Day 3 - Ruins and Treasure Hoards
When we docked off the coast of the Shetland Mainland I admit I was taken aback. I knew that the Shetland Islands are off the northern coast of Scotland and are officially a part of the United Kingdom. I knew that their proud Scottish traditions were matched only by their rich Nordic heritage. I did not anticipate the town of Lerwick looking so much like a Scandinavian coastal village.
I admit that I've never been to any Scandinavian country. I have however seen many photographs and read many travel articles and, of course, the IKEA catalogue. These are all aspirational publications, offering idealized visions of an idyllic Nordic wonderland. The fairytale image I had in my head is the same one I've been buying, in one way or another, for years.
That's exactly what I saw this morning in Lerwick. The green-tufted rocks plunge into the clear, cold sea. The port is filled with a variety of boats and ships. Neat clapboard houses line the coast. I had no idea I was in Scotland. (Granted, Scotland is another place I had never visited before. Perhaps the moral of the story is to not make assumptions!)
The first site we visited during our whirlwind tour of the Mainland was Clickimin Broch, a series of white stone ruins dating back as early as the Bronze Age. The main structure is a Pictish fort from 1000-500 BC. The high defensive walls at the centre of the Broch have been much reduced since this time frame, but fact that the structure still stands is remarkable. In America the earliest buildings—those of the Native Americans and the first European settlers—were constructed with organic materials and have all but disappeared. When even the faintest trace of previous settlement is unearthed it causes great excitement in archaeological circles. There is something magical about standing in the midst of such an ancient building, and in trusting the construction of the walls enough to manoeuvre through the tiny stone passageways. If it's been standing for a few thousand years it must be pretty sound!
Our second stop was the 4,000 year-old Viking settlement at Jarlshof. Its beautiful seaside location belies the reason so many generations of Shetlanders have chosen to build their homes there. A 'Jarl' was a Viking earl, and it is these earls who have left behind the largest and grandest structures at Jarlshof. Other buildings include a Bronze-Age Smithy, Viking longhouses and farms, and Scottish croft houses. There's not much interpretation around the site itself, but there is a visitors' centre with informative text panels and a helpful guide.
Though the Scottish croft houses at Jarlshof have been reduced to their foundations, the Shetland Crofthouse Museum allows visitors to see what the interior of one of these traditional homes would have looked like in the 1880s. While we were there, one school group was learning to haul peat outside, and another was exploring the kitchen.
There wasn't much room for us in the tiny house, but we did take a quick peek. The box beds looked like wardrobes, but would have been an effective way to keep out the chill that permeated the air. A barn, which would have served as a storage area and a workshop, was attached to the house. The building's thatch roof was weighted down with local stones, and the roof of the shed was made of out of an old boat. All in all I think it made us all grateful for mattresses and indoor heating!
Our final archaeological stop was Scalloway Castle, the home of Earl Patrick, described by the descriptive text panels in his own entrance hall as the "blackhearted ruffian of legend." He was known for his frequent quarrels with other landowners, and was eventually executed in 1615 for his part in a rebellion his son led against local families with whom they had been feuding. We enjoyed climbing through the various floors of the castle and were amused, upon remarking on how we wanted to find a toilet, by a panel indicating the latrine used to be located in a room above us. When we looked up we saw only the blue sky.
Because the history of the Shetland Islands is so rich, new archaeological finds are continually being made. The most famous of these is St Ninian's Treasure, a hoard of silver found by a schoolboy in 1958. St Ninian's Isle is also known for its sand tombolo: a narrow stretch of land connecting two islands that is shaped by the tides washing up on either side. We didn't have time to cross this natural bridge onto the isle, but we did poke around a bit (and film an explanatory video, which we'll hopefully get to post one day!) before heading off to our final stop of the day.
St Ninian's Treasure is currently on view at the Shetland Museum and Archives in Lerwick. This is a well-designed museum of Shetland life, illustrating the islands' rich history and connection with the sea.
Before catching a glimpse of the silver hoard we ate lunch in the museum's restaurant, which offered local specialties and microbrews from the Valhalla Brewery in Unst. If you are ever fortunate enough to find yourself in Lerwick be sure to try the delicious seafood chowder.
The beers are also excellent. The treasure is set to go back to Edinburgh in October, but the Shetland Museum and Archives has many other exhibits worth seeing. (And did I mention they were well designed? Kat, who's done a bit of work in exhibit design, was so impressed that she enquired about which design firm the museum uses.) No topic is left untouched, from the geology of the islands to their transition from Pictish to Viking to Celtic and, ultimately, British control. It was an informative day. I really wish every day was a port day!
View interactive map of the voyage
Read the other articles:
Days 7-11 Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and journey's end
Day 5 - Iceland: Tour, Geology and Saga Museum
Day 4 - Cabin Fever on the HIGH Seas
Day 3 - Ruins and Treasure Hoards (you are here)
Day 3 - Tastes of Shetland
Day 3 - Archaeological Mother Lode
Day 3 - Out and about in Lerwick
Day 3 - Lerwick town and harbour
Day 1 - Katherine's first impressions
Day 0 - Outfitting the expedition
Useful links
Shetland Museum
Undiscovered Scotland
Visit Scotland
Visit Shetland
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