Trix

Trix

@trixranderson.bsky.social

Archaeologist at North Yorkshire Historic Environment Record: special interest in Viking-Age Britain and the Great Heathen Army

652 followers265 following826 posts

Trix reposted

North Ages
@northages.bsky.social

Æthelstan, king of the English, died #OTD in 939, enabling Óláfr Guðrøðsson to take York back into Viking hands. Óláfr, as king of Dublin; Causantín II, king of Alba; and Owain, king of Strathclyde, had been defeated by Æthelstan at the Battle of Brunanburh. 📸Athelstan Museum

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

Search your camera roll for "boat" and post a photo you like! The Gaia, moored near the Gokstad Kystlag in Sandefjord, shortly before we got to sail her in May this year. I liked the contrast of her sleek, rather ancient lines with the battered steamer behind her

Dr Rob@robheighton.bsky.social

Search your camera roll for "boat" and post a photo you like! This one is also Bristol, incidentally, almost exactly a year ago this week. Possibly more of a ship than a boat, and the sunset is more the subject than the vessel either way, but I simply adored the view

Trix reposted

North Ages
@northages.bsky.social

The Hexham Hoard was discovered in the abbey grounds by the sexton and his assistant as they dug a grave #OTD in 1832. About 8,000 Northumbrian coins of the 9thC were found in a bronze bucket of the same period. Some 50 more coins were recovered in December 1841. 📸British Museum

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

It feels like whack-a-mole reporting these computer-generated 'authors' as they spring up, but at the moment it seems like all we can do. The move from harvesting articles to just plagiarising entire books is less of a creep than a sprint - but keep pushing back.

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Trix reposted

Andy Marshall
@fotofacade.bsky.social

✨ It wasn’t until I first saw the Saxon crypt at St Wystan’s, Repton, that I understood John Betjeman’s words: ‘Holy air encased in stone.’ I’ve never felt the past so close, or found such comfort in feeling rooted in a longer story. A real hidden gem, a must see.

Trix reposted

Antiquity Journal
@antiquity.ac.uk

Read the new research in Antiquity 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

doi.orgA major monastic centre? Rethinking Lismore’s place in the ecclesiastical landscapes of early medieval Britain | Antiquity | Cambridge CoreA major monastic centre? Rethinking Lismore’s place in the ecclesiastical landscapes of early medieval Britain - Volume 100 Issue 413
Dr Tom Horne@hornesupremacy.bsky.social

⛪️ Lost Early Medieval Monastery Found on Scottish Island 📰 Dr Tom's Early Medieval Newsletter Read the paper in @antiquity.ac.uk from 10am, UK time! drtomhornearchaeology.substack.com/p/lost-early...

drtomhornearchaeology.substack.comLost Early Medieval Monastery Found on Scottish IslandA community volunteer project has unearthed a high-status monastery on Lismore dating back to the 6th century AD
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

If this cracking piece of community archaeology isn't enough for you, we're also going to be at Govan this coming weekend - so you get both digging and Vikings in one visit!

Dr Tom Horne@hornesupremacy.bsky.social

BREAKING NEWS 💍 🪏 More remarkable early medieval finds in the 1,500-year-old churchyard at Govan Old, home of the @govanstones.bsky.social, and featuring my own photos of the roughout of a finger ring that's just been unearthed! drtomhornearchaeology.substack.com/p/breaking-n...

drtomhornearchaeology.substack.comBREAKING NEWS! Early Medieval Finger Ring Workshop Unearthed in GlasgowA partially finished 'roughout' of a shale finger ring has been discovered during a dig in Govan Old's 1,500-year-old churchyard

Trix reposted

Archaeology Data Service
@ads-update.bsky.social

🏺 Collection Highlight 🏺 This week we would like to highlight a recently released archive: Illustrated Artefact Catalogue of Viking Inset Lead Weights from Britain and Ireland. This catalogue sits alongside a related article published in Internet Archaeology, To read more visit: buff.ly/0dvQ2g2

Trix reposted

Internet Archaeology
@intarcheditor.bsky.social

ICYMI: Hadley, D., Richards, J.D. et al. Inset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and Ireland. doi.org/10.11141/ia.... #archaeology #weightsystems #coins #decoratedmetalwork #trade #identity #VikingGreatArmy #Britain #Ireland #Scandinavia #9thcentury

doi.orgInset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and IrelandViking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...

