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A collaborative team of Irish and Norwegian archaeologists working at the Viking settlement of Woodstown, located on the banks of the River Suir, west of Waterford City, have uncovered the largest building yet found at the site, reinforcing previous suggestions that this was not just a temporary camp for raiding and trading in the 9th and 10th centuries AD, but a significant settlement with up to 61 structures.
The site was first identified in 2003, during excavations in advance of the construction of the N25 Waterford City Bypass (see CA 304). During that project, archaeologists investigated around 5% of the settlement area, revealing more than 750 features and thousands of artefacts. One of the most-reported discoveries at that time was the ‘Woodstown Warrior’, one of the richest Viking graves ever found in Ireland, which produced many martial grave goods (including a sword, shield, spearhead, axe, knife, and hone stone), as well as a ringed-pin and two copper-alloy mounts. What makes Woodstown unique, however, is that, unlike Dublin or Waterford, which also have Viking origins, it never developed into a modern city, so its archaeology was not built over. The site therefore offers a wonderful opportunity to research a ‘fossilised’ snapshot of Viking life in Ireland.
This summer, archaeologists from Abarta Heritage, the Discovery Programme, and the Archaeological Museum at the University of Stavanger in Norway carried out a small research excavation at the site with funding from the Royal Irish Academy and Waterford City & County Council. Their target was an apparent large structure that had been spotted during a recent geophysical survey, and the excavation revealed a foundation trench with post-holes, along with evidence of a significant burning event in one part of the structure. With a floor area encompassing 127m2, almost twice the size of most of the other structures revealed by geophysical survey at Woodstown, it is believed that this may have been a hall or longhouse. It is also a candidate for the largest Viking structure yet found in Ireland, the team report.
Along with its impressive dimensions, associated finds speak to the building’s significance. Sherds of two large vessels made of soapstone – a rare material in Ireland but one that is much more common in Norway – were discovered within its footprint, and it is believed that they were probably made in Norway and then transported by the Vikings to Woodstown. The structure also produced small finds hinting at trade, including hacksilver, lead weights, and coins, while tools for fine metalworking, crucibles, raw metal, and slag are indicative of craft production. Meanwhile, evidence of raiding activity came in the form of a fragment of a metal fitting bearing a cross and Insular Irish decoration. It probably originated from a harness mount or ecclesiastical object and is very similar to items commonly found in Rogaland, the area around modern-day Stavanger in the south-west of Norway, where they are frequently encountered as jewellery in high-status female graves, perhaps symbolising family connections to settlements in Ireland. Viking Age finds from Rogaland have been found at other Irish sites, too, suggesting that people from this area of Norway may have been one of the most active in Ireland at this time.
The team plan to continue investigating this site in the future, so watch this space for further updates and insights from Woodstown.
Text: Kathryn Krakowka / Photo: Abarta Heritage
