Date:

Viking longphort of Linn Duachaill confirmed through Radio Carbon Dating

A longphort, a Viking ship enclosure has been discovered by archaeologists using radiocarbon dating in Linn Duachaill Ireland.

Longphorts were originally built to serve as camps for the raiding parties in Ireland during the AD 830s. These camps were fortified areas along rivers, usually at a tributary where both sides were protected such that the Vikings could port ships.

- Advertisement -

The sites were easily defended, sheltered, and gave immediate access to the sea. These camps would be of great importance to the Vikings during their raids of Ireland, which included attacks on many churches and monasteries located on the coast of Ireland. The longphort was essential in establishing the presence of the Vikings during these attacks which could last for an extended period of time.

Linn Duachaill was built in 841 AD, the same time as the settlement of Dúbh Linn, today’s Dublin. In contrast to Dublin, the settlement was abandoned, possibly because it lacked continuous access to the sea; the river tides would have made access to the water impossible for a number of hours per day.

Brian Walsh, curator of the county museum in Louth, said: “This site is mind blowing. It is untouched and it is basically virgin territory.”

The site was discovered in 2010, on a flat area on the River Glyde, after a team of archaeologists and a geophysicist had searched from 2005 to 2007 and found a pattern of straight ditches, unlike the usual circular forts built by the native population. A year after a series of test trenches were dug on the site, the results from radio-carbon dating have finally put to rest any doubts as to the validity of the 2010 discovery.

- Advertisement -

Dr Ned Kelly stated that Linn Duachaill is enormously important because it is of the very earliest period of Viking settlement in Ireland. It was founded in 841 and the annals (of Ulster) tell us it was used over the next 50 years. Radio carbon dating has conclusively shown we are dealing with a site of early Viking age,”

An international conference is planned on October 22 and 23 in Dundalk to discuss the steps going forward in managing the site and the significance it will bring to understanding early Viking settlement.

Dr Kelly, stated that Linn Duachaill must not involve “willy-nilly digging of holes out of curiosity. We are looking for funding for further geophysical surveys. Then with research done we can proceed by key-hole excavation”.

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Salvage project reveals 500 years of Veracruz history

An archaeological salvage project in Veracruz, Mexico, has uncovered more than five centuries of the city’s urban development and everyday life.

Aerial photographs indicate an enormous Avar-Era cemetery

An analysis of aerial photographs has led to the discovery of a previously unknown Avar-era cemetery on the outskirts of Tatabánya, Hungary.

Excavations reveal a vast Roman villa complex

Archaeologists from Inrap have revealed a vast Roman villa complex during excavations in Auxerre, France.

Unprecedented Roman discovery in Ireland

Archaeologists have made an unprecedented Roman discovery during excavations at Drumanagh in north Dublin.

Exquisite marble sarcophagus unearthed near Caesarea

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), working on behalf of the Caesarea Development Corporation, have unearthed an exquisitely sculptured marble sarcophagus near the coastal city of Caesarea, Israel.

Viking-Era boat burial uncovered on Senja

Archaeologists have uncovered a Viking-Era boat burial on the island of Senja in northern Norway.

Mystery of the Maka Lahi Rock finally solved

In 2024, researchers from Australia's University of Queensland discovered a giant 1,200-tonne rock more than 200 metres inland on the island of Tongatapu.

Secrets to crafting the Nebra Sky Disc revealed

Using a blend of forensic material analysis with experimental archaeology, researchers have successfully reconstructed the techniques and processes behind crafting the Nebra Sky Disc.