The Viking settlement of Jarlshof, near Sumburgh Head in Shetland, is a unique site that has been excavated from the 1930s onwards. Jarlshof means ‘Earl’s mansion’. The name was given to the site by Sir Walter Scott in the early 19th century.
The settlement was occupied for over 400 years. It lay on fertile, well-drained slopes close to sheltered harbours with freshwater springs nearby. There were large quantities of building stone on the beach. It could only support two extended families at any one time.
Over the years the typical Viking longhouse developed, with kitchen, living-hall and byre at the lower end, all made from stone and turf. To avoid the endless wind, there were two opposing entrances; they used whichever door faced away from the wind. Other buildings found were a bath-house, blacksmith’s workshop, kiln for drying corn, and roads and pavements.
Life revolved around farming. Barley and oats were grown; sheep, cattle, pigs and ponies were kept; and fishing became a major activity, both inshore and in deeper waters. Many domestic items were found here, either forged out of iron, carved from bone or antler, or sculpted from local steatite, or soapstone. As a self-sufficient farm Jarlshof was successful; it was rebuilt as a medieval farm in the 14th century.
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Listen to the horsehair-strung kantele, an ancient Finnish stringed instrument, being plucked.
A video clip from BBC Learning Zone on how objects found at the Norse settlement of Jarlshof have helped archaeologists find out about the Norse and how they lived.
Explore artefacts such as bowls, jewellery and knives from Jarlshof, Shetland contained in the National Museums Scotland online collections database.
Digital images and information about Jarlshof, a remarkable archaeological site in Shetland that contains remains dating from 2500 BC up to the 17th century.
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