8/12/2019 The burial site of vid Kirkjugar in the village of Sandur, Sandoy 16

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2 T H E B U R IA L S IT E O F V I K IR K JU G A R .

rules out the possibility of the burials datingfrom the period in which the Faroes becameChristian - that is around AD 1000.

As our knowledge of early Faroese burialcustoms is as yet so restricted, there is no wayin which we can determine to what degreethe site at Sandur reflects local or generalFaroese custom and, consequently, whetherthe burials are representative of respectivelyheathen or Christian custom.

It seems fair to assume, that the first peo-ple to adopt the Christian faith were personsof a certain social status, probably belongingto the leading families of the time. In thisrespect it would be interesting, if we could,via the archaeological material, establish thecontemporary social status of the buried. Inthe case of Tjrnuvk, the burials and theirappointments are interpreted as reflecting aplain and homely standard (Dahl 1968:191;1970:65). However, as we have so little anidea of how representative the material athand is, it is extremely difficult, if not im-possible, to draw any conclusions as to thesocial status the burials reflect.

Further research into the nature of the bu-rials must naturally include other archaeo-logical observations. The relationship be-tween the graves and the flagged paving un-covered in 1972 requires closer investiga-tions. Likewise, the relationship between thegraves and the oldest church - Church 1 -excavated in 1969-70. It is, for instance, in-teresting to note that both the graves and thechurch are orientated with almost the samedivertions from the exact east-west.onclusions

As is clear from the abo ve, it is as yet too ear-ly to date the individual burials or the site asa whole. Likewise the question of whether

the site is heathen or Christian is still anopen one. It is hoped that further excavationwill provide us with additional informationthat can clarify many of the problems raisedhere. In this respect the C-14 dating of sam-ples taken from the graves will hopefullyhelp us in the right direction.

The hoard of coins unearthened in 1863together with the excavations within thechurch itself the old churchyard and the newhave long provided us with tantalizing glimp-ses of what is hidden beneath the earth here.

W hen today s remains and results areevaluated in the light of recent studies in set-tlement history and research into the rela-tionship between farmstead and church(Tho rste ins son 1978, 1981; Krog h 1983) itmust be aknowledged that the church site atSandur is one of the most important andpromising ancient sites in the Faroes.

ReferencesAn ders en, Pia L. 1978: Antro polog isk undersg else af

skeletter udgravet p Frerne. Institut for etnologiog antropologi. Kbenhavns Universitet. December1978. (Unpubl. thesis)

Arge, Smun V. 1990: Landnamet p Frerne. En dis-kussion og vurdering af teorierne om, hvornr detfandt sted, med srlig vgt p teorier baseret p ar-kologisk materiale. Hovedfagsspeciale i middelal-der-arkologi, Aarhus Universitet 1986. Publ. byFroya Fornminnissavn and Middelalder-arkolo-gisk Nyhedsbrev. Trshavn and Hjbjerg.

Arge, Smun V. and Niels Hartmann 1990: Fornurgrevstur vi Kirkjugar heima Sandi. Mondul1990/1 pp.18-32. Trshavn.Da hl, Sverri 1968: Fortidsminder. rapDanmark 5. ed.Vol. XIII, pp . 188-211. Kbenhavn.

Dah l, Sverri 1970: The Norse S ettlement of the F aroe Is-lands. Medieval Archaeology Vol. XIV, pp.60-73.London.

Dahl, Sverri and Jannes Rasmussen 1956: Vkinga-aldargrv i Tjrnuvik. Frskaparrit 5. b k, pp.153-167. Trshavn.