Although direct archaeological evidence of their presence is slight the north and north-east coast of Caithness has produced various forms of evidence, for example Viking graves at Reay and Castletown, a silver hoard from Kirk O'Banks and stray finds at Thurso. Small-scale excavations and fieldwalking suggest evidence for Norse activity in and around Dunnet Bay. The CHS 'Viking and Norse Heritage Project' (VANH) focused on attempting to define and assess the Viking and Norse presence in and around Dunnet Bay, which stretches between Castletown and Dunnet. The VANH Project formed part of the River of Stone project being undertaken by CHS in association with the Caithness Archaeological Trust. Central to the project is the involvement and training of the local community.
The project proved to be a tremenduous success, with strong support from members of the local community. Whilst we may not have yet found a major Viking settlement the results of the field work and post excavation workshops are currently being analysed and we will present these shortly. Based on the results further field work will be undertaken during 2009. To keep track of progress, bookmark this web site and check regularly for developing news. The Viking and Norse Heritage Project was generously sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund, HIE and the European Fund. |