Bornais, South Uist, Western Isles
Author
Niall Sharples, Cardiff University
Date ranges
c. 5th century AD to 15th century AD
Site summary
The settlement at Bornais in the Western Isles of Scotland is one of the largest rural settlements known from the Norse period in Britain. It spans the period from the fifth to the fifteenth century AD and includes at least five separate settlement mounds.
The site sequence begins with a badly damaged wheelhouse dating to the fifth century AD on mound 1, though there are clearly earlier deposits below this. The settlement then appears to move to mound 2 in the sixth to seventh century AD, though the evidence for this activity was only superficially explored. The Norse settlement commences in the late ninth century AD and was identified on all the mounds.
The excavation of mound 2 revealed a sequence of high status buildings that span the Norse occupation. House 2, constructed at the end of the eleventh century AD, was a well preserved bow-walled longhouse, and careful excavation and detailed recording of the floor layers has revealed a wealth of finds that provides invaluable insight into the activities taking place in this building. House 3 is very different in form and has a rectangular shape with straight sided walls. It might indicate the increasing Scottish influence on the region at the beginning of the thirteenth century.
The excavation of mound 2A provides an insight into the less prestigious areas of the settlement and contributes a significant amount of evidence on the settlement economy. The area was initially cultivated before it became a settlement, and throughout its life agricultural activities, such as grain drying and processing, were important. In the thirteenth century the mound was occupied by a craftsman who produced composite combs.
Excavations on mound 3 revealed a low status house dating to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries AD. The evidence recovered makes a major contribution to the understanding of Norse Scotland.
Keywords
Western Isles, South Uist, Norse, rural settlement, settlement economy, longhouse, wheelhouse, agriculture
Bibliography
Sharples, N.M. and Dennis, I. 2016 ‘Combs and comb production in the Western Isles during the Norse period’, in F. Hunter and A. Sheridan (eds) Ancient Lives: Objects, people and place in early Scotland. Essays for David V. Clarke on his 70th birthday, 331–58. Leiden: Sidestone Press.
Sharples, N.M., Ingrem, C., Marshall, P., Mulville, J., Powell, A. and Reed, K. 2016 ‘The Viking occupation of the Hebrides: Evidence from the excavations at Bornais, South Uist’, in J. Barrett and S.-J. Gibbon (eds) Maritime Societies of the Viking and Medieval World, Society for Medieval Archaeology monogr. 37, 237–58. Leeds: Maney,
Sharples, N. M. 2015 ‘A short history of archaeology in the Uists, Outer Hebrides’, Journal of the North Atlantic Special Volume 9, 1-15.
Cramp, L. J. E., Whelton, H., Sharples, N. M., Mulvilee, J and Evershed, R. P. 2015 ‘Contrasting patterns of resource exploitation on the Outer Hebrides and Northern Isles of Scotland during the Late Iron Age and Norse Period revealed through organic residues in pottery’, Journal of the North Atlantic Special Volume 9, 134-151.
Sharples, N.M. 2012 A Late Iron Age Farmstead in the Outer Hebrides: Excavations at Mound 1, Bornais, South Uist. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Sharples, N.M. and Smith, R. 2009 ‘Norse settlement in the Western Isles’, in A. Woolf (ed.) Scandinavian Scotland – Twenty Years After, St John’s House Papers no. 12, 103–30. St Andrews: University of St Andrews Committee for Dark Age Studies.
Mulville, J., Madgwick, R., Stevens, R, O’Connell, T., Craig, O. Powell, A., Sharples, N. and Parker Pearson, M. 2009 ‘Isotopic analysis of faunal material from South Uist, Western Isles, Scotland’, Journal of the North Atlantic 2, 51-59.
Forsyth, K. 2007 ‘An ogham-inscribed plaque from Bornais, South Uist’, in B. Ballin Smith, S. Taylor and G. Williams (eds) West over Sea: Studies in Scandinavian sea-borne expansion and settlement before 1300, 461–78. Leiden, Brill.
Sharples, N.M. 2005 A Norse Farmstead in the Outer Hebrides: Excavations at Mound 3, Bornais, South Uist. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Sharples, N.M. 2004 ‘A find of Ringerike art from Bornais in the Outer Hebrides’, in J. Hines, A. Lane and M. Redknap (eds) Land, Sea and Home: Settlement in the Viking period. Society for Medieval Archaeology monogr. 20, 255–72. Leeds: Maney.
Sharples, N.M., Parker Pearson, M. and Symonds, J. 2004 ‘The archaeological landscape of South Uist’, in R.A. Housley and G. Coles (eds) Atlantic Connections and Adaptations: Economies, environments and subsistence in lands bordering the North Atlantic, 28–47. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Sharples, N. M. 2004 ‘Viking settlement at Bornais, South Uist’, Scottish Archaeological News 46, 1-2.
Sharples, N. M. 2004 ‘Spor etter Hebridenes Vikinger: Velhavende vikinger kan ha slått seg opp på sildefiske’, Levende Historie 6, 8.
Sharples, N.M. 2003 The Iron Age and Norse Settlement at Bornish, South Uist: An interim report on the 2003 excavations. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report no. 26. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Sharples, N. M. and Williams, G. 2003 ‘Et nytt myntfunn fra Olav Kyrre fra Hebridene’, Nordisk Numismatisk Unions Medlemsblad 3-4, 55-56.
Sharples, N.M. 2000 The Iron Age and Norse Settlement at Bornish, South Uist: An interim report on the 2000 excavations. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report no. 18. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Sharples, N.M. 1999 The Iron Age and Norse Settlement at Bornish, South Uist: an interim report on the 1999 excavations. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report no. 16. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Sharples, N. M. and Parker Pearson, M. 1999 ‘Norse settlement in the Outer Hebrides’, Norwegian Archaeological Review 98, 41-62.
Sharples, N.M. 1997 The Iron Age and Norse Settlement at Bornish, South Uist: an interim report on the 1997 excavations. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report no. 4. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Hamilton, M. and Sharples, N.M. 1996 A geophysical survey at Bornish, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 1996. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report 2.
Sharples, N.M. 1996 The Iron Age and Norse Settlement at Bornish, South Uist: an interim report on the 1996 excavations. Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report no. 1. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Sharples, N.M., Webster, J. and Parker Pearson, M. 1995 ‘The Viking Age settlement at Bornais, South Uist: interim report of the 1995 excavations’, Unpublished manuscript, Dept of Archaeology and Prehistory, University of Sheffield.
Parker Pearson, M. and Webster, J. 1994 ‘Bornish Mound 2 Viking Age settlement: 1994 excavations interim report’, Unpublished report, Dept. of Archaeology and Prehistory, University of Sheffield.