C?nst??cti?n in Y??k, En?l?n? ?n???th?? ? Vikin? A?? t?wn c?ll?? J??vik. A?ch???l??ic?l ?xc?v?ti?ns ??v??l?? ?n An?l?-N??s? w??l? ?ich with in???m?ti?n ????t th? ??st.
Y??k sits in n??th??st En?l?n?, ?n? w?s ???n??? ?? R?m?ns ????n? 71 CE wh? c?ll?? it E????c?m. D??in? th? An?l?-S?x?n ???i??, E????c?m ??c?m? th? c?nt?? ?? th? kin???m ?? N??th?m??i?, ?n? w?s kn?wn ?s E????wic ????n? 865 CE, wh?n ? G???t Vikin? A?m? l?n??? in En?l?n?. On N?v?m??? 1st, 866 CE, th? Vikin? inv????s c?n?????? Y??k. U??n th?i? s?cc?ss??l c?n???st, th? N??s? ???m?n?ntl? s?ttl?? E????wic — J??vik — ????n? 876 CE. Sc?n?in?vi?n ??l??s m?int?in?? c?nt??l ?? J??vik ?ntil th? ?x??lsi?n ?? E?ik Bl????x? in 954 CE. Th? Y??k A?ch???l??ic?l T??st ????n ?xc?v?tin? th? ???? in th? 1970s ?n? ?nc?v???? h?m?s ?n? m??k?ts ???m th? Vikin? A??.
On ? st???t n?m?? C???????t?, ??ch???l??ists ?nc?v???? l?n?, n????w ?l?ts ?ivi??? ?? w?ttl? ??nc?s. Th? st???t’s n?m? ????hl? t??nsl?t?s t? “st???t ?? th? c?? m?k??s.” A?ch???l??ists ?i? ?in? c??s th????h??t th? ?xc?v?ti?n, ??t ?xc?v?ti?ns ?? C???????t? ?ls? ??v??l?? ? m??k?t th?t ?nc? s??v?? ?s th? w??k?l?c? ?? Vikin? A?? c???ts????l?. F??t?n?t?l? ??? ??ch???l??ists, th? s?ils ?? J??vik w??? m?ist ?n? ?ich. Ox???n w?s ?n??l? t? ??n?t??t? th?s? s?ils; th?s, m?n? ?ni??? ??ti??cts ???m th? ninth ?n? t?nth c?nt??i?s w??? ???s??v??, ??v??lin? ? w??l? ?? ??? m??? th?n c??s.
T?xtil?s ??t?n ???s??v? ????l? wh?n ???i?? ?? c?nt??i?s ?? ???th ??t in J??vik, ??ch???l??ists ?nc??nt???? ??m? s?ils th?t ???s??v?? ?ni??? t??c?s ?? ???tw???. A?ch???l??ists ???n? ? v??i?t? ?? l??th?? sh??s ??l?n?in? t? ??th ???lts ?n? chil???n ???in? th? ?xc?v?ti?ns. M?st ?? th? sh??s ???v?? t? h?v? ???n m??? vi? th? t??nsh?? m?th??. In this ???m ?? sh?? m?n???ct???, th? sh??m?k?? s?ws th? s?l? ?n? ?????s t???th?? insi?? ??t. Th?n, th? sh?? is t??n?? th? ?i?ht w?? ??t, th?s th? n?m?. A ?i?????nt kin? ?? sh?? w?s ?ls? ???n?. This sh?? w?s m??? ?? ? sin?l? ?i?c? ?? l??th?? ??l??? ????n? th? ???t ?n? s?wn t???th??. With this ?ni??? ?ss?m?l??? ?? sh??s, ??ch???l??ists c?n ???in t? ?x?l??? th? ?iv??sit? ?? sh??s w??n ?n? inv?sti??t? which ?n?s m?? h?v? ???n im???t?? ?? m??? l?c?ll?.
Si?n ?? t? ??? F??? W??kl? N?wsl?tt??
J?in!
