Sven's first taste of travel in his new job running Eric's website was
to head up to the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland. He hoped to find traces
of his Viking ancestor Erik Longbeak.
Right at the southern tip of the Shetland mainland lies the Viking ruins
of the Jarlshof Settlement, where many centuries ago travelers from Norway
lived.
The small settlement was for hundreds of years buried under a thick layer of sand,
with nothing showing above the mound at all. In fact much later a small castle was
built on top of the settlement, and it's ruins are still the most visible remains
on the site today.
When archaeologists were excavating the Jarlshof site they found lots of
evidence of what the people who lived there ate. Several rubbish pits, called
Middens were found on the site. These were still full of the shells
of the seafood which would have formed a major part of the diet of the people
who lived there.
Apparently, Sven wasn't too impressed. The smell in summer must have been
awful.
He reckons it was a diet only suited to Penguins.
The site at Jarlshof was actually in use a long time before the Vikings came.
There are different levels of ruins covering about 1000 years of history. As
well as the Norse settlement and the later castle, there is the remains of
a Broch tower and it's roundhouse.
And not far away, the history continues with modern houses nearby. There
are about 1000 years between the ruins and the new houses, Sven thinks this
is an awful lot of history in a small place.
In the grounds of the castle there is a small graveyard. Archaeologists
don't know exactly who is buried in this area, perhaps shipwrecked sailors.
Anyway, it's ideal Ostrich hiding territory....
The ancient Broch tower at Jarlshof was abandoned in about 800AD, after
several hundred years of occupation. The well preserved walls were found when the small
hill beside the castle ruins was excavated.
Sven has enjoyed his first assignment, exploring the ruins on Shetland.
He is already planning for his next expedition, but who can tell where that
will be to.
