Early Globalization and Human Ecodynamics in Eyjafjord, Iceland

Ramona HarrisonCity University Of New York

ramona.harrison@gmail.com

The research area

Late medieval trading station – later13th – late 14th c. AD (C14)

Written sources indicate earlier use

Seasonal occupation

Sunken feature buildings with turfwallsfor height and roofs

Main ruin area c.180m x 70m

Church c.15m x5m

Churchyard c.25m in diameter - no burials!

As many as 120 “rooms” in 6 clusters.

Central trackways

Circa.10.000m² (1ha) of visible archaeology

Gasir site Church/ Churchyard

Trading Site

Picture: Hörður Geirsson. 2006.http://www.gasir.is

Gasir subsistence

Gasir Fish

• Fish Consumption profile across site = many more post cranial elements vs. cranial. • One specialized activity area: preparation of fresh fish – on-site fish monger – there, many more cranial elements vs. post-cranial.

• Story about fisherman from Siglunes (northwestern end of fjord), bringing a boat full of fish to trade at Gasir market (Sturlunga Saga, Vigfusson 1878) .

Ratio of Cleithrum vs. Premaxilla (%)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Gástotal

gadid,w /o2076

Gás2076gadid

SVK 2gadid

SVK 3gadid

HST 3gadid

HST 4gadid

HRHgadid

AKV24 cod

AKV22 cod

GJOAU 2cod

GJOAU 1cod

FBScod

Cleithrum % Premaxilla %

Consumer Producer

ConsumerFish

monger

Nature of Exchangeand Site Activity

Falco rusticolus –Gyrfalcon

Odobenus rosmarus – Walrus tusk

Sulphur processingPhoto: Roberts et al 2004

Lap dogs...

keys.lucidcentral.org

Grain pests ...

Pottery drinking vessels, metal cooking vessels (?) and stone baking plates

Siegburg Stoneware - GermanyBrorson in Roberts et al 2009Baking plate - Norway

Gisladóttir & Snæsdóttir in Roberts et al 2010

http://futuremuseum.rorywilson.net/

Bronze cooking pot ... not IcelandicMajolica - Spain

Brorson in Roberts et al 2009

The textiles

Sheep ked puparia at Gasir wool or textiles rather than live animals present

Modruvellir medieval textiles re-used vaðmál/cloth money uniform assemblage

Gasir textilesVaðmál in Churchyard & Trading site

Range of qualities and threads counts

Roving in Trading siteLong twists of combed raw wool

http://coloradodisasterhelp.colostate.edu/prefair/disease/dz/Lice.html

Hayeur Smith in Vesteinsson et al 2011

Hayeur Smith in Vesteinsson et al 2011

Gásir later 13th& 14th c. (AD) Trading Site, seasonal

SiglunesFishing station  –supply of standardized cod fish product for commercial export?

Hörgárdalur Immediate Hinterland Supply Region – beef and mutton, wool –standardized product for export

Possible Gásir supply streams

Modruvellir – Monastic Farm Estate, largest landholder in valley system. Midden dates: 13th – 20th c. AD.

Oddstadir – Medium to Larger scale farm site. Dates to late 9th – late 14th

c. AD.

Gasir later 13th

& 14th c. AD. Trading Site, seasonal

Akureyri – Capital of NE Iceland, regional trading port from 15th c. AD on.

Skuggi – Small scale tenant farm. On farmland owned by the Monastic Estate. Dates to 10th –12th c. AD.

Klausturhus –Specialized seasonal herding station, likely replaces Skuggi farm in 12th c. AD.

Gasir and Hinterlands calibrated Radiocarbon dates

(SUERC)

V 871 TephraH 1104 Tephra H 1300 Tephra

Phase I Settlement & Early Viking Age (basal

Oddstaðir)

Phase IILater Viking Age;

ca. AD 1000 (Oddstaðir and

Skuggi)

Phase IIIPost-Christianization,

Commonwealth Period;ca. mid11th- mid12th c (Oddstaðir and Skuggi)

Phase IV End of Commonwealth/

Sturlunga Age; ca. 13th c (Gásir, Möðruvellir, Oddstaðir;

possibly Klausturhús)

Phase VIceland under Norwegian

(1264-1380) / Danish (1380+) control; late 13th-early 15th c (Gásir, Möðruvellir,

Oddstaðir)

AD 871

Settlementof Iceland

AD 1000 AD 1100 AD 1200 AD 1300 AD 1400

Long-term regional Chronology of the valley system:Transition from Settlement Time to Later Middle Ages

Increased storminess and temperature fluctuations in the 13th and 14th c.

Long-term regional and single site Chronologies through faunal collections from local farm middens

13th / 14th c. Cattle Bone Element Distributions –Gásir – Prime cuts from prime age cattle (and caprines)

1500km

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Archaic_globalization.svg

Gasir, Iceland, North Atlantic/Norway, NW Europe – Medieval World System

= ca. 2-3 days of sailing in favorable winds

Howell M. Roberts

Siglunes ...

Mound B – Section. Chess figure from Haddock bone in context (150)

THANKS!US National Science Foundation (Grants OPP ARC 0732327 and OPP

ARC 0809033),

• Thomas H. McGovern • Sophia Perdikaris• Howell M. Roberts• Andy Dugmore• Orri Vesteinsson

• NABO – North Atlantic Biocultural Organization• FSI – Archaeological Institute of Iceland• HERC, NORSEC (CUNY)• Fornleifasjóður, Iceland (2011, 2008 excavations)• And many others!