Comhairle nan Eilean Siar PRESS RELEASE 11 April 2000 For Use: Immediately

Last week saw an unprecedented gathering in Stornoway of archaeologists, historians and linguists from all over the UK, Scandinavia, Ireland and the United States for a Conference on the role of the Western Isles in the Viking world.

The first day of the Conference coincided with the opening of a new exhibition in Museum nan Eilean, displaying many of the Viking Age objects discussed during the Conference, and examining what life was like in the islands 1000 years ago.

The Conference was focussed around a day in Uig, on Thursday, when the Uig chessmen returned to the parish, to Eiristadh, only a couple of kilometres from their find spot. Over three hundred visitors including the Conference delegates came to see the chessmen, carefully guarded by the police, the Comunn Eachdraidh, and Museum nan Eilean staff, in the Comunn Eachdraidh Museum in Uig Community Hall. After a morning of lectures, Conference delegates went out to look at sites in the parish, including the pagan Viking Age cemetery at Cnip, the Norse mills and the site of Viking Age burials at Cliff. The Conference dinner that evening, again in Uig Community Hall, was a great success, with delicious local food converting many from vegetarians to avid eaters of venison, lamb and smoked mussels.

At the end of the week, having managed to be inside during all the bad weather, and outside during the sunshine, the Conference members left determined to return. Apart from a most enjoyable week of debate and visit, the Conference highlighted the desperate need for more archaeological research into this crucial period in our past, when Scotland was first defining itself as a nation within Europe and the Western Isles were the focus of trade routes reaching from Samarkand to Newfoundland. The related exhibition is on display at Museum nan Eilean, Francis Street, Stornoway until the end of September.

Commenting on the Conference, the Convener Alex MacDonald, said:

"From speaking to the many delegates from around the world, it is clear that the Conference was a huge success. Those who attended were greatly impressed not only by the professionalism of the Conference’s organisation but also by the beauty of our environment and the warmth of their welcome. Our thanks are due to Mary Macleod and Richard Langhorne and their staff and to the people of Uig for the work they have put in. Events such as this are important not only for their academic quality, but also as a marketing tool for our islands. The economic impact of some 60 delegates staying for five nights should not be underestimated. More importantly perhaps was the impression made on the delegates of a warm and welcoming community with a fascinating history to which I am sure they will want to return".

Ends

Issued by Nigel Scott
Communications Officer