A place where Vikings settled disputes, made key political decisions, and decided laws has been unearthed on the Isle of Bute, in Scotland.
The history of the Isle of Bute is connected with the Norse King Ketill Flatnose, whose descendants were the earliest settlers of Iceland. The site which was recently discovered has been identified as the location of a Norse parliament, known as a ''thing''.
'Althing in Session' (19th century) by W. G. Collingwood. (Public Domain)
Although in our times this word is mostly related to unimportant objects, in Viking times this term had a different meaning. According to specialists in old Scandinavian languages, the word ''thing'' came from the old Norse word ''þing'', meaning assembly.
Section: