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‘Making Viking Archaeology Work in Orkney- the place of Things’

‘Making Viking Archaeology Work in Orkney- the place of Things’ . Julie Gibson and Sarah Jane Gibbon Orkney Islands Council and Orkney College, UHI. Numbers visiting archaeological sites as main activity. 23% in Orkney (Orkney Tourist Board, 2000)

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‘Making Viking Archaeology Work in Orkney- the place of Things’

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  1. ‘Making Viking Archaeology Work in Orkney- the place of Things’ Julie Gibsonand Sarah Jane Gibbon Orkney Islands Council and Orkney College, UHI

  2. Numbers visiting archaeological sites as main activity • 23% in Orkney (Orkney Tourist Board, 2000) • 1% in Highlands (Highland Visitor Survey,)2002 • Orkney 63% did archaeology whilst here • Highland 61% did “sight seeing”

  3. Value of Tourism to economy, in Orkney 2001 • Farming £55 million • Tourism £28 million • The rest much less! • Minimum of £6m per annum income attributable to archaeology. Holistic branding raises value of all sectors.

  4. Employment/Businesses in Orkney supported by archaeological heritage • Historic Scotland • University of Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute (researchers/teachers/ technical staff) • OIC Museums/heritage • Accommodation operators • Transport operators (buses/taxis/ferries/air) • Harbours (cruise ships fees) • Specialist tour companies (also outwith Orkney) • Private operators of archaeological sites-based heritage centres • Retailers • Jewellers • Farmers (Agri-environment schemes) • Independent, voluntary community heritage (many of these) The multiplier benefit of any spend in our tiny communities is huge.

  5. SAA 2008: The Heart of Neolithic Orkney Orkney College Geophysics Unit

  6. Developing the market • Markets can fall as well as rise. Jersey (as comparitor UK island) has seen drop in visitor numbers • Requirement to ensure interpretation is not static - expert, up to date research needed • Requirement to develop audience - taking passive viewers (via various media)- making active visitors • Quantity: Need to develop number of sites in any one area • Quality • Sustainable tourism

  7. Geophysics, magnetometer surveys in The Heart of Neolithic Orkney Orkney College Geophysics Unit

  8. Ness of Brodgar Neolithic temple complex… in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. 2008 Working with Orkneyjar website

  9. Quoygrew, Westray James Barrett York University From 1000AD to 16th century

  10. Grave goods from the Scar boat grave. The boat itself, the three grave companions, their everlasting treasure: A pagan statement of Norwegian roots. Buried c.1000AD. A chance find by farmer. Dalland & Owen On display in Orkney Museum

  11. Brough of Deerness: Current work to develop a Viking age visitor site on a cliff stack Excavation – by James Barrett, Cambridge University Geophysics survey showing foundations by Orkney College International support: Visit of Arni Magnusson Institute scholars

  12. Systematic fact finding for baseline data (auditing) Opportunistic and targetted data collection- e.g. related to management and threats Research in practice in a rural University • Responsive research based on community need • Supported by Research initiatives; studentships and programmes • Creating Applied research For • Knowledge transfer

  13. Orkney’s Thing Sites • A bit of a mystery • Not yet the focus of academic research or economic development • Great potential

  14. What do we have? • Two ‘ting’ derived place-names • Ten references to ‘tings’ being held in Orkney in the OrkneyingaSaga (located and unlocated) • Meagre later medieval historical documentation of regular Lawtings

  15. Tingwall

  16. Wyre (Kolbein Hruga) Tingwall Gairsay (Swein Asleifarson) Sheltered water and small harbour basin Tingwall Mound

  17. Dingieshowe Dingieshowe

  18. Dingieshowe

  19. OrkneyingaSaga References Kirkwall Photo by Sigurd Towrie Pierowall Westray Photo Frank Bradford 59degreesN

  20. C15 – 17 Historical References Lawman Royal Judge & presiding officer of Lawting Hirdmansteinn, Lawting, Allhallow (Wapenstein) 24 members of Lawting – goodmen, roithmen, lawrikmen, baillies ‘Baillie’ Courts with a Norse Legacy

  21. Summary To give meaning to these places we need : - • A place-name audit of assembly sites • Targeted field investigation • Exploration of folklore and historical material A holistic interpretation of the thing sites in their cultural environments, both local and international

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