Saltvík


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Parent name: Mývatn Landscapes Project

Project Details

Title:Saltvík
Permalink:https://www.nabohome.org/cgi-bin/explore.pl?seq=71
Abstract:Saltvík is a site which holds three clusters of ancient looking ruins without homefield boundaries. The aims of the preliminary investigations in Saltvík were to shed light on the dating and nature of the settlement by trenching.
Country:Iceland
Project Start Year:2003
Projected End Year:2003

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

PDF File
Fornleifarannsóknir í Saltvík 2003 [0.83 MB]
During a general archaeological survey in 2002 three ancient looking ruin clusters were discovered close to the farm Saltvík in S-Ţingeyjarsýsla. The aim of this project was to establish a date and estimate the potential for further excavation. Three trenches were excavated. A ruin in the easternmost cluster proved to be a dwelling and is built later than a tephra deposited in 950 and abandoned long before 1477. In one of the other clusters an enlongated sunken featured building with an insunbstantial floor layer was discovered. This had been rebuilt after 950. Thirdly another sunken featured building, possibly a pit house, had long since collapsed when a tephra was deposited in 1300. It is suggested that the area was probably settled early although tephra proves occupation post 950. However some evidence points to a short lived settlement: limited middens and the absence of field boundaries. It is proposed that the site could be a key to understanding the development of settlement in this part of the country.




Project Location

Latitude: 65.992856°N
Longitude: 17.353439°W