Trix reposted

North Ages
@northages.bsky.social

The Galloway Hoard was discovered by detectorist Derek McLennan at Balmaghie, Kirkcudbrightshire, #OTD in 2014. Deposited around AD 900, it is both Scotland’s earliest Viking-Age hoard and the richest ever found in Britain and Ireland. 📸National Museums Scotland

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UHI Institute for Northern Studies
@insuhi.bsky.social

'Kings on the Move: the case of the Viking Great Army' article by Dr Shane McLeod, Postdoctoral Research Associate UHI Institute for Northern Studies, discussed in @hornesupremacy.bsky.social latest Substack drtomhornearchaeology.substack.com/p/lords-of-t...

drtomhornearchaeology.substack.comLords of the Ring: Viking Kings in a Great Army 'Mobile Kingdom'Shane McLeod's argues convincingly for royal leadership of the Viking Great/Heathen Army

Trix reposted

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

I've been missing from #FindsFriday for months, so it's probably time I got back into it! To tie in with our new paper, we're going to look at inset weights for the next few weeks - seeing what these enigmatic objects are, where they're found, and their ties to the Great Army. This is weight 1706:

Trix reposted

Simon Coupland
@scoupland.bsky.social

For #FindsFriday: In July 1862, a shepherd boy found 5 gold and silver rings – the rest turned up soon after. The Vulu hoard from Trøndelag is highly impressive. The large penannular silver brooch weighs c 500 grams and measures 25 cm. 📷 Mårten Teigen, Alexis Pantos, Vikingtidsmuseet Oslo

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

I've been missing from #FindsFriday for months, so it's probably time I got back into it! To tie in with our new paper, we're going to look at inset weights for the next few weeks - seeing what these enigmatic objects are, where they're found, and their ties to the Great Army. This is weight 1706:

View full thread
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

At some point, a member of a Viking army chopped apart one of these beautiful brooches - to melt down, or to use the silver fragments as small change - but kept the central piece, pinning it to a lead weight... We try to argue that Vikings weren't barbarians and then they do things like that!

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

If you can't wait to know more, then you can read our new paper on these weights which now available in the latest issue of Internet Archaeology - link below. There is also a full, and completely open-access, catalogue of the known weights so far to be found through the Archaeology Data Service.

intarch.ac.ukInset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and IrelandViking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

I've been missing from #FindsFriday for months, so it's probably time I got back into it! To tie in with our new paper, we're going to look at inset weights for the next few weeks - seeing what these enigmatic objects are, where they're found, and their ties to the Great Army. This is weight 1706:

View full thread
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

So, what's the inset in today's weight, No. 1706? It's made of silver, and the diamond shape surrounded by 'palmette' trefoils has rough, uneven edges on all sides, showing it was chopped from the centre of something. The central piercing is original, although it now holds a securing pin...

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

We think this finely-detailed piece of silver has been hacked from the centre of an Anglo-Saxon disc brooch, once a magnificent piece of display jewellery akin to these from Cheddar and from Beeston Tor. Both feature the slightly curved diamond design typical of the Trewhiddle style of A-S artwork

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

I've been missing from #FindsFriday for months, so it's probably time I got back into it! To tie in with our new paper, we're going to look at inset weights for the next few weeks - seeing what these enigmatic objects are, where they're found, and their ties to the Great Army. This is weight 1706:

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

This weight was found at one of our Viking camps - Aldwark, in North Yorkshire - and so the link to the Army is there immediately. Like all of the 'inset' weights, it's a small piece of lead with something set into it: these insets can be pottery, glass, highly decorated - or sometimes just pins.

