Svalbarð revisited
| Project Connections: | This project is not linked to any other projects |
Project Details |
| Title: | Svalbarð revisited |
| Permalink: | https://www.nabohome.org/cgi-bin/explore.pl?seq=102 |
| Abstract: | In 1986 and 1988 midden excavations took place in Svalbarð, N-Þingeyjarsýsla, revealing one of the largest faunal collections up to that point in Iceland. The results were instrumental in the development of methods and models for reconstructing palaeoeconomies in the N-Atlantic region. In 2008 the Svalbarð midden was revisited with the aim of refining the stratigraphy and dating, to gather new radiocarbon, geoarchaeological and ecofact samples to supplement landscape history and site fomation reconstructions for the site and for the Svalbard region, and to identify potential locations for further archaeological research. |
| Country: | Iceland |
| Project Start Year: | 2008 |
Account Owner |
| Contact: |
Fornleifastofnun Íslands |
| Postal Address: |
Bárugata 3, 101 Reykjavík, ICELAND |
| Post Code: |
101 |
| Telephone: |
00354-5511033 |
| Website: |
http://www.instarch.is |
| Email: |
fsi@instarch.is |
Project Content
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Preliminary Report of Archaeological Fieldwork at Svalbard (Svalbardshreppur), 2008 [1.23 MB]
In 1986 and 1988 midden excavations took place in Svalbarð, N-Þingeyjarsýsla, revealing one of the largest faunal collections up to that point in Iceland. The results were instrumental in the development of methods and models for reconstructing palaeoeconomies in the N-Atlantic region. In 2008 the Svalbarð midden was revisited with the aim of refining the stratigraphy and dating, to gather new radiocarbon, geoarchaeological and ecofact samples to supplement landscape history and site fomation reconstructions for the site and for the Svalbard region, and to identify potential locations for further archaeological research. Old midden trenches were reopened in 2008 and one profile moved back to stabilize it. Some sections were redrawn.
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Archaeological Fieldwork at Svalbarð, NE Iceland 2013 [2.64 MB]
2013 was the most extensive year in archaeological research in Svalbarðstunga.
The field season started on the 15th of July and lasted until 3rd of August. The archaeological
field crew consisted of Dr. James Woollett (Laval University), Uggi Ævarsson
(archaeologist and Cultural Heritage Manager of Southern Iceland), Céline Dupont-
Hébert (Laval University), Guðrún Alda Gísladóttir og Stefán Ólafsson (Institute of Archaeology,
Iceland), Dr. Véronique Forbes (University of Aberdeen), Natasha Roy (Laval
University), Astrid Daxböck (Institute of Archaeology, Iceland), Jónas H. Jónasson
(student, Univesity of Iceland) og Martin Fields (student, Laval University). Also Dr.
Paul Adderley (Stirling University, Scotland) which conducted the pedological survey
of the homefield in Svalbarð and Magnús Á. Sigurgeirsson geologist who identified and
confirmed tephra in the area and Kristborg Þórsdóttir and Sólveig Guðmundsdóttir Beck
(Institute of Archaeology, Iceland) continued with the archaeological site survey in Svalbarðstunga.
Targeted sites for archaeological excavation in 2013 were: Sjóhúsvík, Kúðá,
Bægisstaðir, Hjálmarvík, Skriða og Svalbarð - see reports this volume. One of the main
results this year are the refinement of site chronologies through a broadened local tephra
sequence, including most notably the identification of the most recent of the Landnam
tephras (ca. 940 AD) (see Magnús Á. Sigurgeirsson report this volume). The association
of this tephra with archaeological deposits at Hjalmarvik and with archaeologically sterile
substrates underlying other sites provides a timeframe of the initial settlement of Svalbardstunga.
The research crew has made their work visible in the community by guiding
guests, inform the community about the research programme, by visiting the local school,
giving interviews to papers, international magazines and international radio stations.
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Project Location
Latitude: 66.204504°N
Longitude: 15.718558°W
