Two Days in Víðidalur: Rapid Survey of an Abandoned Valley in Iceland

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Two Days in Víðidalur: Rapid Survey of an Abandoned Valley in Iceland

This recently published article in the new journal Archaeology Now describes how rapid core surveying was used to carry out a preliminary exploration of the environmental and settlement history of a remote Icelandic valley.

Abstract

Víðidalur is an abandoned valley in Iceland with remnants of settlement dating to the late 19th century and earlier. We conducted a rapid coring survey over two days in 2014, allowing us to sketch a preliminary environmental and settlement history of the region. The survey revealed an environmentally dynamic landscape with a history of periodic occupation and abandonment, demonstrating the potential contribution of rapid coring survey as a method in difficult-to-access regions.

Catlin, K.A. and Bolender, D.J. (2024) Two Days in Víðidalur: Rapid Survey of an Abandoned Valley in Iceland. Archaeology Now 3, 1-12.

https://www.eaglehill.us/anowonline/access-pages/003-Catlin-accesspage.shtml