Crawford returns to Papa
Archaeologist Barbara Crawford from St Andrews University made a return visit to Papa Stour last weekend to oversee further landscaping and interpretation at the Biggins site.
Last summer saw the successful completion of the partial reconstruction of the 13th century Norse stofa that was officially opened by Torrill Selsvold Nyborg, county mayor of Hordaland Norway.
Local drystane dyker Jim Keddie has now completed the outline of the eldhus, another building that once stood on the same site as the stofa. Archaeological evidence leads us to believe that the eldhus was used as the kitchen and wash house. Remains of a central hearth were found and this has been highlighted in the layout.
Immediately outside the stofa remains of a privy were found. This was a small stave timber building with a sophisticated drainage system. Gravel surrounded by a single layer of flat stones, on which the timbers would have once stood, delineates the outline of this small outhouse. Further work on the Biggins site is planned later in the summer.
