combs', P.S.A.S., ix (1870-2), 118-50. 4 Wainwright, F. T. (ed.), The Northern Isles (Edinburgh and London), chap, vi, by J. R. C. Hamilton, 53-90. EXCAVATION3 23 UNDERHOULT A S L note that in the area to the SW. of the hut where thousands of sherds were found in a small area, and where there was no evidence of midden deposits, not one single complete vesse r sufficienno l t fragment reconstruco t s completa t r eveeo nlarga e section of a vessel were recovered. Thus it was obvious that the density of con- siderable quantitie unrelatef so d potsherd significana s swa t feature, particularls ya nodules of unworked and partially worked clay were discovered here and not elsewher thin eo s horizon. A similar pattern was observed in recording fragments of stone vessels - even contiguous fragments were from different objects. From this area none of the sherds showed signs of heating and a single fragment of a large dish in metamorphosed sandstone was in mint condition - the peck marks of the forming tool showing no sign smoothinf so r weargo . Thi suggestivs si beins it f eo g broken during manufac- ture. Many pieces of black pumice occurred in the same area often impregnated with the red-brown clay of the potsherds. While some of the smoothing of the pumice lump marindoubo o t n e s si du te action, other worn, clay-impregnated faces indicate their having been use o smoott d f potterof h y vesselr examplfo s a s t a e Eilea Tighn na Nortn ei h Uist. pumicee Th 1 coursef t o nativ, no s Shetlano i ,et d but has drifted by sea, most likely from Iceland or probably from Jan Mayen,2 to the shores of Scotland where it was picked up by the early settlers. This same pumice is also found on the western shores of Norway and Denmark. Evidence of the use of metal was also extensive. Several hundredweights of bog iron lumps, som f considerableo e size withiy la , . ft.aren na sq ,somf ao wit0 e20 h particular concentrations nea hearta r h suggestin materiaw gra thabeee d th tha l n store pilesn di ; lump slaf so g were numerou numbea d san whaf ro t firsa t t appeared to be clay moulds were also recorded. These objects varied in size from 2 to 8 in. in lengt slightld han y les breadtn si h wit exterion ha r surfac poof eo r qualit clad yre y containing large fragments of steatite. Attached to the interior of this | in. thick clay was a layer of slaggy iron. It seems that these iron-impregnated clay objects represen clae th ty lining pitf so whicn si iroe hth n melcollecteds wa t . Nothinn gca deducee b d from these fragment natur e finishee th th o f t e o s da s produc t doei t sbu t suggest that iron was used fairly extensively and that not only weapons but also iron vessel nailsd san , som whicf eo h have been recovered, were manufactured. This patter potteryf no , ston irod ean n finds suggests several possible interpreta- tions. The nature of the scatter ruled out a midden accumulation — a conclusion supporte lace f th animak o y db l bon pead ean t ash alternativn A . e suggestios ni that most of the Iron Age horizons were cleared by the Vikings, resulting in the accumulation of a large concentration of unrelated Iron Age finds in a limited area. There is, however, a clear stratigraphical break of from 5 to 7 in. of barren soil between this rich Iron Age horizon and the Viking occupation layer. Further, the presence of two undisturbed hearths rules out the possibility of Norse clearance. presence Th largf eo e quantitie irong bo ,f iroso n slairon-impregnated gan d clay 1 Scott, Sir W. Lindsay, 'Eilean an Tighe: A Pottery Workshop of the Second Millennium B.C.', P.S.A.S., LXXXV (1950-1), 12. 2 I am indebted to Dr Sigurdur Thorarinsson, Museum of Natural History, Reykjavik, for confirming conclusiony m thin so s point. 4 23 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1964-66 linings suggests manufacturing, whic s confirmehi noduley b d f unworkeo s d an d partially worked clay. It follows therefore that the pottery fragments and fragments of stone vessels are reject specimens or objects broken during manufacture. Detailed examinatio e potterth f o ny reveals several example f unsatisfactoro s y firind an g occasionally unsuccessful attempts to attach the neckband, confirming the opinion that this has been a workshop area or building. The tools used in this small factory seem to have been mainly of stone — chisels and hammers all of local rock. Conclusive evidenc buildina f eo lackings gi . plac e stonf Onl o somd on . et di eyft a e7 rubbl n ei lineaa r form time suggeson e t hava y t etha beema t ti n parwala f o tl from whicl hal large th e stone beed ha sn plundered. Wit h. mera separatin in e6 Iroe e gth nAg Vikind an g horizon t improbablno s i t si e tha Norse th t e prise suitably dan e building stones fro soi e r theirequirementsn mth fo l ow r wholee th n ,O .however t wouli , d seem that an open working area is the more probable with only limited shelter available. However, the apparent pattern is one of a hut with a large working area nearby accuratele whicb n hca y potter e datesame th th y edb o yt perioBroce th f s ho da Underhoull above e distanc associates Th it . d ean betwee t d hu worksho e nth n pca be explained by the nature of the terrain. As the cross-section reveals, the ground surface in Iron Age times had two small flat areas, natural structural benches, separated by a short difficult slope unsuitable for building and the hut was con- structe uppee th n rdo bench whil workshoe eth p occupie lowere dth narroA . w section cut through the floor of the W. outhouse on the Norse courtyard confirmed this short sharp slope and revealed a midden deposit scattered down the slope from the hut. The midden contained large quantities of peat ash, fragments of charcoal, occasional piece shelf snumerouo d an l s fragment potterf o s y simila characten ri o rt that from the workshop and the hut itself. The character of the cordoned-rim pottery is exactly the same as that found at Newhouse to the S. While the exact relationship of these sites to the broch cannot be determined without the excavation broche oth f settlemene th , t patter thif nmillenniuo e sture th areth f n o t a m does appea revolvo t r e aroun dcentraa l defensive nucleus wit hhala hutf oo s locaten di more th e fertile areas. Indee environmentae dth l controls playe verda y important part accountinn i distributioe th r gfo settlemenf no Irotimen e i t nAg s throughout Shetland. These geographical controls and their implications which have consider- able similarit thoso yt f Vikineo Lated gan r Norse times wil examinee b l e th n di discussio Vikine th f no g long-house. Notable among the prolific small finds from this horizon (fig. 9) are two strike-a- lights and carefully made serpentine knives. Five items of jewellery were discovered, two small pale-yellow amber beads, a fragment of an armlet in serpentine and a smal soapstonn i le piec on par cannel-coad a f ef o ean o t l finger ring. While most items whic communite hth y required coul obtainee db d locally, ambe canned ran l coal strike jarring notes, although Wainwright and others have clearly demonstrated that trade and piracy brought extraneous matter to the Northern Isles at this period.1

