What do we really know about the Vikings? Yes, they raided, and they hoarded (as illustrated by our richly tangled cover shot). But what cultural footprint did they leave in Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland, and how does their archaeological legacy differ from place to place? Carly Hilts explores a wealth of data on the Vikings in Britain and Ireland, as newly published by the British Museum in a must-read book.
In ‘Saved from the sea’, Clive Waddington explains how unceasing coastal erosion at Low Hauxley, on the Northumberland coast, has revealed the sort of deep sequence that we normally only expect from the great ‘tell’ sites of the Near East. Here, he and his team have uncovered some 10,000 years of human history, from the Mesolithic onwards. However, the same sea that revealed the site is now threatening to swallow it up. The race has been on to record what they can.
Vast stone slabs balanced on slender uprights: portal tombs are among our most astonishing ancient monuments. But how were they constructed, and what do we know about how they were used? New research by Ann Lynch is providing answers.
Other highlights in this issue include a low-down on Lord Carnarvon of Tutankhamun fame. What led this privileged playboy (and owner of Highclere Castle, now known to many as ‘Downton Abbey’) to Egypt? Best-selling archaeological author Brian Fagan explains all.
Good reading!
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IN THIS ISSUE:/n
FEATURES/n
SAVED FROM THE SEA/n
Rescuing ten millennia of history
Extensive coastal erosion has revealed a remarkably deep sequence of human occupation at Low Hauxley, Northumberland.
POULNABRONE’S PORTAL TOMB/n
Honouring the Neolithic dead
New findings at a 6,000-year-old monument in Co. Clare are shedding new light on Ireland’s enigmatic dolmens.
‘A PREY TO PAGAN PEOPLE’?/n
The Viking impact on Britain and Ireland
We explore the diverse and long-lasting legacy of Viking settlement in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
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NEWS/n
Cumbrian hoard: from Russia with trade?; Bronze Age twins in Marlow?; The Balescate basket: a race against tide; Uncovering Brunel’s railway heritage; Micropasts: crowd-funded archaeology; New conservation method for waterlogged wood; Revealed: the man who saved London from drowning; Rembrandt at Rathnadrinna; The mystery of the Medway Stones
REGULARS/n
Profile
Lord Carnarvon: the Earl and the Pharaoh
Conference
Current Archaeology Live! 2015 is approaching fast. This special section contains the latest details of the timetable, speakers, and Archaeology Awards nominations.
Reviews
Interpreting Ground-penetrating Radar for Archaeology ; Life in the Limes; Built to Brew; The Lewis Chessmen
Sherds
Chris Catling’s irreverent take on heritage issues
Odd Socs
The Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society