Images in the animation: © 2022 Microsoft Corporation © 2022 Maxar ©CNES (2022) Distribution Airbus DS; O’Brien & Miket 1991: 62, fig. 2 (https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/library/browse/details.xhtml?recordId=3078051).

Thirlings was excavated between 1973 and 1981, directed by Roger Miket and Colm O’Brien.   

In total, 12 buildings were dug and documented at the site. They all show similar architecture suggesting they were built as a single settlement. Half of them (A, B, C, L, N, and P) had trenches to hold timbers which supported the structure, whereas the other 6 (F, E, G, H, I and R) had post holes. Two of the trenched buildings also had palisades around them. The 6 buildings with post holes are mainly in the western area of the site, and have more varied orientations than the trenched. Radiocarbon dates confirmed that the buildings were built and demolished between the 6th and 7th centuries CE. 

Some features were not excavated in the north and south but have been interpreted as early medieval grubenhäuser (sunken-featured buildings). If that is the case, and if they were all constructed as a single group, then the settlement was more extensive than initially thought. 

Virtual Museum | Thirlings Building A | The Site | The Building | Reconstruction by the archaeologists | (Re)construction at Gyrwe (A) | (Re)construction at Gyrwe (B) | (Re)construction at Gyrwe (C) | The analysis of acoustics

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