ABSTRACT

Norse place-names for farms, individual landscape features and general landscape areas are ubiquitous throughout the Orkney Islands. These have an origin during the mediaeval period AD790–1350 when Orkney was ruled by Scandinavian earls. The oldest referenced maps for the parish of Harray (West Mainland, Orkney) suggests that in the past significant waterways crossed wetlands extending between the Loch of Harray and Houseby in an area associated with the earldom power base at Birsay. Subsequent drainage projects, changes in climate and sea level have since resulted in the loss of the waterways. An investigation of the wetlands using geophysical and geological analysis provided a reconstruction of the palaeo-environments. Comparison with place-names of significance allowed interpretation of possible routeways along navigable waters by shallow-draught Viking-Age vessels. The results allow for re-drawing the map of Norse Orkney and postulation of produce transfer corridors from estates in the south to the power centre at Birsay.

摘要

农场、个别景观特征和一般景观区域的挪威地名在整个奥克尼群岛无处不在。这些起源于公元 790 年至 1350 年的中世纪时期，当时奥克尼岛由斯堪的纳维亚伯爵统治。哈雷教区（西大陆，奥克尼）最古老的参考地图表明，在过去，重要的水道穿越了在哈雷湖和豪斯比之间延伸的湿地，该湿地与伯赛伯赛的权力基地有关。随后的排水工程、气候和海平面的变化导致了水道的丧失。使用地球物理和地质分析对湿地进行的调查提供了古环境的重建。通过与具有重要意义的地名进行比较，可以解释维京时代浅吃水船只沿可航行水域的可能航线。结果允许重新绘制 Norse Orkney 的地图，并假设从南部的庄园到 Birsay 的电力中心的农产品转运走廊。