Seventh-century Lindisfarne monastery to be excavated

Part of the seventh-century monastery on the island of Lindisfarne is to be excavated for the first time thanks to a crowdfunding project, writes Elena Curti.

The Lindisfarne Gospels were made at the monastery on the island off the Northumberland coast which was founded by the Irish monk, St Aidan, in AD 635 and was home to St Cuthbert. According to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, the monastery was attacked and destroyed by Viking invaders in AD 793.

No trace remains of the original monastery though thousands of people visit the twelfth-century priory ruins every year. An archaeological dig in June will search for evidence of manuscript production, such as tools for making parchment out of calfskin, animal bones, styluses and pigment traces.

The dig is being funded by a crowdfunding project known as Dig Ventures (digventures.com/projects/lindisfarne-2016) that began on 3 March and rapidly raised half of the £18,000 needed for the 16-day dig. Archaeologist Dr David Petts, of Durham University, said government funding for such fieldwork has all but dried up. He is hopeful that Dig Ventures will raise the full amount within the 90-day time frame.

“Some people are making small donations and others are paying larger sums to come and dig with us,” he said. Volunteers will pay around £500 a week to join the dig, and pay for accommodation. The Anglican Diocese of Newcastle has given the project its blessing.