The Vikings in Ireland and Beyond: Before and After the Battle of Clontarf (Pathways to Our Past)

This book contains contributions by many leading scholars in Viking studies from Ireland, Britain, and Scandinavia, on diverse subjects including archaeological excavation, art historical analysis, linguistics, literature, politics, historical sources, numismatics, environmental remains, human remains, and artifact studies from c.795 to 1170. Aimed at both the non-specialist and the specialist reader, the book will prove to be a landmark publication in Viking studies for years to come. •••Chosen as an Outstanding Academic Title for 2016 by Choice Magazine!! •••'This book takes a textual and archaeological look at the Viking presence in Ireland from its early ninth-century beginnings to 12th-century cultural memories. The Battle of Clontarf in 1014 is a chronological anchor but not a focal point of the collection. The publication boasts color photographs, an index of proper names (only), and a solid introductory essay. A valuable, updated resource for Viking scholars and students.'-- Choice, Vol. 53, No. 7, March 2016 [Subject: History, Medieval Studies, Archaeology, Viking Studies, Irish Studies] This Book Contains Contributions By Many Leading Scholars In Viking Studies From Ireland, Britain And Scandinavia, On Diverse Subjects Including Archaeological Excavation, Art Historical Analysis, Linguistics, Literature, Politics, Historical Sources, Numismatics, Environmental Remains, Human Remains And Artefact Studies From C.795 To 1170. Aimed Both At The Non-specialist And The Specialist Reader, This Book Should Prove To Be A Landmark Publication In Viking Studies For Years To Come. In Memoriam Richard Hall (1949-2011) -- Foreword / Owen Keegan, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council -- Part I. In Prospect -- 1. Ireland And The Viking Age / Howard B. Clarke & Ruth Johnson -- Part Ii. 2. Before The Battle -- Written Sources For Pre-christian Sanctuaries In Northern Europe / Signe Horn Fuglesang -- 3. The First Generation In Ireland, 795{u2013}812: Viking Raids And Viking Bases? / Emer Purcell -- 4. The Longphort In Viking-age Ireland: The Archaeological Evidence / Eamonn P. Kelly -- 5. Viking Camps And The Means Of Exchange In Britain And Ireland In The Ninth Century / Gareth Williams -- 6. Vikings In Annagassan: The Evidence Of The Annals And The Wider Context / Colmán Etchingham -- 7. A Viking Warrior Grave From Dublin / Linzi Simpson -- 8. The Ballinderry Bow: An Under-appreciated Viking Weapon? / Andy Halpin -- 9. Fighting With Silver: The Woodstown Assemblage / John Sheehan -- 10. The Viking Glass Beads From Dunmore Cave, Co. Kilkenny / Joanne O'sullivan --^ 11. Viking Limerick And Its Hinterland / Brian Hodkinson -- 12. The Break-up Of Dál Riata And The Rise Of The Gallgoídil / Clare Downham -- 13. Mind The Gap: The Supposed Hiatus In Irish Art Of The Tenth Century / Ruth Johnson -- Part Iii. During The Battle -- 14. A Man Of Two Faces: Máel Sechnaill Mac Domnaill In Middle Irish Sources / Máire Ní Mhaonaigh -- 15. King Sitriuc Silkenbeard: A Great Survivor / Howard B. Clarke -- Part Iv. After The Battle -- 16. Through A Glass Darkly: Some Sidelights On Viking Influence On Personal Names And Place-names In Ireland / Gillian Fellows-jensen -- 17. Costumes And Contact: Evidence For Scandinavian Women In The Irish Sea Region / Christina Lee -- 18. The Environment Of Viking-age Settlements: Recent Evidence From Ireland To Russia / Eileen Reilly -- 19. Where Are The Longhouses? Reviewing Ireland's Viking-age Buildings / Rebecca Boyd --^ 20. Viking-age Domestic Settlement At 26{u2013}29 Castle Street, Dublin: A Preliminary View Based On Archaeological Excavations / Martin Byrne -- 21. Prelude To Hiberno-scandinavian Coinage: The Castle Street And Werburgh Street Hoards / Andrew Woods -- 22. Copies Or Creations? Some Shared Elements In Hiberno-norse And Scandinavian Artwork / Uaininn O'meadhra -- 23. Practice Makes Perfect? Motif-pieces As Tools Of Communication And The Exchange Of Tacit Artistic Knowledge In Viking-age Dublin / Jessica L. Mcgraw 24. The Art Of Politics: The Cross Of Cong And The Hiberno-urnes Style / Griffin Murray -- 25. Rathdown Slabs Revisited / Christiaan Corlett -- 26. Celtic Berserkers And Feeble Steersmen: Hiberno-scandinavian Military Culture In Middle Irish Literature / Catherine Swift -- Part V. In Retrospect -- 27. Irish Sea Identities And Interconnections During The Viking Age / David Griffiths -- 28. Vikings In Ireland: The Catastrophe / Donnchadh Ó Corráin. Howard B. Clarke And Ruth Johnson, Editors. This Collection Of Essays Originated In A Symposium Held In Dublin In April 2011...--foreword. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Half-title page 2 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Dedication 8 Contents 10 Foreword 13 List of illustrations 15 List of abbreviations 18 List of contributors 20 Acknowledgments 26 Preface 28 1. Ireland and the Viking Age 36 2. Written sources for pre-Christian sanctuaries in northern Europe 60 3. The first generation in Ireland, 795-812: Viking raids and Viking bases? 76 4. The longphort in Viking-Age Ireland: the archaeological evidence 90 5. Viking camps and the means of exchange in Britain and Ireland in the ninth century 128 6. Vikings at Annagassan: the evidence of the annals and the wider context 152 7. A Viking warrior grave from Dublin 164 8. The Ballinderry bow: an under-appreciated Viking weapon? 186 9. Fighting with silver: the Woodstown assemblage 196 10. The Viking glass beads from Dunmore Cave, Co.Kilkenny 212 11. Viking Limerick and its hinterland 218 12. The break-up of Dál Riata and the rise of Gallgoídil 224 13. Mind the gap: the supposed hiatus in Irish art of the tenth century 241 Plates 258 14. A man of two faces: Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill in Middle Irish sources 283 15. King Sitriuc Silkenbeard: a great survivor 304 16. Through a glass darkly: some sidelights on Viking influence on personal names and place-names in Ireland 319 17. Costumes and contact: evidence for Scandinavian women in the Irish Sea region 335 18. The environment of Viking-Age: recent evidence from Ireland to Russia 348 19. Where are the longhouses? Reviewing Ireland’s Viking-Age buildings 376 20. Viking-Age domestic settlement at 26-29 Castle Street, Dublin: a preliminary view based on archaeological excavations 397 21. Prelude to the Hiberno-Scandinavian coinage: the Castle Street and Werburgh Street hoards 406 22. Copies or creations? Some shared elements in Hiberno-Norse and Scandinavian artwork 424 23. Practice makes perfect? Motif-pieces as tools of communication and the exchange of tacit artistic knowledge in Viking-Age Dublin 454 24. The art of politics: the Cross of Cong and the Hiberno-Urnes style 467 25. Rathdown slabs revisited 489 26. Celtic berserkers and feeble steersmen: Hiberno-Scandinavian military culture in Middle Irish literature 502 27. Irish Sea identities and interconnections during the Viking Age 521 28. Vikings in Ireland: the catastrophe 536 Index 550 This richly illustrated book contains contributions by many leading scholars in Viking studies from Ireland, Britain and Scandinavia, on diverse subjects including archaeological excavation, art historical analysis, linguistics, literature, politics, historical sources, numismatics, environmental remains, human remains and artefact studies from c.795 to 1170. Aimed at both the non-specialist and the specialist reader, this book is a landmark publication in Viking studies.