A thousand years ago York was one of the largest, richest and most famous cities Britain. A monk that time described it as packed a huge population, rich merchandise and traders "from all parts". the 10th century people called it JORVIK, and knew it as the capital of the North of England, and one of Europe's greatest trading posts. It owed its prosperity the hard work and commercial enterprise of Viking settlers Scandinavia who had captured it AD 866 and almost totally rebuilt it.
Viking Jorvik has now completely disappeared. Most of the city's buildings were made wood, and have long since rotted away. some parts of modern York, however, near the rivers Ouse and Foss, which run the centre of the city, archaeologists have found remains of Jorvik. They are buried deep the streets and buildings of the 20th century city. Here the damp soils have preserved whole streets of houses, shops, workshops and warehouses. Between 1976 and 1981 archaeologists excavated a part of this lost and all-but-forgotten city. The remains were so well preserved even down to boots and shoes, pins and needles, plants and insects - that almost every aspect life the time could be reconstructed.
York Archaeological Trust decided to build the Jorvik Viking Centre in the huge hole created by the excavations. the Centre people from the 20th century journey back in time the 10th century. The journey is done in time cars, which silently glide back the years, past some of the thirty generations of York's people, until time stops, a late October day in 948.
We see that the people of Coppergate look much the same as us, although they are not as healthy and far fewer than present will reach the age of 60. The inhabitants of Jorvik are craftsmen making their products to sell the market. There they buy most of their foodstuffs, but they also produce some of their own. They live cereals, field beans, peas, fruit and meat. Pigs are kept backyards and chickens runs free in the city's alleyways. Fish is brought the city from the coast. Food is washed with ale or as an occasional treat, with wine imported Germany.