Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2004, Page 103

Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2004, Page 103
Elín Ósk Hreiðarsdóttir EXCAVATION IN KLAUFANES, NORTHERN ICELAND Introduction In September 1940 Kristján Eldjárn excavated a landnám skáli in Klaufanes in Svarfaðardalur. This excavation marked the beginning of Kristján's inde- pendent career as an archaeologist because it was the fírst excavation that he initiated and directed. The excavation in Klaufanes received some attention at the time and has been called "the first detailed excavation of an Icelander that has withstood the test of time".1 The main aim of the excavation in Klaufanes was to corroborate the Svarfdæla Saga and the excavation was probably the last one done under strong influences of antiqurianism in Iceland. Eldjám concluded from his excava- tion that he had found what was probably the skáli of Klaufi, a character from the Svarfdæla Saga. Later Eldjám retracted this but until now, the excavation has not been reviewed nor has it been assessed how much of his interpretation of the site in Klaufanes can be tmsted. In this paper, the methods and con- clusions of the excavation in Klaufanes will be reviewed in the light of develop- ments in archaeology in the last 60 years. During the research for this paper, data from the excavation was sought in the National Museum. No finds from the excavation were found nor Eldjám's diary from the time. Only one drawing was found of the skáli at the end of exca- vation. This drawing was printed in Eldjám's article about the excavation which was published in Arbók hins ísl- enzka fornleifafélags (Eldjárn 1943). This review is mainly built on that article and Kristján’s later writing on the exca- vation. Prelude to the excavation Klaufanes is located in the innermost part of westem side of Svarfaðardalur. The mins that were excavated were by the river Svarfaðardalsá, about 1 km closer to the valley's bottom than the present day farm in Klaufabrekku. The place name Klaufanes is men- tioned in Svarfdœla and described as the farm of Klaufi Snækollsson. Klaufi is described as a close relative to Þorsteinn Svörfuður who is considered to be the first settler of Svarfaðardalur. According 1 Magnússon, Þór. 1983, 10. Note that all translations are done by the author and are her responsibility. Archaeologia Islandica 3 (2004) 101-111
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Archaeologia Islandica

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