Between 2020 and 2021, a 3D laser scanning survey of the (re)construction was performed by Groundwork South and North Tyneside and the Newcastle University’s McCord Centre for Landscape. Terrestrial laser scanning provided for the first time an extremely accurate record of the building, allowing for its comparison with the archaeological data and for the design of 3D digital models to conduct structural analyses, test alternative hypotheses, and investigate aspects such as acoustics and lighting design.
In order to maximise the informative potential of an archaeological experiment, it is extremely important to highlight what reflects the archaeological record, what is certainly different from it, and what results from necessary choices that had to be made to fill gaps. What is shown here is a comparison between the components of the (re)construction of “Thirlings, Building A” in Gyrwe derived from 3D laser scanning and the plan of the excavated building at Thirlings. It is possible to see that the layout of the perimeter and internal timbers is fairly precise, and that the outer rows of posts were not considered in Jarrow.
We can add that, unlike Building A at Thirlings, the (re)construction at Jarrow hall is oriented approximately North-South, and not East-West. This impacts on how sunlight enters the building: in Jarrow, the windows are to the south, while in Thirlings the sun at its highest point was faced by one of the long sides with its central door.
