15 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Shetland Discoveries Seem Close to Uncovering Ancient Viking Capital

Important discoveries were made on the last day of excavations to find the ancient Viking capital of Shetland, through the efforts of Kristian Leith.

Archaeological finds seem to approach close to uncovering the ancient Viking capital of Shetland.

Last year, 26 human bones, several structures presumed to be from the Pictish era, and a variety of ancient items such as a comb and painted stones were discovered in Kristian Leith’s garden at Upper Scalloway after he started digging for a shed.

It was action has been taken by the finding of structures and human remains in the region during the construction of dwellings in 1990. In order to determine whether there was more to be discovered in the region, Leith brought Orkney archaeological firm ORCA to conduct geophysical studies in the neighboring property between the Mill Brae road and his Upper Scalloway residence.

With traditional funding options limited, Leith launched a crowdfunding campaign with a £19,425 goal to pay for ORCA to do excavation on the piece of land. More than 319 people have donated, increasing the total to moreover £19,700.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Red sandstone whetstone.
Red sandstone whetstone.

While the formal study from ORCA has yet to be released, Mr. Leith claims the discovery proves the settlement is at least 4,000 square meters in size – significantly larger than previously imagined.

Mr. Leigh said the structure found was of “great importance” as it was not disturbed by later medieval tombs or modern dwellings, according to the Shetland Times.

And as the excavations only clipped a small section of the structure, Mr. Leith said there was an awful lot more left undisturbed to investigate further.

He pointed to the discovery of two red sandstone whetstones, which he said were similar to discoveries found during an excavation in 1990, and which indicate that they date back to 750-1000AD, the Viking period.

“Slowly but surely the story here is unveiling itself and we are getting closer to proving this is indeed the Skailvoigh settlement – the Viking capital of Shetland,” Mr. Leith said. 

The fundraiser is still open.

Related Articles

Hidden Inscriptions Discovered on Paris’ Luxor Obelisk

1 May 2025

1 May 2025

Nearly two centuries after its prominent placement in Paris’ Place de la Concorde, the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk continues to yield...

490-Million-Year-Old Trilobites Could Solve Ancient Geography Puzzle

22 November 2023

22 November 2023

The humble trilobites may be extinct, but even as fossils, they can teach us much about our planet’s history. Indeed,...

‘Bakery Prison’ found in Ancient Rome’s Pompeii

12 December 2023

12 December 2023

Archaeologists working on the ongoing excavations in Region IX, Insula 10, near the slopes of the ancient city of Pompeii,...

High school student discovered a 1500-year-old ancient Magical Mirror

9 August 2023

9 August 2023

 A High school student discovered an ancient “magical mirror” meant to ward off the evil eye in an archaeological excavation...

The free online course from the Colchester Museums and University of Reading Department of Archeology

12 July 2021

12 July 2021

The opportunity to be among the first to examine 2,000-year-old cremated remains from Roman Britain and learn about the origins...

Medieval Beauty Secrets Uncovered: Rare Hair-Styling Tool Found at Scotland’s Eilean Donan Castle

30 September 2025

30 September 2025

A rare medieval hair-styling implement has been uncovered during excavations at Eilean Donan Castle in the Scottish Highlands, offering an...

Archaeologists Find 11 Sealed Middle Kingdom Burials Full of Jewelry in Luxor, Egypt

4 November 2024

4 November 2024

The South Asasif Conservation Project, an Egyptian-American mission working under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has...

Archaeologists Uncover Extensive Ancient Irrigation Network in Eridu, the World’s First City

8 March 2025

8 March 2025

Recent research by a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists and geologists has revealed that the Eridu region of southern Mesopotamia, inhabited...

Manot Cave yielded evidence for ritualistic gathering 35,000 years ago, the earliest on the Asian continent

13 January 2025

13 January 2025

Archaeological research at the Manot Cave in what is now the Galilee in northern Israel has uncovered evidence of ritualistic...

The 20-million-year-old fossil of a sea creature in the ancient city of Tyana may have been used as a means of payment

22 October 2021

22 October 2021

During the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Tyana in the Kemerhisar district of Niğde, a 20-million-year-old fossil thought...

Decapitated skeletons of Roman ‘criminals’ found on HS2 route

5 February 2022

5 February 2022

Archaeologists working with the HS2 project have discovered 425 bodies on the route of the new railway line – around...

Ancient Christian Cross Over 1,400 Years Old Linked to Church of the East Unearthed on Abu Dhabi’s Sir Bani Yas Island

19 August 2025

19 August 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery on Sir Bani Yas Island has brought to light an ancient Christian cross dating back more...

Archaeologists discover a 4,000-year-old stone board game in Oman

10 January 2022

10 January 2022

The joint Polish-Omani archaeology team has discovered a 4,000-year-old stone board game whilst excavating a Bronze Age and Iron Age...

Scientists discover traces of paint on the Parthenon Sculptures that reveal their true colours

12 October 2023

12 October 2023

Recent research on the Parthenon Sculptures has found traces of the original paint used to decorate the Parthenon Sculptures, revealing...

3D virtual reconstruction of the Celtic city gate

2 May 2022

2 May 2022

A new 3D virtual reconstruction of the Celtic gate has been made in Staffelberg, in the German state of Bavaria....