1 For example see Hamilton, J. R. C., 'Brochs and their Builders', in Wainwright, F. T., The Northern Isles, loc. cit. EXCAVATIONS AT UNDERHOULL 235 Several small serpentine pebbles varying in size from i J to 3^ in. were also recovered. They were rounde brightld dan yregulaf o polishe l al rd circuladan rectangular ro r shapes. Their significance is problematic. They may merely have had a decorative attractio vei a reddisa soms na f d n o eha h mineral running throug dare hth k green stone. However, it is well-known that serpentine was regarded as 'the cold stone' in

1/2 in.

FIG. 9. Amber beads, serpentine knife, scalloped scraper, and cannel coal finger ring from Broch-period horizon. (Note that scale for beads is 3 X other objects) the islands in medieval times and placed on the back of the neck it alleviated head- ache and nose bleeding. Could this custom have been in existence since Iron Age times?1 VIKINE TH G SETTLEMENT stratigraphican O l ground cleas i t i sr thadesertes site th ewa t r somdfo e con- siderable time before reoccupation by the Vikings as some 5 to 7 in. of barren soil, washed down the hillside from the broch, separate the upper Iron Age and Norse horizons selectioe Th same . th f eno sitt onleno y confirm judgmene sth Irof e to nAg settler establishinn si g their homestead relatio n t swithoui bu , nto t sacrificing, good arable land while maintaining close proximit othee th o ryt main source foof o s d — namel inlane seae th ycliffth e d d,th an sgrazin g areas ruinee Th . d remaine th f so Iron Age settlement would also have provided a valuable source of building stone, as is witnessed by the almost complete destruction of parts of the earlier underlying structures and the use of a broken trough quern as a kerbstone in a primary Viking kerbed pathway (PI. XXXIII t seemI . 2) ,s likely that this trough quer beed nha n recovered fro e structuremth e souterraith f o s n builder , althougas s h this typf eo quern is often found in earlier contexts, there is no evidence of any pre-souterrain perio thin do s site. Additional building ston probabls ewa y obtained fro ruine mth s

1 Small, A., Excavations in Unst (Lerwick 1965, and ed. 1966) for illustrations of these and a number of other small finds. 236 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1964-66

