ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:50 Page 98 VIKING ORKNEY - SETTLEMENT TO 1100 HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY ply disappear. Existing settle- This is well stated in Historia m u e th s ments were taken over by the Norwegiae, written in the 11 u th M Vikings, who may even have or 12 century about the Picts y e n reused some Pictish pots and that they “did marvels in the k r other household items, but morning and in the evening, in O soon the invaders imposed building towns, but at mid-day their own farming style and they entirely lost all their land-holding patterns, which strength, and lurked, through are preserved as farm names fear, in underground houses'” and parishes to this day. It goes on to say “But in due course…certain pirates…set Recent excavations have sug- out with a great fleet…and gested that there may have stripped these races of their Brough of Birsay - Norse church been a considerable Pictish ancient settlements, destroyed For six hundred years Orkney technology. The development population in Orkney at the them wholly, and subdued the was dominated by the Norse, of large ocean-going sailing time of the Viking migrations islands to themselves.” initially invaders and then set- ships, combined with a knowl- in the 8th century and there tlers from Western Norway, edge of seamanship and navi- have been suggestions that the The early 20th century who rapidly colonised the gation, which could reliably Norse colonisation may have Orcadian historian, Storer islands and then went on to transport people, livestock and been "peaceful". However, Clouston, had no illusions build the Earldom which at its goods for long distances, there is scant evidence sup- about what happened, “Surely peak controlled much of the allowed them an ascendancy porting this idea. the common-sense of the mat- west coast of Scotland, the Isle over other coastal Europeans ter …is evident. The first of Man, Caithness and for several centuries. Very few Celtic placenames Norsemen....proposed to settle Sutherland. Orcadians today and other words have survived in these islands, whether the remain proud of their Norse Orkney made an obvious base suggesting that the Norse existing inhabitants liked it or Whalebone plaque from boat burial, Scar, Sanday heritage and, though British, for these seafaring people, in a political takeover must have not. They brought their during the Viking era which maintain their historic links time when there was no quick been fast and virtually total, swords, and if the inhabitants greatly aided westward expan- with Norway. land transport. While there is and that no "integration" took were numerous and offered sion, the development of more some evidence that contact place. The attractiveness of resistance, they fought them. advanced agriculture and pop- The westward expansion of may already have been going Orkney as a Viking base, due If they were few and fled, they ulation growth. the Vikings started late in the on for some time before the to position and natural took their land without fight- th 8 century and, apart from main influx, it now seems that resources, must have been ing. They did, in fact, exactly It also seems that the Vikings population and other pres- the Norse takeover was abrupt overwhelming, and the Pictish what we ourselves have done had mastered several other sures, was made possible by and complete. The Picts sim- people, leaders, churchmen in later centuries, in India, important things such as Linen smoother Lower guard and tang of sword Scar boat burial, Sanday and ordinary people either fled America, Africa, Australia. (slightly) improved domestic m u or were slaughtered. That is the only way in which Man’s comb found at Scar boat burial, Sanday - dates to AD850-925 e s m u we can settle a new land- u e M s y This short but violent period chance your luck, but always u e n M k y r of Viking migration at the end bring your gun.” e O th n of the 8 century, enabled the k r seizure of Orkney and Most of our knowledge of the O Shetland, and then much of Vikings comes from the sagas, the far north of Scotland from which describe the feuds of the Picts. Once power was great families and the deeds of established there followed a great men, but do not give further influx of settlers such much detail of more mundane that Norse culture and lan- events or conditions. There guage totally replaced Pictish. was a climatic improvement 98 99 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:50 Page 100 VIKING ORKNEY - SETTLEMENT TO 1100 HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY hygiene and midwifery, as his half-brother Torf Einar, well as being good black- who “took the earldom, and