More information: Shetland Amenity Trust
Longhouse
From information panel on site:
Today there are the remains of at least 60 Norse longhouses in the island, the largest number of rural sites anywhere in the Viking World. Three were excavated between 2006-2010 at Hamar, Underhoull and Belmont. Archaeologists discovered that none of the sites were exactly the same. Some had stone walls, some turf walls, some had beaten earth floors, some were paved with stones and one even had a wooden floor. This replica longhouse has been built using the information obtained during the excavations. It is based on the discoveries from Hamar, but has side rooms added - like those found at Underhoull.
Ship
From information panel on site:
The shallow draft of longships meant they were able to reach far inland by river or stream to strike and move before local forces could assemble. Ships had overlapping planks (clinker built), and measured between 17.5m and 36m in length. They were steered by a single oar mounted on the starboard side and could reach speeds of 10 to 11 knots. Crews of 25 to 60 men would be common, but larger ships could carry over a hundred people. Our Skidbladner is a full scale replica of the 9th century Gokstad ship, which was discovered in a burial in Vestfold, Norway in 1880.