_c •g S 3

S

I EXCAVATION7 23 UNDERHOULT A S L of the broch above and the storm beach below. With the Norse structure being much larger than those of the earlier periods careful site preparation was required on the limite duppee areth f ao r structural bench obtaio T . nlevea l site ove whole th r e . sidd N ean e th necessarlengts n o bacwa g d t hi di en k o y. t int E hillside oe th th t ea in this area the foundations rest on the rotted bedrock, whereas over most of the rest of the house they are well above the relatively undisturbed Iron Age horizons. Another problem existed on the S. side. With the need for a courtyard area the width of the bench was too small and for a short distance a section revealed that the ground had been built up artificially to extend the bench beyond the Iron Age midden. basie Th csettlemene unith f o t longhousa s i t internan ei . somft 6 e5 l lengtd han wit hmaximua m central breadt wit1 h5of ft. lon hthe g walls sweeping inwardsat their extremities to give almost semicircular end walls (fig. 10). This gives the house an almost boat-like shape oriented along the contour in a WSW.-ENE. direction. While this supports Br0ndsted's concepdirectioe th e o t buildinf th o t n f no o d gen prevailing wind t seemi s more reasonabl suggeso et t tha physicae th t l nature th f eo site facilitates thi1 s orientation rather than any other. Field examination of sites in Faero d Icelanan e d confirm opinioe th s n thae sheeth t r nature terraith f n eo i n difficult insular landscapes, was often the controlling factor in the orientation of the primary settlement. The boat-shaped building is characteristic of Phase I (A.D. 800-850) of the Norse settlemen t Jarlshofa t 2 where straight walls were featured from Phas I onwardseI , and similar structures occur at a number of other sites in Fjeroe and Iceland. At Kvivik d Fuglafj0r5uran 3 4 building f similao s r shap d proportionan e s have been publishe tente dated th d an h o dt century whil interestinn ea g unexcavated sitt ea Uti i Gr0v shows the development of outhouses in a similar fashion to the Under- houll site. It must be remembered that in the Faeroes the technique of building boat-shaped long walls continued int middle oth smale e th age t l findsbu s from both Kvivik and Fuglafj0r9ur indicate a tenth-century Viking date. The same technique is common in Iceland at such sites as Hus Ffolmi, Isliefssta9ir, and Skallakot. 5 6 The building technique is similar to that associated with houses throughout the Viking North Atlantic insular province,7 with dry-stone walls, varyin thicknesn gi s from 3 to 4^ ft. and preserved to a similar height giving a smooth stone face in the interior while alternate course exterio e f turstond th so an fn eo r faces would have give nmora e wind-proof structure rottine Th . g turawae th f f necessitateyo d periodic rebuildin walle th f sgo with consequent thickenin morgo t e thaparticularl. ft n6 n yo the W. and N. sides, which are the most exposed to winter storms. This rebuilding

Brandsted, J., The Vikings (London, 1960), 219. 21 Hamilton, J. R. C., Excavations at Jarlshof, Shetland (H.M.S.O., 1956), 106-9. 3 Dahl, S., 'Fornar toftir i Kvivik', Heidurist til Rasmus Rasmussen a 80 drafodmgardegnum (Torshavn, 1951); and 'A Survey of Recent Archaeological Investigations in the Faeroes', in Small, A. (ed.), The Fourth Viking Congress (Edinburgh, 1965), 137-9. 4 Dahl, S., "Toftarannsoknir i FuglafircV, Frodskaparrit, Bok 7, 118-45; and in Small, op. cit., 138-40. 6 Stenberger , 'IsliefsstaSir,M. , Borgarfjar5arsysla' Forntidan i , Gardar Islandi (Copenhagen, 1943), 145-70. 6 Roussell, A., 'Skallakot Pjorsardalur' in Stenberger, M., op. cit., 55-71. ' Erlingsson, T., Ruins of the Saga Time (London, 1899), 38. 238 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1964-66 is confirmed by the discovery of fragments of broken soapstone vessels of Norse character use packins da sections e rebuilth e th n g i f o t walls. deducee Littlb n eca d roofine oth f g structur onls post-holeo ea ytw s have been identified. Their location alon e centragth house l th lin f eeo suggests that they supporte dlarga e mensasr o through-bea Norsd founs i ol s ma n edi houses designed Lafteteknikk.n i This would be a valuable building method in tree-less Shetland as it needs much less big timber supporo t hefte rooe on y th tf fi bea mavailables i . post-holE e Th . e apparently con- tained two thin posts, probably strapped together, supporting the hypothesis of a shortag heavf eo y timber r doe widthouse e No th sth . f heo justif f secona yo w dro post supporo st roofe closth tA . e paralle thio t l s unexcavatee existth t a s d sitt ea Hus Holmi in Reykjanaes, Iceland where the Ogmundurhravn lava flow from the eruption of 1300 engulfed a farmstead and a central row of post holes is clearly visible today. Wit buildine hth g lying alon contoure gth , water seeping dow steee nth p slope behin housconsiderable a ds th ewa e proble drainaga d man e syste buils mwa t along the N. wall of the house. The presence of the earlier souterrain in the NE. corner provided adequate drainage there and a slab covered drain solved the problem to the E. Inside the house a small 'drain carried seepage from the N. wall foundations straight acros t throug house ou s th d fron e ehan th t door. Ther indicatioo n s ei n that this connectey drainagwa y an e d n systewita n i h m s watei case rth esuppls wa s ya at Brattahlid, or Narssaq1 in Greenland. livine Th g accommodatios centrawa . parte E d th d housse n an i an lth y en la i approache narroa y db in.-wid9 w2 e doorwa . wallS centre e .th th Destrucn f yi eo - tion and rebuilding have made it impossible to decide whether there was a doorway e originath f o ld houseen . E . e Largth n i e stones , edge n havy somo t ma ,ese e supported sleeping benche. W e house se . thir th alon E th o f e wallde o T . th g th n si of the central doorway lay the living room, where fragments of a stone bench stretch . wal alonN eithen o le gth r hearta sid f rouga e o n ho h settin stonesf go . e displacemenTh e heartth f o ht fro e mormth e normal central positioe b n ca n accountecentrae th y b l r locatiod fo rooe th ff n supporto dange e th d theif o rsan r catching fire rotarA . y quern occupie dcentraa l position. house th f eo formd en distinc. sa W e t Th approacheunits i t I . d fro courte mth - broayara y db d doorwa obviousls ha wid. ft d y5 ean y been use animalsr dfo s i t I . roughly pave slightld dan y raised houseabove resth e levee f th o t eth . f o lSpeakin g of Sostelid, Hagen described byres roughly paved with flagstone described an s t si as a 'common enough feature in SW. Norway during the Migration period'.2 A similar feature is recorded at the tenth-century site at Kvivik in Faeroe.