A?ch???l??ists ?ls? ??c?v???? ????m?nts ?? ? w??l?n s?ck. St???in? th? s?ck, th?? l???n?? th?t it h?? ???n knitt?? ?sin? ? sin?l?-???? n???l?. Th? w??l h?? ????? ?v?? th? c?nt??i?s in th? ???th, ?n? it is n?t cl??? wh?t th? ??i?in?l c?l?? ?? th? s?ck w?s, th???h ? ??? ??n? w?s ?vi??nt ????n? th? ?nkl?. S? ???, th? C???????t? s?ck is th? ?nl? ?n? ?? its kin? ???n? in En?l?n?. N?t ?v?n its m?tchin? ??i? h?s ??t ???n ???n?. Th? s?ck is th?s ? t??l? ?ni??? Vikin? im???t.
In ???iti?n t? th? s?ck ?n? th? sh??s, ??ch???l??ists ?ls? ???n? wh?t ???????? t? ?? ic? sk?t?s in Vikin? J??vik. Th?s? sk?t?s w??? m??? ?? h??s? ??n?. A?ch???l??ists s??c?l?t? th?t th?s? sk?t?s w??? ???ctic?l t??ls ??? n?vi??tin? ???z?n ?iv??s ?s w?ll ?s ? ??n m??ns ?? ??c???ti?n.
Th?s? ?ni??? ??ti??cts ????? insi?hts int? wh?t th? Vikin?s w??? ?n th?i? ???t, th? ???tw??? in??st?? in J??vik, ?n? th? m?n? m??ns ?? ??ttin? ????n? in th? ??s? m??i?v?l w??l?.
Th? Vikin?s ??m?in?? in Y??k th????h??t th? t?nth c?nt??? CE. Evi??nc? ?? th?i? ?cc???ti?n h?s c?m? in s????isin? ???ms. In ?n? ?it, ??t?? t? th? ?n? ?? th? t?nth c?nt???, ??ch???l??ists ?isc?v???? ? c??sh?? t?xtil?. Sch?l??s sm??th?? th? it?m ?n? t??k ? cl?s?? l??k ?t th? m?st??i??s ??j?ct. Th?? h?? ???n? ? v??? ?ni??? silk h??????ss. Th? h??????ss w??l? h?v? c?v???? th? ?nti?? ??ck ?? ? ???s?n’s h??? ?n? ???t ?? th? n?ck. Th??? w??? stitch?s ?t th? ??tt?m ?? th? h??????ss wh??? it w??l? h?v? ???n ??ssi?l? t? ?tt?ch ?i???ns which c??l? h?v? s?c???? th? h??????ss t? th? h???.
Silk w?s ?n ?x?tic t?xtil? in th? m??i?v?l w??l?. P?ssi?l? s???c?s ?? th? silk incl??? th? kin???ms ?? th? E?st??n M??it????n??n ?n? ????n?, lik? th? B?z?ntin? Em?i??. An?th?? ??ssi?l? s???c? w?s B??h???. Oth?? ?i?c?s ?? silk w??? ???n? th????h??t J??vik, s????stin? th?t silk w?s im???t?? int? m??i?v?l Y??k ?n? m??? int? v??i??s it?ms ?? l?c?l c???ts????l?. D?? t? th? ???c?iv?? v?l?? ?? ?x?tic it?ms in th? m??i?v?l N??s? w??l?, th? silk h??????ss lik?l? ??l?n??? t? ? w??lth? Vikin? w?m?n.
As c?nst??cti?n ?????ts in Y??k c?ntin???, ? m?ch?nic?l ?i???? hit s?m?thin? h???. L??kin? cl?s??, inv?sti??t??s ???n? ? w???-lin?? ?it ?ill?? with ?ntl??, st?n?, ?l?ss, i??n, ?n? ?n ?xt?????in??? h?lm?t. Th? h?lm?t c?nsists ?? i??n ?n? c????? ?ll??. Sch?l??s h?v? ??t?? it t? th? ?i?hth c?nt??? CE. This ??ti??ct th?s ?????t?s th? Vikin?s’ s?ttl?m?nt ?? Y??k ?n? ?????s ? ?lim?s? int? th? w??l? ?? th? An?l?-S?x?ns wh? ?ls? c?ll?? J??vik h?m?.
