This book is a quick read about a topic you (or at least me) thought you already knew something about–the smaller islands around England–but it turns out you’re wrong. The prose is informative without being dense, always a plus. My brain is still scarred from years of parsing academic articles. If I never hear the word ‘praxis’ again, fine by me. Anyway, this book. Victor Hugo lived for years in exile on Jersey? Who knew? I was hoping for more information about Iona, since one of my current projects is set there but the book was fascinating nonetheless, particularly in regards to explaining how/why/how much the scattered islands do/do not consider themselves part of England. Spoiler alert: more no than yes. The only real problem with the book is now I want to go see a whole bunch more places, all of which are relatively difficult to get to.
Vikings
Another Helpful Website
The Viking Answer Lady is chockfull o’ info goodness, with the added bonus of a hilarious ‘homework help’ request on the front page which she actually received. I’ve taught for enough years to sympathize. And shudder, remembering.
The Archaeology of Early Medieval Ireland. Nancy Edwards.
The only problem with this book is that everything it says is important. You can’t actually underline everything. It took me months to read, mostly because I had to stop every few pages to let my brain process the chockfull o’ goodness facts. I may well have to read it again to hope to get a good grasp on what’s here. Because it’s all here. What archaeology tells us about housing, food, clothing, artisans, artwork, weapons and fighting techniques, church architecture, and agriculture in early medieval Ireland.
I do wish there were a newer edition of the book. It was originally published in 1990 and a great deal has been discovered in the two decades since. Like Linn Duachaill. Indeed, her description of how little we know about Viking settlement in Ireland, particularly outside areas that developed into large cities (i.e. Dublin, and to a lesser extent Waterford) underscores the importance of the Linn Duachaill discovery.
Viking Burial Site Found in Scotland
Many of the Vikings who hit Ireland came from the western coast of Scotland rather than directly from Norway. From the gear this Viking chief was buried with, I think it’s fair to say they did pretty well in their raiding:
http://www.news.yahoo.com/archaeologists-viking-burial-scotland-094731015.html
Linn Duachaill BBC Video Report
BBC journalist Conor MacCauley’s report on Linn Duachaill:
It can also be reached through the Linn Duachaill site. Click on the News feature.
Major Viking Site Rediscovered!
In 2009 a writer-buddy and I began researching, and then drafting, a historical novel. Set in Ireland in 841, it’s about the conflict between the Irish and the Vikings as the Vikings begin transitioning from raiding to conquering. We chose Annagassan as our setting, which along with Dublin was the first place the Vikings established settlements. When we started, the Annagassan Viking site had long been searched for but never found.
And then it was:
Michelle Markey Butler 