Finnbogastadir
Part of: Iceland
During a cooperative archaeological project in NW Iceland (Strandasýsla) involving the Icelandic National Museum and Hunter College of the City University of New York.1990 seas on, a small rescue excavation at the site of Finnbogastaðir generated a quantifiable collection of animal bones dating to the early modern period, mainly to the 18 th century. The 18 th c was a period of
hardship in much of Iceland, with widespread tenantry, adverse climate, and
degradation of many terrestrial landscapes posing severe challenges to poor farmers - perhaps most intensely in the Vestfirðir. The animal bone collection
from Finnbogastaðir reflects a multi-stranded subsistence economy involving seals, birds, and fish as well as domestic stock. Reconstruction of the fishing
pattern indicates a mixed strategy that probably produced some stockfish for
local exchange or for export but was mainly aimed at household provisioning.
The nearly contemporary Jarðabók land register provides a direct comparison to
the documentary record, and ongoing site survey and excavation in the NW
provides a broader landscape/seascape perspective on the archaeofauna and
documents. This small rescue investigation thus serve s to illustrate the potential
for an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to Iceland’s past, including periods
with extensive documentary resources.