T?kin? ? cl?s?? l??k ?t th? h?lm?t, ??ch???l??ists ???n? ?n insc?i?ti?n in L?tin th?t ????: “In th? n?m? ?? ??? L??? J?s?s, th? H?l? S?i?it, ?n? G??; ?n? t? ?ll w? s?? Am?n/Osh???/Ch?ist.” Th? h?lm?t h?s ???n int?????t?? ?s ??th ??ncti?n?l ??m?? ?n? ? s?m??l ?? An?l?-S?x?n ??w??.
Exc?v?ti?ns ?t J??vik ??c?v???? s?m? ?iv? t?ns ?? ?nim?l ??n?, ?ls? kn?wn ?s ???n? ??m?ins. F??m th?s? ??m?ins, ??ch???l??ists ?n? z????ch???l??ists kn?w th?t mic? ?n? ??ts sc???i?? ????n? th? An?l?-S?x?ns’ ?n? Vikin?s’ ???t. Th?? c???ht, t?????, ?n? ?t? ?ish. D?cks ?n? ???s? ???m?? th? st???ts, whil? ???s, c?ts, ?n? ?i?s sc?ttl?? ????n? m??i?v?l h?m?s. Pl?nt ?? ?l??? ??m?ins w??? ?ls? c?ll?ct?? ???m th? Vikin? t?wn. F??m ?xc?v?ti?ns, ??ch???l??ists ??li?v? th?t ?l?nt-??s?? ????s s?ch ?s c?l???, c??i?n???, l?tt?c?, ???ish?s, ?n? ???sni?s w??? ???t ?? th? Vikin? ?i?t. Th?s? ??ti??cts, whil? l?ss ?tt??ctiv? th?n ?th??s, ??? hi?hl? in???m?tiv? ?n? si?ni?ic?nt t? sch?l??s’ ?n???st?n?in? ?? th? Vikin? w??l?.
Th? silk h??????ss w?s n?t th? ?nl? it?m with ??st??n ???ts th?t ???n? its w?? t? J??vik. Th? Vikin?s h?? t???? ???t?s with th? B?ltic ?s w?ll. In J??vik, ??ch???l??ists ???n? t??c?s ?? ?m??? ???m th? B?ltic. As with th? silk, th? ?m??? s??ms t? h?v? ???n im???t?? ?n? th?n m?l??? ?? Y??k-??s?? c???ts????l?. Th?? m?n???ct???? ?in?s, ??n??nts, ?n? ????s.
Am??? w?s ? ????l?? m?t??i?l ??? ????nm?nt in th? Vikin? A??, ??t it m?? h?v? ???n m??? th?n ??c???tiv?. On? ??ch???l??ist s????sts th?t ?m??? ?mitt?? ? st?tic ch???? ?? sm?ll th?t th? Vikin?s s?w ?s ? si?n ?? m??ic?l ??w??.
An?th?? int???stin? ??ti??ct th?? ???n? ???m th? ??st w?s ? c?w?i? s??sh?ll. Sh?lls ?cc?? ????n? th? w??l?, ??t this sh?ll w?s ?? th? s??ci?s C?????? ??nth??in?. Th?t s??ci?s ?? sh?ll ?cc??s n?t???ll? in th? R?? S?? ?nl?. C?ins ??????? ???iti?n?l ?vi??nc? ?? th? Vikin?s’ ??st??n c?nn?cti?ns.
C?ins in J??vik c?m? ???m m?n? ?i?????nt ???i?ns. On? c?in w?s m??? in ???s?nt-??? Uz??kist?n ????n? 903-908 CE. In th? c?s? ?? ??th th? sh?ll ?n? th? c?ins ???m th? ??st, ??ch???l??ists w??? ?n??l? t? ??t??min? i? th? Vikin?s t??v?l?? t? th? R?? S?? ?? ???s?nt-??? Uz??kist?n th?ms?lv?s, ?? i? th?? ?c??i??? th?s? ??j?cts ???m ?xch?n?? with ?th?? m?????in? t?????s. Wh?t s??ms ??????nt is th?t th? Vikin?s m?int?in?? int???sts in ??j?cts th?t c??l? ?nl? ?? ?c??i??? in th? E?st.
