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

• Main Author: Hicks, Megan T.
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: the Digital Archaeological Record
• Subjects: Data Recovery / Excavation; Hrísheimar; Hamlet / village; Domestic Structures; Agricultural or Herding; Midden; Iron production site; Fauna; Iceland
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.6067:XCV8QJ7G5X_meta$v=1317071660586

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.