Viking Unst Project, Excavations at Hamar: Field Season 2006: Interim Report No. 1 (Data Structure Report)

The Viking Unst Project began in August 2005 with an integrated survey of key sites in
the island of Unst (Bond et al. 2006). Using a Penmap survey as well as simple
annotated plans, this initial investigation aimed to thoroughly record the sites in terms
of surviving earthworks and the surrounding area. The first excavation season was
carried out in July 2006 and focused on the site of Hamar under the direction of Dr.
Julie Bond.
It has been suggested that Unst may have played an important role in the expansion of
the Viking/Norse populations, acting as a staging post between Norway, Britain and the
lands further west (Ritchie 1996: 71; Graham-Campbell & Batey 1998: 67). Published
excavations include those undertaken at Underhoull (Small 1966), Sandwick (Bigelow
1985), and Framgord (RCAHMS 1946). Underhoull was excavated before the routine
employment of sieving and sampling on archaeological excavations and so little can be
said about the economy of the site or about its chronological sequence. A major aim of
the Viking Unst Project is to excavate new sites in Unst employing up-to-date
methodology to address these key issues. This research will advance our understanding
not only of Unst’s past, but of Shetland as a whole.
The sites investigated during the 2006 excavation season were Hamar, Baltasound
(SMR site 3471, Nat Grid Ref. HP 6463 0933), and an exposed midden section close to
the site of Underhoull, located on the east shore of Burga Sand in the Westing, shown in
figure 1.1. Running concurrently, an excavation was carried out at Belmont by a Danish
team led by Dr. Anne-Christine Larsen of Roskilde Skibsmuseet.