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

We'll look at *why* Vikings wanted to set little pieces of chopped-up stuff into lead weights in the coming weeks. However, it's fair to say that it's almost certainly related to the trade in hack metal: at the camps, we've recovered weights alongside masses of fragmented silver (and sometimes gold)

Trix reposted

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

School holidays and work meant I haven't had a chance to shout about this yet - but yesterday saw a release for a new paper, drawing together the Viking-Age lead 'inset' weights from across Britain and Ireland and looking at their origins (surprise: it's all to do with the Great Army once again) -

intarch.ac.ukInset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and IrelandViking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

Well, this is going straight to the top of the wish list! Huge congratulations to @downham.bsky.social, I am *really* looking forward to reading this. (...and a lovely inset lead weight on the cover, too - what more could you ask for?)

Clare Downham@downham.bsky.social

New book - publication date April 2027 - #booksky #medievalsky

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

School holidays and work meant I haven't had a chance to shout about this yet - but yesterday saw a release for a new paper, drawing together the Viking-Age lead 'inset' weights from across Britain and Ireland and looking at their origins (surprise: it's all to do with the Great Army once again) -

intarch.ac.ukInset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and IrelandViking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

There is also - and close to my heart, as ever - an open-access catalogue of out corpus available on the ADS, illustrated and fully searchable, available for easy exploration and for everyone to enjoy :)

archaeologydataservice.ac.ukIllustrated Artefact Catalogue of Viking Inset Lead Weights from Britain and Ireland, 2025This is a new illustrated and searchable catalogue of over 390 Viking inset lead weights mainly of the late 9th century AD found in Britain and Ireland. The majority of these weights were recovered du...

Trix reposted

Clare Downham
@downham.bsky.social

Online seminar free and open to all #medievalsky #herstory #textiles #history #ireland #celtic www.ssns.org.uk/events/ssns-...

ssns.org.ukSSNS Seminar - Hannah Evans - 'For every woman who is an embroideress deserves more profit than even queens': gender, status, and textiles in medieval Ireland. - Scottish Society for Northern Studies ...Stephen will explore why so many of the crucial incidents leading to the downfall of the Norse line of northern Scottish jarls in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.

Trix reposted

North Ages
@northages.bsky.social

The Wharton Hoard was discovered by a detectorist at Wharton, near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, #OTD in 2017. It comprises 37 copper pennies, known as stycas, from 9thC Northumbria. 📸British Museum

Trix reposted

Spencer Carter
@microburin.bsky.social

𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 Saturday 18th July 2026 (Pls re-post) Come and find out more about Thornborough’s remarkable Neolithic and Bronze Age landscape on Saturday 18th July 2026. West Tanfield, North Yorkshire, HG4 5JU. www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../festival....

Trix reposted

Simon Coupland
@scoupland.bsky.social

For #FindsFriday late 9C Italian deniers found in three recent English hoards: a-b Watlington; c Herefordshire; d Bickmarsh. All must have been brought here through #Frisia, most likely by Scandinavians in the #Viking great army. Photos © Ashmolean Museum, PAS, Treasure Hunting, August 2024

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

Yet more brilliant finds from Woodstown :) I've own a little handled bowl made of soapstone, maybe I need to get myself a bigger one...?

Neil Jackman@neiljackman.bsky.social

An incredible opening week for the research excavation at the Woodstown Viking Site! In today's tale from the trench we meet Hilde Fyllingen as she uncovers a little glimpse of daily life in this enormous Viking settlement. #ireland #archaeology 🏺 #vikings #irishhistory

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

Some cracking discoveries coming up at Woodstown :)

Neil Jackman@neiljackman.bsky.social

Viking traders or Viking raiders? Another tale from the trench as we end the third day of our research excavation at Woodstown Viking Site in County Waterford. #Ireland #Vikings #Archaeology 🏺

Trix reposted

socmedarch.bsky.social
@socmedarch.bsky.social

The Bedale Hoard was discovered #OnThisDay in 2012. Dating to the late 9th/early 10th century, the hoard contained 48 items of silver and gold, including ingots, neck rings and a beautiful sword pommel inlaid with gold foil (pictured), (Image: York Museums Trust CC BY-SA 4.0).