Acc???in? t? s?m? hist??i?ns, th? Sc?n?in?vi?ns wh? ?i?st c?n?????? th? An?l?-S?x?n kin???m ?? E????wic h?? ???vi??sl? ???n ??s?? in I??l?n?. At J??vik, ?vi??nc? ?? c?nn?cti?ns with I??l?n? ?m????? in th? ???m ?? c????? ?ll?? ?in? ?ins. Th?s? m?t?l ?ins with ?in?s ci?clin? th? ?inh??? m?? h?v? ???n ?s?? t? ??c???t? cl?thin? ?n?/?? ??st?n cl?thin? t???th?? ???in? th? Vikin? A??. Th?s? ?in? ?ins ????t?? in I??l?n? in th? t?nth c?nt???.
Alth???h m?n? ?in? ?ins w??? c?ll?ct?? ???in? ?xc?v?ti?ns ?? J??vik, ??ch???l??ists h?v? n?t ??t ??t??min?? i? th? ?in? ?ins w??? m?n???ct???? in I??l?n? ?n? im???t?? t? J??vik, ?? i? J??vik-??s?? c???ts????l? m??? th? ?in? ?ins in En?l?n?, imit?tin? th? I?ish st?l?. Wh?t is cl??? is th?t J??vik m?int?in?? c?nn?cti?ns t? th? w?st, th?t l??t ? ???? im???ssi?n.
A?ch???l??ists ??c?v???? ?n ???n??nc? ?? ??ti??cts th?t s??m t? in?ic?t? th?t th? Vikin?s ??t ? l?t ?? ?????t int? th?i? ???????nc?s. Exc?v?ti?ns in J??vik ??v??l?? th?t ?in??? ?in?s w??? ????l?? ???in? this ???i??. Rin?s m??? ?? m?t?l, ?l?ss, ?ntl??, ?n? w?l??s iv??? h?v? ???n ???n? in J??vik. Rin?s m??? ???m w?l??s iv??? in?ic?t? th?t th? Vikin?s w??? c?nn?ct?? t? A?ctic t???? ???t?s ?s w?ll ?s w?st??n ?n? ??st??n ???ts.
J??vik w?s ?n im???t?nt t???? h??, ??t th? Vikin?s ?ls? kn?w h?w t? h?v? ??n. A?ch???l??ists ???n? n?m????s ??ti??cts ???m th? J??vik ?xc?v?ti?ns th?t ill?min?t? h?w ??wntim? m?? h?v? ???n s??nt in m??i?v?l Y??k. Evi??nc? ?? ??ssi?l? ??m?s ?m????? in th? ???m ?? ?ic? ?n? ? ???ti?l hn???t??l ?????, ?n? hn???t??l ??m? ?i?c?s.
A?ch???l??ists ?ls? ?xc?v?t?? ??ssi?l? m?sic?l inst??m?nts incl??in? ? ??n?i?? ?n? ??zz ??n?s (? m??i?v?l n?is?-m?kin? t??). Th?s? ??ti??cts ??? ?n?th?? ?im?nsi?n t? th? ??s? m??i?v?l w??l? ?? Vikin? J??vik, ? ?l?c? wh??? ?m?n? th? h?stl? ?n? ??stl? ?? t????, ??m?s ?? th? st??t??? t??k ?l?c? ?n? ??n?i??s ?l????.
Th????h??t Vikin? J??vik, ??ch???l??ists ?nc?v???? ? n?m??? ?? s?c??it? im?l?m?nts. Th?? ???n? ???l?cks m??? ?? i??n in c??? ?n? ?????l sh???s. A?ch???l??ists ?ls? ?xc?v?t?? k??s. Th?s? k??s w??? l?n? ?n? thin ?i?c?s ?? m?t?l th?t c??l? ?? ins??t?? int? ???l?cks. D?c???s ?? ?xc?v?ti?ns sh?w th?t m??i?v?l Y??k w?s ? ?l?c? wh??? th? Vikin?s c?n?????? th? An?l?-S?x?ns, ??t ??wn ???ts, ?n? m?int?in?? ?xt?nsiv? ??l?ti?ns with th? ??tsi?? w??l?. Th?s? ??ti??cts ??v??l th?t th?i? h?m?s ?n? t?wns w??? w??th ???t?ctin? ?n? ??? ?ss?nti?l t? ?nl?ckin? th? s?c??ts ?? J??vik’s Vikin? A??.