Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1980, Page 112

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ÁRBÓK FORNLEIFAFÉLAGSINS
Steffensen (1943) but this one sample is too little to give much idea of the
mediaæval Icelandic population, either in terms of stature (but c.f. Stef-
fensen, 1958) or mortality. Apart from recent work in mediæval York (Dawes
and Magilton, 1980), there are few samples from the rest of western Europe
and these also tend to be small.
Stóraborg
The site of the old farm at Stóraborg lies on the coast, between the rivers
Kaldaklifsá and Bakkakotsá, some 6 km west of Skógar (Fig. 1). The farm
was abandoned for a less exposed locality, about 0.5 km further inland, in
1834, and the sea has now claimed all the remains, apart from those lying on a
low east-west orientated sand dune (Fig. 2). It is clear that the sea has been
gradually pushing back the coastline and erosion has destroyed most of the
eighteenth and nineteenth century features. There have also been considerable
changes to the river systems in the immediate vicinity of the site. The dune, on
which the remains lie, is situated in the apex of two river systems and analysis
of aerial photographs, taken in 1960, and the 1:50,000 map, which was
surveyed in 1907, shows that extensive changes have taken place in the very re-
cent past.
A considerable collection of artifacts has been recovered, principally by
Þórður Tómasson, and these, including several pieces of steatite (kléberg)
bowls and two Limoges enamelled plaques from a crucifix, are now in the
Museum at Skógar. The farm is first referred to about 1200, when its chapel is
included with those in Skálholt See requiring a priest (D.I. XII, 6). Artifactual
evidence suggests that the origin of the farm lies somewhat earlier. The chapel
was abolished about 1700 (D.I. II, 869-70) and its foundations were claimed
by the sea some years ago. The nature of the artifactual evidence and the good
preservation of organic remains justified rescue excavations and, in 1978, a
team from the National Museum, directed by one of us (MS), began work on
what remained of the cemetery. In the following year, the examination of the
main house mound was begun.
In 1979, preliminary samples were taken for plant and animal remains and
these proved rich in environmental information. This work has been expanded
into a detailed programme, both on the site and in its surroundings, as part of
a research project which is examining similar material from Norse and later
farm sites from Shetland to Greenland (Buckland et.al., 1980). The
preliminary samples form the basis for much of the following discussion.
Sample St. prelim. 1 comes from the top of the midden immediately south of
the main door of the seventeenth century house and St. prelim. 2 formed part
of a floor in house 5, also of seventeenth century date. Figure 3 summarises