In other parts of the house paving is only used to cover drains or in part3 s getting heavy use e remainde.Th a beate d ha rn earth floor without paving, whics hha significant advantages. The fire is kept alight as long as possible, not only to avoid the difficulties of relighting, but also as a hard beaten earth floor is a good heat 1 Vebaek , 'AL. n . Eleventh-CenturC , y Farmhous Norse th n eei Colonie Greenland'n si Smalln i , . A , (ed.), (1965), op. cit., 115. Hagen, A., Studier i Jemalderens Gardssamfunn (Oslo, 1963), 355. 32 Dahl, S., op. cit. (Torshavn, 1951). EXCAVATION9 23 UNDERHOULT A S L conductor and gives a simple form of central heating, whereas paving stones tend coldte ob .housee Pavinth animae f o th , d howevergn i en l , would facilitate clean- ing, and in this connection a narrow gap in the wall in the SW. corner may either have been used for ventilation or for cleaning. As will be shown later, this is close to the probable site of a midden. flae tTh pave approaches di . forecourS house e lona th th f y o ego dt b t kerbed and paved causeway (PI. XXXIII, 3). With the building out of a flat courtyard durin initiae gth l levellin site e causewaye th th ,f go , mounte matria n do ston f xo e earthd essentias an wa , givo t l ereasonabla e slop animalr efo negotiateo st f o e On . e kerbstoneth e causewath f e fractureo sth s yi d trough quern mentioned above1 (se . 235)ep unconsolidatee Th . d natur thif eo s built-up forecour problemo t d le t s of subsidenc pavine th beed d gha ean n relaid several times placen I . s whers wa t ei subjecte particularlo t d y heavy wea subsidenced approachee an r th n i e s th a , o t s doorway, there are signs of three levels of paving being needed to maintain a level approach. Geographical Considerations Fro e smalmth l finds a clea, r picture economth f o es bee yha n established. Apparently the farmers were basically self-sufficient, obtaining all their require- ments of food and shelter locally. Their sources of building stone have already been

FIG. n. Viking axe from midden on beach

outlined, while the timbers which supported the roof may have been imported or perhaps driftwood from the nearby beaches; an apparent shortage of timber has already been noted, however, and it seems that even in the so-called 'little climatic optimum' ther neves significany ewa ran t growt timbef ho r suitabl constructionar efo l

1 Small, A., 'Preliminary Notes on Excavation at Underhoull, Westing, Unst', Abn. Univ. Rev., XL (1963), 138-44 for illustration. 240 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1964-66 purposes in Shetland. Peat, which was the main source of fuel, would have been plentiful in Norse times and an adequate supply of fresh water would have been available fro nearbe mth y stream. As in the layout of the house, the provision of food bore many similarities to the traditional Shetland pattern. Wit e discoverhth e broketh f yo n stone pointf o s ploughshares, agriculture can be deduced, and from the presence of two rotary querns it can be assumed that grain was grown, presumably in field strips on the flat land to the S. of the house where there is a greater depth of soil than is com- monly formed in Unst. The presence of the byre confirms the presence of domesti- cated animals middea d an , n nearby, which, though definitel t belonginno y o gt the present structure, is dated to the Viking period by an iron axe head (fig. 11), revealed bones of cattle, sheep and pigs as well as rabbits and fish. Although the agricultural colonisation of Iceland did not come till some two generations later, no doubt a rhythm of agricultural life similar to that described in the Icelandic sagas was already common in Shetland at this period. The Icelandic seasonal occupation describee sar Snorrn di e Sturlasonar Edda. Marc regardes he wa th s da wintee lasth f o t r month Aprin i d ls an seesow s dwa fieln i d strips belo housee wth . In May sheep were brought into the folds for lambing. June is described as a dairy harvesy monthha e t Th usuall. y took plac Julyn e i t Augus bu , describes i t e th s da harvest month wit cuttine bere hth r th cor eo f go n crop Octoben I . surplue th r s

