Extracts of
an interview between Dr Pamela Rose and Katherine Kinsella for the Peoples Independent
Irish news.
KK Thank you to Dr Pamela Rose for agreeing
to take part in this interview. Dr Rose
was one of the leading archaeologists who worked on a dig in County Meath this
summer which proved to be the site of a significant Iron Age battle. She is an expert in Viking history and has
spent a number of years working in Sweden.
Good morning
Dr Rose.
PR Good morning, please call me Pam.
KK Okay Pam, how did you become involved in
this archaeological dig?
PR I was invited to join the project this
summer mainly because of my expertise in Viking history. Many of your readers will know that over the
years a number of Viking artifacts have been unearthed in this area. Farmers have found items on their land and a
few years ago someone found a Viking armband whilst walking along the river.
KK Did you believe from the outset that you
were digging in the right place? Over
the years arguments have raged between academics regarding the location of the
battle site.
PR It’s true that many historians believed
that the battle must have taken place further along the river to the east of
Drogheda. Local legend suggests that an
invading army came across the sea from England and that the battle took place
nearer to the coast.
KK Couldn’t an invading army have sailed
their ships up the River Boyne?
PR It’s true that ships could have come up
the river as far as Drogheda, but it’s unlikely that they would have been able
to navigate much further. The landscape
was much different then, there would have been thick forest where the fields
are today and the banks of the river would have been tree lined. Drogheda was not established then, but it
would undoubtedly have made a perfect place for ships to anchor safely.
KK Dr Orlagh Gairne from the National
Museum was running the dig. I understand
that you are old friends. How was it
working with such a distinguished historian?
PR Indeed, Dr Gairne and I go back a long
way. We have not worked together for
many years. She is an expert in her
field, but my knowledge was invaluable to both the project and to those working
on the site.
KK You lived in Sweden for a number of
years. Was this move from England for
family reasons or was it purely a professional decision?
PR I have no family in Sweden. I went there because I was offered a position
at the Department of Archaeology and Classical studies at Stockholm University. I spent most of my time excavating Birka, one
of the first real towns to develop in Sweden.
Birka is on the island of Björkö situated on Lake Mälaren just outside
Stockholm. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is rich in archaeology. My colleagues
Dr Sven Larsson and Nils Holmgren have dedicated their lives to discovering the
secrets that remain hidden in this rich landscape.
KK You talk passionately about your time in
Sweden. Do you intend to return and
carry on your work there?
PR Only for holidays. My work in Sweden is done and now it’s time
to move on and find something new. Working
here in Ireland this summer has been an extraordinary experience. I’ve been truly inspired and intend to remain
in Dublin for a little while longer.
KK You are working on a book. Can you tell us anything about it?
PR It’s not a novel, but an academic review
of the Viking influence on the development of early Dublin. Did you know for example that Dublin was a
Viking slaving centre? People captured
from England and the Continent were brought here to be sold into slavery.
KK I didn’t know that. Is this the direction in which you see your
future going, writing books about this period in history?
PR No, not really. It’s something that I’m interested in at the
moment. To tell you the truth, I prefer
to be out in the field working with soil under my fingernails. We’ll just have to wait and see what the
future has in store for me.
KK Do you intend to remain in Ireland for
the foreseeable future?
PR Yes I do, but not indefinitely. There are many interesting opportunities
opening up in Ireland, the UK and on the Continent. I’m not sure at this point where I might end
up.
KK Will you be working with Dr Gairne on
her next project? She wants to establish
the location of an Iron Age settlement close to where the M1 Bridge crosses the
river Boyne.
PR I’m aware of her intentions, but I don’t
expect to be invited to take part. If significant
Viking artifacts are unearthed then I can’t rule out offering my services, but
by then I should be well into writing my book.
KK Thank you Pam for taking part in this
interview. I wish you well for the
future and look forward to a signed copy of your book.
Katherine Kinsella, Peoples Independent Irish news.
