Fróðskaparrit

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FORNFRØÐILIG RANNSOKN I UPPISTOVUBEITINUM I LEIRVIK

Fig. 1. Map oj im .

Kort av Føroyum

Brúsá uppermost in the so called »old« in-

field.

As far back as is known the site has been

under cultivation. However there was a

conspicuous elevation in the terrain, and

under cultivation large stones kept tuming

up. Local tradition has it, that the site was

once settled, but due to recurring spring

floodings the settlement moved up to the

site of við Garð on the western side of the

stream. In the 1970'ies the area was ear-

marked for development, and our involve-

ment became actual with several observa-

tions on the site from 1977 and onwards. A

private house was built close to the eleva-

tion and a series of electric cables were laid

down within the area. In 1987 machines

were brought in to dig the foundations for a

cement fence. Our observations resulted in

a stop of the work, and a salvage excavation

was established the following year. With

the exception of the summers of 1990, 1996

and 1997 excavations have been resumed

yearly each summer2.

Settlement remains

The area under investigation measures

some 235 m2 and covers only the section of

the elevation lying within the privately

owned lot. This means that the settlement is

not excavated as a whole, and that the

buildings are only partially investigated,

fig. 2.

The excavation, at this point with an ac-

umulation of cultural layers measuring

ome 175 cm. has revealed the remains of

m extensive settlement consisting of at

least six house structures.

The plan, fig. 3, is based on the level

achieved in 1995. The buildings House C

and D are totally excavated as opposed to

the rest of the site and thus the impression

of contemporaneity must be taken lightly.

House A is apparently a longhouse with

curved longwalls. Most of the building lies

beyond the excavation limit so that we have

no idea of its bredth, however ca. 11 m of

the eastern long wall have been registered.

Investigations reveal that the wall is built of

turf with an inner stonebuilt lining which

was preserved in several courses. Along the

inner side of the wall several large flat

stones are placed at certain intervals - no-

ticeably in the southern area. These could