Random Pensées

Archeology in the News

I came across two stories today involving archeological finds and my interest was piqued.

The first was in Norway, where divers discovered the wreck of a 14th century ship. This fellow from the Norwegian Maritime Museum notes: "We don't know much about Norwegian vessels from the Middle Ages, except that they became bigger, wider and could carry more cargo over the years," he said. "Pictures have been found in churches and on stone monuments." That's quite cool, I think. They find a living example of something known only from depictions on monuments or in churches. Suddenly, bang, history lives.

The second was in England where six Viking graves were discovered, the first discovery of Viking graves ever in England. "Archaeologists spent months excavating the site in Cumwhitton in Cumbria, which had swords, spears, jewellery, fire-making materials and riding equipment as well as six graves of Viking men and women." Another news source also reported that the grave contained a drinking horn. You know they would not have buried a Viking without a drinking horn, right?