Interpretation of Midden Formation Processes at Three Farms in Skagafjörður, Northern Iceland using Thin Section Micromorphology and pXRF Chemostratigraphy

Summary

Skagafjörður, northern Iceland is a fertile valley bottom where farms established during the Landnám in the late 9th century are still occupied today. In this study, we examin middens from three farms: Reynistaður, Syðra-Skördugil, and Stóra Seyla. The middens show deposition from the Landnám through the Medieval Period. This research answers four questions: What is the sediment composition of the midden fill? What are the main modes of deposition? How do these deposits contribute to the chemostratigraphy of the site? Given these data, what assessments can be made as to the formation of these middens? To answer these questions, we applied a combination of thin-section micromorphology and portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF) to sediments from three sites in the local area. By generating a chemostratigraphic framework targeted on sampled areas, a predictive in-field appraoch via pXRF can be obtained for future application throughout the study areas.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage