Midden Investigations at Hrísheimar, N Iceland 2003 (field report)

Summary

During the 2001 season, the Landscapes of Settleement project began

excavations at Hrísheimar near the modern farm of Baldursheimar in

Mývatnssveit N Iceland. This long-abandoned site has been heavily eroded for

some time, and visitors have found Viking age artifacts and bone fragments

eroding out on the surface for many years. The 2001 season excavated a 2 x 2

m unit (H) placed over an eroding concentration of ani l bones just to the S E

of the visible farm mound, on the edge of the only turf-covered portion of the site.

The H unit proved to be extremely rich in well preserved bone (see McGovern et

al 2002 report) and appeared to be contained within a mall sunken feature

structure. Three mutually consistent AMS radiocarbon dates on context 003

(upper midden fill of unit H) place this refuse deposit in the late 9th- mid 10th c AD

(GU9729 cal 1 sigma AD 860-980, GU9730 AD 880-990, GU9731 AD 880-990).

The site was visited in 2002 (McGovern, Perdikaris et al 2002) and found to be

still gradually eroding. Soil cores in the still turf covered portion of the site to the

E of the farm mound suggested some additional cultural deposits might be

preserved in this area. The remains of the midden deposit and the possible pit

house in area H were primary objectives for the 2003 season. Secondary

objective was a more complete testing of the turf covered area just to the E of the

H unit. The middens team was able to clear the pit house fill and expand the

original 2 x 2 m unit to a full 5 x 6 m open area, allowing better definition of wall

tops and effective removal of the small amount of rema g midden deposit. The

structures team was then able to take over and conduct a highly successful

excavation of the pit house. A series of small test trenches to the E of the M unit

in the vegetated area rapidly turned up a series of cultural deposits, including

what appeared to be both structural turf and sheet midden deposit. Two test units

were combined and expanded into what became the 3 x 5 m unit L, which proved

to hold both intact turf walled structures and a large and very rich midden

deposit. The rest of the season was spent in stratigraphic excavation of the

midden fill from around the exposed walls and attempt to connect the cultural

deposits to intact tephra sequences. Major bone collections and some significant

artifacts were recovered, and more excavation in the 2004 season is clearly

indicated. As in the 2001 season, all cultural material was dry through 4

mm mesh and major whole soil samples were retained for flotation from all units.

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

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