FIG. 12. Soapstone line-sinker pebble livestock were slaughtered and the meat salted down as provision for the winter months. Other summer occupations included peat preparatioe cuttinth d gan f no wooe weavingr th lfo practicalln I . y every are flaf ao t ground aroun house dth d ean areae th sn i intervening betwee probable nth e fiel cut s considerdA .stripwa y sha - able number of small mounds encircle the site. Excavation of two of these revealed that they were earthen mounds wit hscattea fielf o r d clearanct bu e p stoneto n so othera n largo o s tw d showee r en stoneo n e hig. o cord ft a t on s h4 f se oftee o o t n3 platform of smaller stones. These appear to have been hay-drying ricks1 (PI. XXXIV, i). indebtem a 1I Professoo dt r K. Walto thir nsfo interpretation. EXCAVATIONS AT UNDERHOULL 24! It has been argued that in Shetland fishing is a reaction to the poverty of the agricultural environment lind an e, sinker f morso r lessame eo sth e weigh hans ta d line weights in use today indicate inshore fishing, while larger heavier models may have been used farther afield. Like Jarlshof, the Underhoull site is well located in relatio knowo nt n prolific fishing grounds associated wit tidae hth l springs between the islands. An interesting problem in fishing methods arises here. While some of stone th e weights bear rope grooves indicating line sinkers (fig. 12) wit hmethoa d of attachment still known in both Shetland and Faeroe today, there is the distinct possibility that others could have been utilised as net sinkers. Now the Viking settlers must hav ef nets o bee e . nus The e aware recordeth yar f o e d even from Mesolithic sites and the story of the Viking god Loke discovering the net is well- known. Br0ndsted states that fish, especially herring,1 were part of the Vikings' staple diet, and the mouths of herring are too soft to take a hook. In Scottish Viking sites

FIG. 13. Red sandstone sharpening stone

herring recordet boneno e althougd sar dan h herring have been prolifi reasonabln ci e proximit theso yt e site modern si n times cannoe on , possibilite tth rult eou y thae th t migration patterns of the herring were different in the Viking era. It seems probable that both methods were extensively used. Interestin recovere gth alss deepla o wa f yo y grooved sandstone boulder probably used for sharpening fish hooks as well as pins and needles (fig. 13). On this site haunch hones were also relatively common. Besides their value for food, fish appear to have been an important source of oil. Mr Tom Henderson, curator of the Shetland County Museum, has identified two of the arti- 1 Brandsted cit.. ,op 235, ,J. . 242 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1964-66 facts from the longhouse as being parts of vessels used for rendering down fish livers (fig. 14). The sands at the head of Burga Bay below the site permit the pulling up of a small boat t conditionbu ,t idealno e . sar However bees ha npast e i ,use s th a t n di the remains of a small boat noost partly eroded by the winter storms were discovered heay neaba d centre e (PIrth th f .e o XXXIV nooste Th . , wit3) , h curveds endwa , 4 ft. deep and the same width and could probably, in its original state, have taken a boat up to about 18 ft. long. Into the noost a lean-to wall had been built almost halving the width so that it could be used for sawing driftwood lengthwise. A layer of rotting sawdust on sand inches above the roughly cobbled floor confirmed this. Sand blows into the noost very rapidly and it has no doubt been cleared out many

FIG. 14. Fragmen vessef to renderinr lfo g down fish livers (Norse)

times and there is no means of dating its construction. A section outside the noost, however, reveale fragmene don soapstona f o t e vessel very simila shapn i r d an e characte thoso rt e longhousfoune th n di stratigraphicalld ean same th en yo this swa horizon as the noost floor. Boat noosts of similar proportions are known in all the Atlantic Island groups with perhaps the nearest parallel at Uti i Gr0v in BorSoy, Fseroe, where the method of construction is similar. The discovery of the steatite fragmen e exterio e noosth th n f o tto r suggests thae noost s originallth t wa y free- standing and as such has many parallels in the North Atlantic Islands. Although the noos beins i t g erode t presentda consequentld an , y valueless probabls wa t i , n yi an extremely safe position in Norse times as there is a growing corpus of evidence supporting a rising sea-level in Shetland.1 No doubt the prolific bird life on the cliffs would have provided a welcome vari- ation in the diet although ornithologists are of the opinion that the pattern of bird life would not have been the same in Viking times as it is today. resourcee Th soapstonf so Shetlann ei considerable dar Norwayen i ands a , , they have been used since very early times. However fule th ,l expansio e locath f lno industry came in Viking times and at both Jarlshof and Underhoull steatite seems to have completely replaced pottery in the Early Norse period. A large variety of fragments of steatite vessels were recovered. Particularly common were large round vessels varying in diameter from 4 in. to over 40 in. Most of these had curving sides 1 Hoppe, Gunnar, 'Submarine Peat in the Shetland Isles', Geografiska Annaler, Vol. 47, Ser. A (1965), 4. EXCAVATIONS AT UNDERHOULL 243 a relativel d an y small flattish bottom. Square pots with rounded corners, steep sides and flat bottoms were also plentiful. The thickness of the pots varies from f seemd an relate e par. qualitn e b si soapstonee in th o t t oth 2 o d t f yo . Decoration is limite smala o dt l grooving belo rime w smallee th somf so th f eo r vessel therd san e is no basis for typological analysis. The quality of the workmanship, on the other hand, show distinca s t division quantitA . f sherdsyo reveal rough workmanship wit e toohth l marks clearly visible. Broad chisels have been used, many witha curving blade. Many of these chisels were probably of iron but none were recovered and in association with a fragment of a dish broken during manufacture a narrow- bladed chise vern i l y fine-grained slatdiscovereds ewa , bearine apparenth t gou t