smiths, joiners, farmers, ship- was long earl, and was a man builders and seamen. Clearly of great power”. He was many were also good men-at- renowned for his eyesight arms, but this was probably despite being one-eyed, and is only one aspect of their power. said to have shown the people Above all they were craftsmen how to use peat as a fuel. The and took great pride in their Saga recounts how he found work as is evident by the and slew Halfdan Fairhair on many high quality weapons, Norse boat-burial excavation at Westness, Rousay North Ronaldsay for killing Howe of Hoxa, said to be burial place of Thorfinn “Skullsplitter” items of jewellry and, perhaps his father (Rognvald) by burn- the 12th century in Iceland, making raids on Norway. (Kirk Hope) in Hoy in 995, on most important, the advanced ing him alive in his house in give a vivid account of Viking During his time Norway was pain of the death of his son. technology of their ships and Norway. He then carved the times, with many colourful united as one kingdom (in The whole of Orkney was said navigation skills. blood eagle on Halfdan’s characters. 892AD), and the lands “west to have embraced the faith. back, “Einar had his ribs cut over sea” of Orkney, Shetland, The son, Hvelp, died soon Today nearly all our place- from the spine with a sword According to the Saga the the Hebrides and Man came after, so Sigurd renounced names derive from Old Norse, and the lungs pulled out Norse oval brooch Earldom was founded by under his rule. Christianity and refused to with only a few possible through the slits in his back. King Harald Harfargi recognise King Olaf. Pictish remnants. The He dedicated the victim to (Fairhair), who set out “west Earl Rognvald of More was Orkneyinga Saga and other Odin as a victory offering” over sea” to deal with the made Earl of Orkney, but he He was killed in 1014 at the Norse Sagas, mostly written in Orkney Vikings who kept passed the title to his brother, Battle of Clontarf when he Thorfinn Skull-Splitter, said m Sigurd, (The Mighty), the first himself took up the Raven u e to be buried in the Howe of s Earl of Orkney to be recorded Banner, after many had fallen u Norse sword pommel M Hoxa (South Ronaldsay), by history. Sigurd is best y e became sole Earl when his n k known for his death rather r brothers were killed at he O than his life. During one of his Battle of Stainmore in 954. forays into Scottland, about He was said to be “a mighty AD893, he incurred the wrath chief and warlike”, but it is of a man called Maelbrigte not recorded how he came by “Tusk”. A meeting was his nickname. arranged where each was to bring 40 men and 40 horses. Sigurd the Stout was a pow- However Sigurd put two men erful Earl, who was known for on each horse, with the result Equal-armed brooch from the Scar boat-burial his prowess in battle, his sor- Osmondwall, Longhope that all the Scots were killed cery and his ability to invoke Norse house at Quoygrew, (Lower Trenaby), Westray and beheaded. Norse buildings on the Brough of Birsay the old gods. His mother was a sorceress and made him the The Vikings tied the heads to enchanted Raven Banner, their saddles in triumph, but warning “my belief is this: Maelbrigte had the last laugh that it will bring victory to the as one of his protruding buck man it's carried before, but teeth scratched Sigurd’s leg, death to the one who carries causing a fatal infection. He is it”. buried near Oykelbridge. Sigurd was forcibly converted Sigurd was succeeded by to Christianity by King Olav another colourful character, Tryggvesson at Osmondwall 100 101 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:50 Page 102 VIKING ORKNEY - SETTLEMENT TO 1100 HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY Bishop of Orkney , Bishop Thorolf, was appointed. VIKING TIMELINE 1 Thorfinn established Christ SETTLEMENT to 1100 Church and a Bishop’s Palace c.600 Development of sailing at Birsay, next to his own. longships late 700s Norse settlement in Orkney - Picts overwhelmed The Norse Earls were always 794 Viking attacks on in as close touch with Scottish islands (Irish Annals) rulers as they were with their 790s Major Viking attacks on Britain Norse superiors, frequently 800 Norse presence well marrying the daughters of established in Orkney other noblemen, or of the 841 Dublin founded 849, 852 Large fleets of Viking Scottish or Norwegian King. ships attacking Britain Their divided loyalties fre- c.880 King Harald Fairhair of quently caused problems, Norway expedition to west Replica longship “Gaia” in Kirkwall Bay which eventually led to the Rognvald of More Earl c.890 Rognvald s brother, carrying it, “there was no man Thorkel Fostri played an end of the Earldom.