From 1st - 6th August, find me at: Parliament Street | W3W: ///nights.ship.noting

From 6th August onwards, find me at: Coppergate Walk | W3W: ///class.glee.fired

Researched by: Researched by York University Archeology Department

Designed by: Sarah Schiewe

The Viking Age sometimes comes across as a world of rich and powerful men: kings, chieftains and raiders. This makes The Coppergate Woman, (Known affectionately by the research team and artists as Vigdis) an important Trailblazer: she tells us about her life as a migrant woman living with disabilities in York 1000 years ago.

‘Vigdis’ lived in Viking York, 1000 years ago. Everything we know about her comes from her bones. She grew up in Norway or Scotland, but ended her days here in York, aged in her mid-forties. She was 5’2’’ tall and had severe joint disease as well as a limp, causing her to walk with a crutch. Nonetheless, she somehow travelled all the way to York at some point in her life. She was buried in a shallow pit at Coppergate, close to the River Foss, where she lay until she was discovered by archaeologists from the York Archaeological Trust in the late 1970s.

❝She was not native to York and journeyed from afar as an older child with her family. This is a lady who lived with a lifelong disability; dysplasia of the right hip, widespread degenerative joint changes and/or arthritis and a congenial spine deformity. Her skeleton demonstrates that she did not allow the disuse of her right leg to stop her from moving around, she walked with a severe limp and likely used crutches. As a mother, and wife she would have cared for her family and ran a household with duties like cooking and light cleaning. She lived to an old age for a Viking and was a valued member of the community. She was found respectfully buried in her home garden. Although this was an unusual burial location, being laid to rest at home meant she was sent off to the afterlife surrounded by things and people that were important to her. I have created this illustrated ceramic sculpture to share this unique story.

There are many people who contribute to society, but they often go unnoticed. My work celebrates each person as a unique individual and gives a voice to those who would normally go unheard. Through dynamic visuals and compelling narratives, I strive to foster a deeper connection between people and their heritage, encouraging them to find a renewed sense of belonging and to ignite a sense of curiosity and pride within our community.

By intertwining elements of tradition and innovation in the design, I create an immersive experience that not only honours our past but also inspires present and future generations to embrace their roots and explore creativity. The Coppergate Woman shows incredible strength and determination, she is a testament to the enduring spirit of family and community in York.❞

This is the story of Vigdis, a woman buried at Coppergate in York 1,000 years ago. We don’t know her real name; nothing about her is recorded in historical documents. Since her discovery in the 1970s, she has been known as ‘The Coppergate Woman’. The decision was made to name her ‘Vigdis’: an Old Norse name that means ‘spirit goddess of war’.

Viking York: From the 8th century, Scandinavian peoples (‘Vikings’) began to raid, and later to settle in Britain and Ireland. The north of England in particular saw a lot of Scandinavian settlement, leading to the foundation of the Viking kingdom of York. The region soon developed a distinctive Anglo-Scandinavian culture, bringing together elements of Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian, and other traditions in a sort of cultural melting pot. York was the most important urban centre in the region, as the power base of the kings of York, and the seat of an archbishop. Like many Viking towns, it was also a centre for manufacturing and a key hub in international trade networks. Coppergate was an important street in the town, with narrow houses packed tightly together close to the waterfront. The excavations here in the 1970s and ‘80s told us about everyday urban living in the Viking Age: about the houses that people lived in, the things they made and sold, the food they ate, and even how they got rid of their rubbish. It is perhaps less well known that a small number of human burials were found, which allow us to say a little bit about individual, ‘ordinary’ people.

Vigdis: Vigdis is one of the more intriguing individuals found at Coppergate. Everything known about her comes from her bones. When she died, she was probably in her mid-forties. She was 5’2’’ tall and had severe joint disease; she must have walked with a limp, and perhaps with a crutch. She wasn’t born in York: a scientific technique known as isotopic analysis tells us that she grew up either on the south-western coast of Norway or perhaps in northern Scotland (another area settled by Vikings). Nonetheless, she somehow travelled all the way to York at some point in her life. Ultimately, she was buried at Coppergate (close to the River Foss), in a shallow pit with no grave goods. There she lay until she was discovered by archaeologists from the York Archaeological Trust in the late 1970s. The Viking Age sometimes comes across as a world of rich and powerful men: raiders and chieftains, or kings like Erik Bloodaxe. Vigdis tells us something different, and something important: she gives voice to the diversity of Viking-Age York. She speaks to the life of a woman: a woman living with a lifelong disability, and who nonetheless travelled great distances over her lifetime. It seems very fitting to remember her here as a trailblazer, this spirit goddess of war.

The Artwork: Vigdis’s story, presented here on the back of a tansy beetle, was produced by Sarah Schiewe, a York-based artist whose work involves the telling of stories through ceramics. Produced in consultation with archaeologists and historians from the University of York (Malin Holst, Dr Pragya Vohra, and Dr Steve Ashby), the piece narrates the story of Vigdis’s birth, travels, and life as a member of the Anglo-Scandinavian community in York. The story closes with her death, burial, and rediscovery. The artists and academics involved in the project are all represented in the artwork.