Midden Excavations at Skútustaðir N. Iceland, 2011

Excavations have been ongoing at the N. Icelandic farm, Skútustaðir, since 2008 as an outgrowth of the Landscapes of Settlement project. The major objective of the 2011 excavation season at Skútustaðir was to complete the excavation of an already begun, large Trench, Area H (measuring 8.36 x 4 meters) by continuing the excavation down to the natural bedrock surface. This was completed by a four person team from CUNY and FSI directed by Adolf Friðrikson, with Francis Feeley, George Hambrecht and Megan T. Hicks (of CUNY, Ph.D. Program in Archaeology). The archaeological deposits encountered contained animal bone, artifacts and were divided by several datable volcanic tephra layers: the V 1477, V1410, H 1104/1158 and the V940, and the V871 were all identified both in the field and reconfirmed in the lab by Magnus Á. Sigurgeirsson. As in other trenches previously excavated, the late medieval phases directly above and below the V1477 volcanic tephra were nearly entirely void of bone and artifacts. The high medieval phase – above and below the 12th c Hekla volcanic tephra generally rich, culminating in a very dense deposit which lay upon the V940 tephra, context [317]. As always, a program of initiatives outside the excavation enriched the digging season. Garðar Guðmundson (FSÍ) completed a contour survey of the entire farm mound which will contextualize other GIS features. A small survey was carried out, locating potential remains of Skútustaðir´s medieval church and churchyard- this was completed using both late 19th c. photographs and modern photography.