Viking Parliament Site Found Beneath Parking Lot in Dingwall

Archaeologists have found remains of a medieval Viking parliament under a parking lot in ­Dingwall, Scotland.

The historical sites are called 'Things' and originate from the Old Norse þing. The Thing is known as the cradle of democracy as this medieval system allowed Vikings to settle their disputes via a forum rather than war.

The site might have been built on the orders of Norse earl Thorfinn the Mighty in the 11th Century. At the time, the mound was situated on a man-made-island on river Peffery, reported The Herald Scotland. The surprising part about the new discovery is that none of the sagas mention presence of a Thing at Dingwall or anywhere in north Scotland.

The site at Cromartie Memorial car park was excavated by researchers at OJT Heritage and Dingwall History Society, BBC reported.

"It's a fantastic find, really. No one's had dating [information] from a Thing site in Scotland," Oliver J. T. O'Grady, the director of the site's excavations told Livescience. He runs an archaeological consulting firm -OJT Heritage.

The study team conducted radiocarbon dating on earth samples from the site. Researchers found that the mound was constructed around mid-11th Century in an island on the Peffery.

"That dating is consistent with the period in which, following his victory at Torfnes until his death, Earl Thorfinn the Mighty had exercised authority over Ross," David MacDonald, who was commissioned to write a report on the Thing site told BBC news. "It therefore reasonably can be concluded that the mound had been constructed on Thorfinn's instructions to be a man-made islet adjacent to the eastern shore of what historically had been a small peninsula projecting into the estuary of the Peffery."

By the11^th Century, Vikings- the fierce warriors of the north- were no longer just invaders, but were most likely the subjects of Norse kings, Livescience reported.