Swordle

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Brief History

The Swordle area hosts many archaeological sites with evidence of burials over the millennia, and activity from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Viking and post-Medieval era.

One site that has been excavated is a Neolithic chambered cairn named Cladh Aindreis, dated around 6,000 years old. It has been altered over the millenia by subsequent settlers and inhabitants in the bay, with beaker pottery discovered, suggesting the Cairn was used for burials in the Bronze Age, some 2,000 years later.

The area has been the focus of the Ardnamurchan Transitions Project (ATP), a team of archaeologists from Archaeology Scotland, students and staff from the Universities of Manchester and Leicester as well as Ardnamurchan residents and community groups. In 2011, ATP discovered a complete Viking boat burial in the bay, not far from Cladh Aindreis. It was the first of it's kind to be discovered on mainland Britain.

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Swordle thumbnail

The Viking Axe.

© Dan Addison

The sword in situ (top); the mineralised textile remains (right); detail of the decoration after conservation (left).

Lower Photographs: © Pieta Greaves / AOC Archaeology

Archaeologists uncover the Viking sword.

© Dan Addison

Excavating the Viking Boat Burial.

© Ardnamurchan History and Heritage Association

Bronze Age Kerb Cairn.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

Cladh Aindreis.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

Objects recovered from the Viking grave.

Photographs: © Pieta Greaves / AOC Archaeology

clockwise from the top left: broad-bladed axe, shield boss, ringed pin and the hammer and tongs.

The Viking's teeth.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

The Viking Boat before excavation.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

View of Swordle.

© Ardnamurchan History and Heritage Association

Viking Boat Burial after it has been excavated.

© Dan Addison

Swordle thumbnail

The Viking Axe.

© Dan Addison

The sword in situ (top); the mineralised textile remains (right); detail of the decoration after conservation (left).

Lower Photographs: © Pieta Greaves / AOC Archaeology

Archaeologists uncover the Viking sword.

© Dan Addison

Excavating the Viking Boat Burial.

© Ardnamurchan History and Heritage Association

Bronze Age Kerb Cairn.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

Cladh Aindreis.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

Objects recovered from the Viking grave.

Photographs: © Pieta Greaves / AOC Archaeology

clockwise from the top left: broad-bladed axe, shield boss, ringed pin and the hammer and tongs.

The Viking's teeth.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

The Viking Boat before excavation.

© Ardnamurchan Transitions Project

View of Swordle.

© Ardnamurchan History and Heritage Association

Viking Boat Burial after it has been excavated.

© Dan Addison

Dig into layers of history

Early Medieval

Viking Boat Burial

From the remains and artefacts - which included a sword, axe, and a brooch originating from Ireland - archaeologists discovered that the Viking buried here was a warrior, who had travelled to many places. We now know he was a man, who grew up in coastal Norway, thanks to the analysis of his teeth.

Prehistoric

Cladh Aindreis and Rickyʼs Cairn

People used Cladh Aindreis throughout the Neolithic and Bronze Age as a burial site. Later, in the Iron Age, it was possibly used as a place to live.

In the Bronze Age another cairn appeared here, knowntoday as Rickyʼs Cairn. Two people were buried inside, with a jet necklace, which would have originally come from Whitby in Yorkshire.

Look out for...

The view of the isles of Muck, Eigg, Rùm and Skye.

Discover the stories of Swordle...

We came here as raiders and stayed, integrating with the Gaels and Celts. We farmed too - I grew oats and barley, and kept cattle, sheep and pigs; more than enough to keep me busy!

Explore how Swordle has changed through time.

21st Century

2006 - Present

The Ardnamurchan Transitions Project, a team of archaeologists, have been working at Swordle since 2006.

Click the characters to read their stories

Archaeologists are uncovering the rich tapestry of history present at this bay, and alongside community groups they have made many exciting discoveries in recent years. Ardnamurchan is a place with many stories still waiting to be told!

Isotopic analysis allows us to understand where a person grew up due to the chemical signatures in their bones. Although only two teeth survive of the person buried in the viking boat burial, archaeologists are able to deduce from the analysis that he came from coastal Norway.

Eviction and Emigration

1853

Before the people of Swordle were evicted, the three Swordle townships had a population of over 100 people, including some evicted from other townships on Ardnamurchan.

My family built a new house and a new life when they arrived in Swordle in 1828, after being callously evicted from their home in the settlement of Bourblaig, near Camas nan Geall. We were evicted from Swordle only 23 years after arriving, and took the long journey West to Achnaha and then on to Sanna. Many people I know emigrated to Canada, Australia and New Zealand to seek a better life.

Early Medieval

9th Century

The Viking boat, along with the warrior and artefacts, were buried.

He was buried in the traditional way befitting such a warrior. Into the boat alongside his body was placed everything he would need for his journey - most importantly his sword, axe, and a whetstone to keep them sharp, his drinking horn, and brooch.

We arrived as Viking raiders and stayed here ever since, integrating with the Gaels and Celts. We farmed too - I grew oats and barley, and kept cattle, sheep and pigs; more than enough to keep me busy!

Prehistoric

Iron Age 800BC - 400BC

Cladh Aindreis was used as a dwelling, with a hearth and ditch added.

Bronze Age 1717BC - 1616BC

A kerbed cairn was added, now known as Rickyʼs Cairn.

Neolithic 3783BC - 3656BC

Cladh Aindreis was first used as a burial site by the first farmers here.

The cairn here known as Cladh Aindreis is an important place of connection and ritual. It’s where the first farmers at Swordle are buried, and has been used as a place of burial over hundreds of years in many different ways. In the past people would rearrange bones in the burial chamber over the years, mixing bones from different times and rearranging them to make connections through generations. More recent burial rituals involve cremation and beakers which are made from clay to bury people's ashes in.

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