Viking Unst Project, Excavations at Hamar and The Upper House, Underhoull: Field Season 2008: Interim Report No. 3 (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, with work on
the site of Belmont being carried out under the direction of Stine Larsen of Roskilde
Skibsmuseet.
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), Framgord (RCAHMS 1946), and Norwick (Ballin Smith 2007). Small’s excavations
at Underhoull took place 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 chronology. 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 2008 excavation season were Hamar (SMR site 3471, Nat
Grid Ref. HP 6463 0933), and a longhouse located adjacent to the broch at Underhoull
(SMR site HP50SE13, Nat grid Ref. HP5734 0435), located in the Westing and referred to
here as the Upper House, Underhoull.

维京昂斯特项目（Viking Unst Project）于2005年8月启动，对昂斯特岛的关键遗址开展综合调查（Bond等，2006）。本次初始调查采用彭纳普测绘（Penmap survey）与简易标注平面图，旨在全面记录遗址残存的土方工程及周边区域状况。首个发掘季于2006年7月开展，由朱莉·邦德博士（Dr. Julie Bond）主持，聚焦哈马尔（Hamar）遗址；贝尔蒙特（Belmont）遗址的发掘工作则由罗斯基勒船舶博物馆（Roskilde Skibsmuseet）的斯坦·拉森（Stine Larsen）主持。

有研究指出，昂斯特岛可能在维京/诺斯人群的扩张进程中发挥了重要作用，作为挪威、英国与更西部领地之间的中转驿站（Ritchie，1996：71；Graham-Campbell与Batey，1998：67）。已发表的考古发掘成果包括在昂德胡尔（Underhoull，Small，1966）、桑德威克（Sandwick，Bigelow，1985）、弗雷姆戈德（Framgord，苏格兰皇家古代与历史遗迹委员会（RCAHMS），1946）以及诺威克（Norwick，Ballin Smith，2007）开展的考古工作。斯莫尔在昂德胡尔的发掘活动开展于考古发掘常规采用筛分与取样方法之前，因此目前难以对该遗址的经济形态与年代序列作出有效阐释。维京昂斯特项目的核心目标之一，便是采用前沿考古方法在昂斯特岛发掘新遗址，以解决上述关键研究问题。此项研究不仅将深化我们对昂斯特岛历史的认知，更将推动整个设得兰群岛考古研究的整体发展。

2008年发掘季所调查的遗址包括哈马尔遗址（遗址与纪念物记录（Sites and Monuments Record，简称SMR）编号3471，国家网格参考坐标（National Grid Reference，简称Nat Grid Ref.）HP 6463 0933），以及位于昂德胡尔 broch 堡垒（broch）旁的长屋（SMR编号HP50SE13，国家网格参考坐标HP5734 0435），该长屋地处韦斯汀（Westing）区域，本文中将其称为昂德胡尔上屋（Upper House, Underhoull）。