FIG. 15. Small lamp (Norse) shortage of iro t thina s particular farm. These roughly worke ofted dan symmetrica na l pots contrast markedly with the many smooth finely finished vessels which are more like the work of a professional craftsman. Skj01svold in his study of the Norwegian Viking soapstone industry draws attentio a simila o nt r dichotom Norwegian yi n finds.1 In Scandinavia where soapstone was available farmers made their own steatite dishe requires sa pottermuce d th dan f ho y associated with this perios dwa importe onls i yd dcommoan largee th n nri settlements with strong trading con- nections. Here there is a distinct differentiation from the Jarlshof site. Underhoull doe t hav geographicae sno eth l nodality of Jarlshof wit obvioue hth s growth factors beyon dsimpla e farmsteadShetlanof closestip the locatiodS. at tIts .poin the nat t to the important Earldom of Orkney gave Jarlshof obvious trading advantages and resultant expansion. Underhoull on the other hand is a simple, basically self- sufficient farmstead perhaps more typica average th f lo e settlement uni Shetlann ti d at that time. It would only appear to have had minor trading connections for pro- fessionally made steatite vessels. These may have been brought by itinerant traders. At present it is impossible to ascertain the origin of these vessels. Sufficient geo- logical data is not available to establish without doubt the probable sources of the materialw ra . Large quantitie varyinf so g qualitie soapstonf so e exis Unstn i t , out- cropping within 27 4sitee yds.th ,f buto , thoug hnumbea quarried ol f ro s have been 1 Skj01svold, A., Klebersteinsindustrien oikingetideni (Oslo, 1961). 96 , 244 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1964-66 examined, their working in Viking times cannot be established. Similarly other area Shetlandf so examplr ,fo e Fetlamainlande th r ro , canno rulee b t d out, particu- larly as the working of the Cunningsburgh quarries for soapstone for Jarlshof was possibilite th provedn ca imporf r yo No ! t from Norwa discardede yb . Close typological parallel sUnderhoule existh o t t l steatite industry throughout the Viking world. These are particularly noticeable in areas where soapstone does not occur locally, for example Faeroe and Iceland. Even so, it would seem impossible 1 t presena o establist t h positively whether certain vessels were manufacturen i d Norwa taked yan Unso nt Faeror o t whether eo r they were mad Unsn ei moved an t d northwards from there. Geologists in both Britain and Norway agree that the problem cannot be solved at present because of lack of sufficient petrological analyses. Some glimme homof r e alslif gaugecan eobe d from other small finds. Spindle whorl f varyinso g desig lood nan m weights suggest thriving spinnin weavind gan g

