Sign in

Trix

@trixranderson.bsky.social
636 followers 260 following 809 posts

Archaeologist at North Yorkshire Historic Environment Record: special interest in Viking-Age Britain and the Great Heathen Army

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Trix
Andy Marshall @fotofacade.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
✨ It wasn’t until I first saw the Saxon crypt at St Wystan’s, Repton, that I understood John Betjeman’s words: ‘Holy air encased in stone.’ I’ve never felt the past so close, or found such comfort in feeling rooted in a longer story. A real hidden gem, a must see.
415228
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I don't think there's a single line in that post which doesn't make me feel envious...
020
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Sounds pretty typical. Welcome to the northeast ;)
130
Reposted by Trix
Antiquity Journal @antiquity.ac.uk · 01/10/2026
Read the new research in Antiquity 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
doi.org
A major monastic centre? Rethinking Lismore’s place in the ecclesiastical landscapes of early medieval Britain | Antiquity | Cambridge Core
A major monastic centre? Rethinking Lismore’s place in the ecclesiastical landscapes of early medieval Britain - Volume 100 Issue 413
04517
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Pubs? I've known people (myself included) 'nip in' for a cheeky half...
120
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
<twitches in field archaeologist>
061
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Oh yes, that tunnel! That, and Garner's descriptions of crawling along shoulder-width, flooded passages in the early pages of 'Weirdstone...', still genuinely give me skin-crawling horrors, 40+ years after reading them...
000
Reposted by Trix
North Ages @northages.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Rare Anglo-Saxon coin unearthed in Shetland www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Rare Anglo-Saxon coin unearthed in Shetland
Archaeologists say the discovery suggests possible trading links between Viking and Anglo-Saxons.
25311
Reposted by Trix
The Govan Stones @govanstones.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
✨️ Adam from Cumbraland casts an early medieval-type brooch in Govan's 1,500-year-old churchyard! Visit our FREE Viking-Age Festival today and tomorrow, 11am to 4pm! @eblueaxe.bsky.social
04616
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
If this cracking piece of community archaeology isn't enough for you, we're also going to be at Govan this coming weekend - so you get both digging and Vikings in one visit!
0144
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I saw this helpful museum sign earlier in the year, was saving it for you for a jocular occasion - but honestly, I think they could do with it more...
112
Reposted by Trix
Archaeology Data Service @ads-update.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
🏺 Collection Highlight 🏺 This week we would like to highlight a recently released archive: Illustrated Artefact Catalogue of Viking Inset Lead Weights from Britain and Ireland. This catalogue sits alongside a related article published in Internet Archaeology, To read more visit: buff.ly/0dvQ2g2
a detail shot of a decorated copper alloy inset
0165
Reposted by Trix
Internet Archaeology @intarcheditor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
ICYMI: Hadley, D., Richards, J.D. et al. Inset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and Ireland. doi.org/10.11141/ia.... #archaeology #weightsystems #coins #decoratedmetalwork #trade #identity #VikingGreatArmy #Britain #Ireland #Scandinavia #9thcentury
doi.org
Inset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and Ireland
Viking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
041
Reposted by Trix
North Ages @northages.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The Galloway Hoard was discovered by detectorist Derek McLennan at Balmaghie, Kirkcudbrightshire, #OTD in 2014. Deposited around AD 900, it is both Scotland’s earliest Viking-Age hoard and the richest ever found in Britain and Ireland. 📸National Museums Scotland
The hoard, which comprises more than 100 diverse objects, from silver, gold and jewelled treasures to rarely surviving textiles.
2507
Reposted by Trix
Christian Cooijmans @ccooijmans.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Viking scholars attempting to counter misinformation about vikings:
415631
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
There is! It did used to lean into its name rather too much, but an excellent place to drink nonetheless...
020
Reposted by Trix
Simon Coupland @scoupland.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The first 100 coins from the Mørstad hoard have now been put online - read more here www.khm.uio.no/om/aktuelt/a...
03212
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Yup - we used to have seminars in the churchyard of Holy Trinity across the road, or in the-then Walker's Bar (now the Artful Dodger). When Micklegate House became the Backpackers' Hostel there were *many* jokes about it not being the first time people had slept in the former lecture rooms...
020
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Our Micklegate House/Goodricke snackbar crowd used to picnic inside the trees (there were a couple with gaps in the sides where you could perch on branches), but that may have been era-specific to over 35 years back... Odd to think of current archaeology undergrads looking out at them now.
