Balladoole Viking Boat Burial Male Burial
Date made: Viking: 800-1265
Description: Remains of the skull from the male buried laid on his back directly on the bottom of a 9m long ship with central mast. The body was buried with the head to the south-east and feet to the north-west.
Clench nails survived to show the size and shape of the ship, along with grave goods such as a ringed-pin, knife, hone and flint strike-a-light, belt buckle, strap-ends, linen shirt, a bit and bridle from his horse at his head, pairs of stirrup mounts and spurs by his feet, a handled iron cauldron, possibly a second cauldron near his left leg, and a shield boss and grip above his knees. No sword was found.
Four silver armlets identified in the collections of the National Museum Ireland may come from this burial also. The range of styles of grave goods indicate trade and connections with Ireland, Scotland and France.
A layer of cremated horse, ox, pig, sheep or goat, dog and cat bones covered the cairn.
The ship burial was inserted into an existing Christian cemetery. It is not clear whether the intention was to intrude and take-over or to integrate.
See 1966-0372/0001 - /00034 for associated finds
Materials: bone
Date found: 1945
Object name: human remains
Collection: Archaeology Collection
ID number: 1966-0372/34