FIG. 16. Gaming boards .and counters (Norse) while fragments of slightly grooved steatite soapstone are probably pieces of a baking board. Small lamps (fig. 15) simila latee th ro t rShetlan d collie lamp were probably filled with oil, and fragments of simple gaming boards and counters suggest that ther soms ewa e tim relaxatior efo n (fig. millstonesy 16)To . , similaro t those found in a tenth-century context at Jarlshof, suggest the presence of children copying their thesf adultso particularle s ei On . y interestin exacn a s i tt i model s ga , down to the grooving, of a full-scale version recovered from the midden on the far side of the beach. One would also have expected to discover implements of bone 1 Dahl , 'US. , m ti8arfestin f0royskuv ga m fitisteinsfundum",. Frodscaparrit,84 . p , 4 k B6 EXCAVATION5 24 UNDERHOULT A S L perhapd an s some metal physicae objectth t sbu l condition sitsuce e eth ar hf s o tha t they woul t necessarildno y have been preserved. Whil Iroe horizoe eth nAg n below yielded extensive evidenc f iroeo n working surprisins i t i g irog bees tha bo nslaha o n n r t go recovere a Vikin n i d g context. heae Indeeax d e onlmiddee e founth d th th irof s y o n dindicatioi ne wa n us e th f no musane don t pos questioe eth n - simpl'Hoiroa f o n ni e w e us extensiv e th s ewa farmstea t thida s perio Shetlann di ' dHowever? , therreasoo n s e i thin o nt k thae th t settlement was other than simply abandoned and if iron tools were imported it is likely that they woul takee db n wit people hth e when they left. Extensive quantities of black pumice, of the same type as that found on the Irohorizone nAg , were recovered fro Vikine mth g floowerd an r e presumably used as abrasives. It is significant to recall that pumice collected from the beaches was used in the finishing of wooden implements manufactured in W. Norway right up till last century. Rebuilding Modificationand As time went on the dry-stone building of the house needed repair. The turf d stonan e outer walls have been rebuil strengthened an t d severale timesth t bu , major change came about with the building of two outhouses, either or both of which could be for animals, on the courtyard. Both outhouses are very irregular in shape, the W. averaging some 10 by 10 ft. and approached by a door 2 ft. 6 in. . outhousE . walle E wids Th .it e n eappeari morannexe n maib a e f o th est o no et structure. It measures 7 ft. by 16 ft. 6 in. with a small alcove 3 ft. 6 in. wide in the . corne. Accesin NW 6 r. gaine s si projectinft 4 r d fo eithe . gE r directly froe mth house by the main door or from a door z ft. 6 in. wide in the W. wall. There can be no doubt as to the secondary nature of these structures on stratigraphical evidence as well as the use of steatite vessel fragments of Norse type as packing in the walls. One doorway of the main building was closed up and the house slightly shortened in length by building a cross-wall, unbonded to the main structure, near the eastern end with a new doorway in it approached by a paved track, which turns S. towards the arable land immediately on leaving the house. In contrast to the kerbed pathway approachin house frone th g th f esmoota o t hpate bees slopth hha r ne fo obtained by cutting down into the Iron Age levels. In one area the Viking pavement is some 5 in. below the earliest Iron Age pavement, a fragment of which exists nearby. blockine Th broae th f gdo doorwa association yi n wit buildine hth outhousef go s and the shortening of the total length of the house by some 6 ft. would suggest that the animals were accommodated in the outhouses and the whole of the main structure was utilised as living space. This is borne out by the recovery of fishing and weaving tackluppee th byr d n ei rol elayere floorth f so . e secondarTh . ycornehouse f considerablstructurth o NE f s e i o r th n ei - ein terest. A central hearth is surrounded by a narrow channel with sides of upright slabs and in part covered over by flat stones (PI. XXXIV, 2). A further channel appear lino st outsidke thith housee o . swalt th e N f o l. This would appeaa e b o t r devic givo et e considerable draugh hearthe th t a whictn i , h there wer enumbea r 6 24 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1964-66 of fire-cracked pebbles muco To .h destructio takes nha n plac suggeso et t more than the probable outline of the building plan. It would seem to have been some sort of drying chamber probabl grainr yfo . Smal laree find th t include an bu i swer w efe d loom weights and hone fragments which would support the concept of seasonal use and storage for the remainder or re-use after its original function disappeared. The lack of accurately datable material creates a considerable problem in dating housee th t presentA . , probably becaus extensive th timberf f o eo e have eus w , ea lac f comparablko e longhouses fro Vikine mth g perioe homelanth n di d areaf o s . NorwaySW . While lat en Rogaland i Irositee a nAg s sucOm s ha show some 1 parallels, modern Viking period excavations t a havYtrsuc a t pro s Mo eno ha - duced longhouses.2 Similarly ther laca f comparativs ei ko e materia Scotlandn i l .

L FIG. 17. Handled cup with incised decoration (Norse) The Freswick, Caithness, site3 shows no distinct parallels and full accounts of the

sites at Aikerness and Birsay in Orkney are still awaited. Thus the only direct 5

