Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
F IG . 9.13 Oronsay Priory from the air (Photo by Chris Stanley, 1982)
hardly do it justice (Fig. 9.14 ) South of the Priory Ritchie had asked
us to photograph mysterious mounds, obviously of human origin.
They look like burial sites, but nothing has been found within
them. Nor, to be honest, does the photo seem to shed much light
on the matter (Fig. 9.15 ).
On the approach to the island of Islay Ritchie had asked us
to photograph a feature he had marked as 'Viking house?' by the
ruined chapel on Nave Island. He hadn't given it enough priority
even to describe it in his accompanying notes, but it proved to be
the find of the mission. The remains of several former structures
could be seen and the 'house?' itself is clearly boat-shaped.
The island's name may not relate to the chapel. The Vikings
did build boat-shaped houses, but there may have been a ship
burial somewhere in the area. Unusual numbers of brass rivets
have been found in Viking graves on Oronsay, suggesting that a
ship had been dismantled and the rivets used as currency. A key
question about the age of the feature (which is less conspicuous at
ground level) was whether it was crossed by the run-rig marks of
Viking cultivation. If it was, the 'house' would be more recent. But
in fact only one line crosses it, and that one is much coarser than
the run-rigs (Fig. 9.16 ).
 
 
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