220
Reposted by Trix
UHI Institute for Northern Studies @insuhi.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
'Kings on the Move: the case of the Viking Great Army' article by Dr Shane McLeod, Postdoctoral Research Associate UHI Institute for Northern Studies, discussed in @hornesupremacy.bsky.social latest Substack drtomhornearchaeology.substack.com/p/lords-of-t...
drtomhornearchaeology.substack.com
Lords of the Ring: Viking Kings in a Great Army 'Mobile Kingdom'
Shane McLeod's argues convincingly for royal leadership of the Viking Great/Heathen Army
1129
Reposted by Trix
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I've been missing from #FindsFriday for months, so it's probably time I got back into it! To tie in with our new paper, we're going to look at inset weights for the next few weeks - seeing what these enigmatic objects are, where they're found, and their ties to the Great Army. This is weight 1706:
A photograph of a small, square piece of lead with a highly-decorated piece of silver fixed to the top by a rivet. It is a lead trade weight recovered from the Viking Great Army camp at Aldwark, North Yorkshire
1208
Reposted by Trix
Simon Coupland @scoupland.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
For #FindsFriday: In July 1862, a shepherd boy found 5 gold and silver rings – the rest turned up soon after. The Vulu hoard from Trøndelag is highly impressive. The large penannular silver brooch weighs c 500 grams and measures 25 cm. 📷 Mårten Teigen, Alexis Pantos, Vikingtidsmuseet Oslo
12512
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
If you can't wait to know more, then you can read our new paper on these weights which now available in the latest issue of Internet Archaeology - link below. There is also a full, and completely open-access, catalogue of the known weights so far to be found through the Archaeology Data Service.
intarch.ac.uk
Inset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and Ireland
Viking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
051
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
At some point, a member of a Viking army chopped apart one of these beautiful brooches - to melt down, or to use the silver fragments as small change - but kept the central piece, pinning it to a lead weight... We try to argue that Vikings weren't barbarians and then they do things like that!
120
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
We think this finely-detailed piece of silver has been hacked from the centre of an Anglo-Saxon disc brooch, once a magnificent piece of display jewellery akin to these from Cheddar and from Beeston Tor. Both feature the slightly curved diamond design typical of the Trewhiddle style of A-S artwork
A photograph of a large silver Anglo-Saxon disc brooch from Cheddar, decorated with openwork designs in the Trewhiddle style and highlighted with niello. A photograph of a silver Anglo-Saxon disc brooch recovered as part of the Beeston Tor hoard, again decorated with Trewhiddle-style artwork pieced out with niello inlay.
110
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
So, what's the inset in today's weight, No. 1706? It's made of silver, and the diamond shape surrounded by 'palmette' trefoils has rough, uneven edges on all sides, showing it was chopped from the centre of something. The central piercing is original, although it now holds a securing pin...
A photograph of weight 1706 on display at the Yorkshire Museum, as part of their Viking North exhibition.
110
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
We'll look at *why* Vikings wanted to set little pieces of chopped-up stuff into lead weights in the coming weeks. However, it's fair to say that it's almost certainly related to the trade in hack metal: at the camps, we've recovered weights alongside masses of fragmented silver (and sometimes gold)
A photograph showing a collection of 'inset' weights and fragments of Viking-Age hacksilver: small, angled pieces of precious metal which has been chopped apart. All the finda are from the Viking camp at Aldwark.
110
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
This weight was found at one of our Viking camps - Aldwark, in North Yorkshire - and so the link to the Army is there immediately. Like all of the 'inset' weights, it's a small piece of lead with something set into it: these insets can be pottery, glass, highly decorated - or sometimes just pins.
A photograph of four lead 'inset' weights. Three are round and one square, with two inset with decorated metalwork and the other two pierced with silver pins. A ruler shows that they are all between one and one-and-a-half inches wide.
110
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I've been missing from #FindsFriday for months, so it's probably time I got back into it! To tie in with our new paper, we're going to look at inset weights for the next few weeks - seeing what these enigmatic objects are, where they're found, and their ties to the Great Army. This is weight 1706:
A photograph of a small, square piece of lead with a highly-decorated piece of silver fixed to the top by a rivet. It is a lead trade weight recovered from the Viking Great Army camp at Aldwark, North Yorkshire
1208
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Oh that's a lovely piece of work, really good to see it being carved! Are you aware of 'Helg Reproductions' in southern Normandy? They produce a lot of soapstone vessels, hand-carving to try to copy finds Kaupang and elsewhere. I'll admit I've been hankering after one of their bowls for a while...
helgreproductions.com
Helg Reproductions
Producing hand-made historically-accurate reproductions of Viking-age finds for use in reenactment events, experimental archeology, or display.
020
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
We didn't get dragonflies, but several elephant hawk moth caterpillars all decided the half-light was a good time to break cover... really rather wonderful, the kids almost enjoyed seeing them more than they enjoyed the eclipse.