Scottish paralle Vikine Phasth o t f s o i gl eI 4 settlemen Jarlshot a t f which pointo st an early ninth-century date if the Jarlshof dating is acceptable. However, as has been shown there are later parallels in both Fasroe and Iceland, particularly tenth century sites in Faeroe. Turning to the small finds, toy querns are found in a tenth- century contex Jarlshoft a t uppee alsth d n oan r6i floor level t Underhoullsa n I . shape, size and technique of manufacture /the remainder of the small finds — soap- stone bowls, haunch hones, sinker lood san m weight almose sar t precisely paralleled from Kvivik in Fseroe whose tenth-century date is established. One handled soap- ston (figp ecu . 17) wit hsligha t incised decoratio tenths nha eleventh-centurd an - y parallel Norwayn si . considere Alson f oi modificatione sth rebuildind an s g which have taken place, the farmstead must have been occupied for some considerable time. tentativeln Thuca t si suggestee yb d thainitiae th t l settlement e camth n ei ninth century and blossomed to its maximum in the tenth. 1 Petersen , Gamle,J. Gardsanlegg Rogalandi (Oslo, 1933), 66-68. 2 Bakka , 'YtrE. , e Moa, Bit gardsanlegg fra vikingtid ai Arda i lSogn' , Viking (1965), 121-45. 3 Curie, A. O., 'A Viking Settlement at Freswick, Caithness', P.S.A.S., LXXIII (1938-9), 71-110. Childe, V. G., 'Another Late Viking House at Freswick, Caithness', P.S.A.S., LXXVII (1942-3), 5-17. * Inventory of Shetland, No. 263; Richardson, J. S., The Broch of Gurness, Aikerness, West Mainland, Orkney (M.O.W. Guide, Edinburgh, 1948), 6. 5 Inventory of Shetland, ; Cruden8 , 'Excavationd H. Nosan . 6 S , . t Birsaysa , Orkney' Smalln i , . (ed.)A , , The Fourth Viking Congress (Edinburgh, 1965), 22-31. 6 Hamilton, J. R. C., op. cit., 154. EXCAVATIONS AT UNDERHOULL 247 As has been pointed out the settlement must have been in use for a significant sizablo perios f i f timedd o middeean n deposits should exist t bot A eastere . hth n and western extremities of the courtyard there has been considerable removal of extensioe materiath t onl Vikinpost-Vikine e s no th th y ha t f d n no i lgbu an a ger als Irohorizoe e oth nAg n been completely removed. Ther reasoo n s ei supposo nt e that major structures existe evidence th thin do n so comparablf pared o an t e sites it would seem probable that middens may have occupied these hollows. They were probably removed in later times as they may have had a high shell content which would have made the mvaluabla e sourc fertilisef e o agriculturan a n i r l areaA . manuscript 'Map of the Division of the Room in Underhoull in Unst' compiled in 1823 shows that this whol undes esite areth ewa f rao cultivatioe th n i rigsd an , upper soilayere th l f ther o sevidencs ewa e that seawee beed dha n sprea soin do o t l increas humue eth s content. Local tradition names the field containing the site the 'kummel field' or burial field. Jakobsen suggests that Norsd thi ol fros si e em th 'Kuml ' — marka , tumulus or cairn,1 and a number of small mounds encircle the site, apparently giving the fiel names dit shows A . n above these were most probably associated wit dryiny hha g and one must assume that the name is late, having been given to the field in medi- eval times after the settlement was probably deserted and the purpose of the mounds forgotten. Finally westere th n o , n shor Burg f erodes eo ha aa dSanse parmiddee a df th o t n which has produced a large quantity of animal bones, steatite fragments of typical Viking bowls, the top stone of a rotary quern and an iron axe. Exact parallels in shape and size to this axe are difficult to find, the nearest being from Straumi in Iceland. Whil Vikine eth g dat thif eo s midde establishes ni t liedi s som yds3 e26 .

fro e excavatemth 2 d farmstea belono t r dfa thao g t —o tto e sambuildingth f eo t ye , period. This would seem to suggest that a second longhouse probably exists some- where on the SW. shore of the bay. doubo n e Thersociae b t economithath d n fare s ean ca lth t m wa c uni Norsn i t e time self-supportina s- g uni resourcete drawinth environmentl s it al f n so g o . With densite th Norsf yo e place-name Shetlann si doubo n de therb t than eca t thers ewa a considerable density of settlement, yet few house sites have been found. At Under- houll the archaeological record points to at least two farms around a tiny bay. No doubt mos theif o t r stonewor bees kha nconstructioe useth n di latef no r crofts while othen i r area Vikinge sth s also chose areas which were environmentally most favour- followine th n i abld g ean period same sth e limited land areas have continuee us n di e presentilth l t century. Perhaps, then e physicath , le earlrelicth f yo s Viking colonisation lie buried below many of the crofts still existing today. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebted to Saxa Vord and Fighter Command for consistent financia d organisationaan l l support Zetlano t , d Educational Trusr fo t

1 Jakobsen , Th,J. e Place-Names of Shetland (Londo Copenhagend nan , 1936). * Eldjarn , KumlK. , og Haugfe (Reykjavik, 1956), 286, PI. .3 102 o N , 8 24 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1964-66 financia teame l th suppor excavatorf o st o d an t s from R.A.F. Saxa Vord, R.A.F. Buchan, the Unst Field Club, and Aberdeen University Geographical Society. Grateful thanks are also due to the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Universite th d an Aberdeef yo financiar nfo l assistanc visitinn ei g sitemuseumd san s in other parts of the Viking World. Gratefu Alistair l M thank o t alsre e Duimetsar o du permissior fo t reproduco nt e PL XXXII Scotsman e e EditoXXXIIL th ,Th P r Miso if o t t ;o r fo ; s3 , Heather Smith who prepared figs. 2 and 3; and to Mr Charles Simpson, who drew all the small finds.