ramona harrison (cuny) early globalization and human ecodynamics in eyjafjord iceland
TRANSCRIPT
Early Globalization and Human Ecodynamics in Eyjafjord, Iceland
Ramona HarrisonCity University Of New York
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!