Feb2007.jpg) Jarlshof, February 2007 | |
 | |
  Shown within Shetland | |
| Location | Mainland, Shetland, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 59°52′10″N 1°17′28″W / 59.8693725°N 1.2910305°W |
| Type | Roundhouses, broch, wheelhouses, longhouse |
| History | |
| Periods | Bronze Age Iron Age, Pictish, Norse |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Historic Scotland |
Jarlshof (/ˈjɑːrlzhɒf/ YARLZ-hof)[1] is the best-known prehistoric archaeological site in Shetland, Scotland. It lies in Sumburgh, Mainland, Shetland and has been described as "one of the most remarkable archaeological sites ever excavated in the British Isles".[2] It contains remains dating from 2500 BC up to the 17th century AD.
The Bronze Age settlers left evidence of several small oval houses with thick stone walls and various artefacts including a decorated bone object. The Iron Age ruins include several different types of structures, including a broch and a defensive wall around the site. The Pictish period provides various works of art including a painted pebble and a symbol stone. The Viking Age ruins make up the largest such site visible anywhere in Britain and include a longhouse; excavations provided numerous tools and a detailed insight into life in Shetland at this time. The most visible structures on the site are the walls of the Scottish period fortified manor house, which inspired the name "Jarlshof" that first appears in an 1821 novel by Walter Scott.
The site is in the care of Historic Scotland and is open year-round, with longer opening hours during April to September.[3] In 2012 "Zenith of Iron Age Shetland" including Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof was added to the UK's tentative list of proposed World Heritage Sites.[4]
- ^ "Moray – Pronunciation". Rootsweb at ancestry.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ " Jarlshof & Scatness" shetland-heritage.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
- ^ "Plan your visit to Jarlshof Prehistoric And Norse Settlement". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
- ^ "From Chatham to Chester and Lincoln to the Lake District – 38 UK places put themselves forward for World Heritage status" United Kingdom Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Retrieved 7 July 2010.