Trix reposted

Adam
@eblueaxe.bsky.social

I helped pop together a little blog about some of our emerging archaeological finds on the A66. Long term there is a lot of potential to put some more pieces in the jigsaw puzzle with this site! In the short term; check out the links below to book a slot on the site tour this Saturday #archaeology

Oxford Archaeology@oxfordarchaeology.bsky.social

New rare discoveries at Kirkby Thore are transforming our understanding of early medieval Cumbria Read Our Latest Blog: 👉🔗 tr.ee/EyFFnP These discoveries represent some of the first evidence of post-Roman life — the so called 'Dark-Ages' in Cumbrian history.

tr.eeStripping back Early Medieval CumbriaOCA archaeologists are once again stripping back the landscape. Building on discoveries first made in Autumn 2025, the latest work aims to expand our understanding of a site that has already begun to…

Trix reposted

Oxford Archaeology
@oxfordarchaeology.bsky.social

Step onto a Live Archaeology Excavation at Kirkby Thore, Cumbria! 📅 Saturday 16 May 2026 📍 Kirkby Thore, Cumbria. 🕛 10am-4pm For More Information: tr.ee/R5aRZ2 💬 Chat with archaeologists 🤝 Meet early medieval reenactors 👩‍👦 Family friendly activities 💷 Free guided tours - Book Now tr.ee/9SOfr9

tr.eeKirkby Thore Archaeology Open DayJoin us on site for a rare opportunity to step onto a live excavation, explore early medieval discoveries, and meet the people bringing this period to life. From archaeology in action to reenactors…
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

I'm slow sharing this - tripped up by the end of the Easter holidays and by reading it myself - but this is a smashing piece of work, and a wonderfully comprehensive study for a finds geek like me -

Simon Coupland@scoupland.bsky.social

VERY excited to see this out- truly interdisciplinary research bringing together numismatist/ historian, archaeologist/ archival detective, wood & leather specialists and tireless researcher to fully examine a 9C coin hoard and its containers discovered 150 years ago ugp.rug.nl/Palaeohistor...

ugp.rug.nl The Carolingian coin hoard from Roswinkel (Drenthe, The Netherlands) and its containers | Palaeohistoria Palaeohistoria – Open access journal published by University of Groningen Press.
Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

Pick up the nearest book, turn to p. 42, and post the second sentence: "Memories of the smoke-filled timber hall where he ate, slept, and listened to tales told and songs sung around the central hearth - as well as the sounds of relationships enacted in the dark of communal spaces - would have...

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Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

...faded in the well-ordered stone structures which resonated to the chant of plainsong, but his early love of epic verse and storytelling evidently remained and served him, and us, in good stead in his later creative life." Trust me to get an eight-line one 😅

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

An instant pre-prder for this book for me, as with anything Tom's been involved in. VERY much looking forward to this coming out... :)

Dr Tom Horne@hornesupremacy.bsky.social

📚 Treasures of the Vikings - My new book is out on May 19th! A Bifröst of a book that bridges Marvel, VIKINGS, The Northman, and academia, it pairs beautiful photos with the latest thinking on the Viking world, all written in an engaging and accessible style. 🛒 Pre-order now! 📖

Trix
@trixranderson.bsky.social

Do I recognise myself in this rather brilliant edit to a classic comic...? Yes. Yes, I do.

Trevor Wiley@mearcsteppende.bsky.social

Channeling this classic XKCD comic (with apologies to Randall Munroe for my edits here) as I review my chapter comments that read "include a map, no one but you knows where these sites are"

Trix reposted

North Ages
@northages.bsky.social

The Gilling Sword was discovered #OTD in 1976. It is named after Gilling Beck, North Yorkshire, where it was found by a nine-year-old Garry Fridd while playing in the stream. It is one of the finest surviving Anglian weapons. 📸York Museums Trust