1,000-year-old Viking longship parked

Rokcet Scientist · Post by **Rokcet Scientist** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:55 am

Monday, 10 September 2007

Viking ship 'buried beneath pub'

The vessel could be similar to the longship, the Sea Stallion
A 1,000-year-old Viking longship is thought to have been discovered under a pub car park on Merseyside.

The vessel is believed to lie beneath 6ft to 10ft (2m to 3m) of clay by the Railway Inn in Meols, Wirral, where Vikings are known to have settled.

Experts believe the ship could be one of Britain's most significant archaeological finds.

Professor Stephen Harding, of the University of Nottingham, is now seeking funds to pay for an excavation.

The Viking expert used ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment to pinpoint the ship's whereabouts.

[...]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/mers ... 986986.stm

kbs2244 · Post by **kbs2244** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:35 pm

If you read the whole story it only became known because somebody’s grandfather was a laborer working an the car park and told his grandkids about keeping quiet about the find so they could finish their contract.
It has to make you wonder how many other guys running a back hoe just keep on digging.

Digit · Post by **Digit** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:37 am

It wasn't unusual but now the penalties make it a very risky idea KB, most of the larger construction companies now have on officer specifically to deal with this sort of problem and to work with archaeologists. Generally it seems to work well.