Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1991, Qupperneq 119

FORNLEIFAR Á SLÓÐUM STJÖRNU-ODDA
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Summary
The expedition and research reported here was centered around the ruins at Arnargerði
on the island Flatey in Skjálfandi in northern Iceland. The ruins had appeared to be interesting
from a general archaeological point of view. Besides that there was the possibility that they
might somehow be related to the 12th century lay astronomer Stjörnu-Oddi (Star-Oddi) who
is reported to have been in Flatey.
The study includes a survey of texts relating to Oddi and early settlement on Flatey. We
also extensively report on an archaeological expedition to Arnargerði with minor comparative
site studies elsewhere.
From the total view obtained we conclude that the island has been utilized for fishing
purposes ever since the time of settlement, from around year 900, say. Permanent settlement
started on the island in the lOth or the llth century. At first there was only one farm there
but later on the number of farms was usually between 3 and 6.
The study as a whole points to Arnargerði having been the place of a small medieval farm,
perhaps the second farm on the island. The farm has then been abandoned in the 15th or 16th
centuries. Although the location of the site and several features of the remains Ieave some
food for thought, the overall archeological picture is consistent with these conclusions.
There is no reason to doubt that Stjörnu-Oddi existed and that he came to Flatey. Accor-
ding to this study of texts and archaeology he would then at least have come to Arnargerði
and it is quite possible that he stayed there when on the island. However nothing indicates
that he made any special structures for observations and it is even uncertain that he would
have needed any such things likely to be found so many centuries later. Therefore we cannot
expect archaeology to bring us any closer to this twelfth century scientist.