110
Reposted by Trix
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
School holidays and work meant I haven't had a chance to shout about this yet - but yesterday saw a release for a new paper, drawing together the Viking-Age lead 'inset' weights from across Britain and Ireland and looking at their origins (surprise: it's all to do with the Great Army once again) -
intarch.ac.uk
Inset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and Ireland
Viking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
2235
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Well, this is going straight to the top of the wish list! Huge congratulations to @downham.bsky.social, I am *really* looking forward to reading this. (...and a lovely inset lead weight on the cover, too - what more could you ask for?)
170
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
There is also - and close to my heart, as ever - an open-access catalogue of out corpus available on the ADS, illustrated and fully searchable, available for easy exploration and for everyone to enjoy :)
archaeologydataservice.ac.uk
Illustrated Artefact Catalogue of Viking Inset Lead Weights from Britain and Ireland, 2025
This is a new illustrated and searchable catalogue of over 390 Viking inset lead weights mainly of the late 9th century AD found in Britain and Ireland. The majority of these weights were recovered du...
040
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Co-authored by @juliandrichards.bsky.social, @danelawdawn.bsky.social, Rebekah Hiett, and myself, we've drawn together a new corpus of these weights: examining different insets of metal, pottery, glass, and even antique objects, looking at what these might have meant and where they were drawn from.
A photograph of a selection of Viking-Age 'inset' lead weights, showing a selection of shapes and different materials.
140
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
School holidays and work meant I haven't had a chance to shout about this yet - but yesterday saw a release for a new paper, drawing together the Viking-Age lead 'inset' weights from across Britain and Ireland and looking at their origins (surprise: it's all to do with the Great Army once again) -
intarch.ac.uk
Inset Lead Weights: Trade and Identity in 9th- and 10th-century Viking armies in Britain and Ireland
Viking armies introduced a bullion economy to 9th-century Britain and Ireland in which transactions were facilitated through the use of balances and weights. This paper presents the first comprehensiv...
2235
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
static.klipy.com
Why Not Both? - HIMYM Marshall Eriksen
ALT: Why Not Both? - HIMYM Marshall Eriksen
040
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
If there's no real-world use for pot sherds then how come all my houseplants have layers of Samian draining the bottom of their pots, hey? (And seriously, do you *really* want field archaeologists cluttering up your archives and pubs? 'cos that's what'll happen if you stop them digging holes...)
2662
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Ahhhh, memories of BBT's 'Acton Baby' - one of the best-named indie records of the '90s...
A bluury photograph of the cover of the 'Acton Baby' EP record by the band Big Boy Tomato, showing a graffitied "Acton Central" Network Rail sign
030
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Ooh... if it's still going, I definitely wouldn't mind!
110
Reposted by Trix
Clare Downham @downham.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Online seminar free and open to all #medievalsky #herstory #textiles #history #ireland #celtic www.ssns.org.uk/events/ssns-...
ssns.org.uk
SSNS Seminar - Hannah Evans - 'For every woman who is an embroideress deserves more profit than even queens': gender, status, and textiles in medieval Ireland. - Scottish Society for Northern Studies ...
Stephen will explore why so many of the crucial incidents leading to the downfall of the Norse line of northern Scottish jarls in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.
1125
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
static.klipy.com
This Meme!
ALT: This Meme!
010
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Excellent haul! I've got three of those on my shelves, can definitely vouch for them.
020
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Knaresborough, Towton, and Vikings pilfering Iron-Age treasures - as @tessmachling.bsky.social says, the perfect read for the 1st August and Yorkshire Day!
030
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
static.klipy.com
Woody's 'Oh No' Moment
ALT: Woody's 'Oh No' Moment
130
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
static.klipy.com
Luke Skywalker: I'll Never Turn to the Dark Side
ALT: Luke Skywalker: I'll Never Turn to the Dark Side
020
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
@tessmachling.bsky.social
static.klipy.com
Scott Aukerman's Intense Fist Pump
ALT: Scott Aukerman's Intense Fist Pump
120
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
static.klipy.com
Please, No More
ALT: Please, No More
130
Reposted by Trix
North Ages @northages.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
The Wharton Hoard was discovered by a detectorist at Wharton, near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, #OTD in 2017. It comprises 37 copper pennies, known as stycas, from 9thC Northumbria. 📸British Museum
Some of the coins from the hoard against a black background.
1363
Trix @trixranderson.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
With Tolkien, I don't know whether I'd ever put anything like that down to coincidence: I'm sure he knew. There are linguistic in-jokes throughout his work (the Bag End / Cul-de-sac one is probably the most obvious), and he made an explicit reference to 'Orthanc' having a double meaning in LotR.
051