Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1988, Síða 184

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ÁRBÓK FORNLEIFAFÉLAGSINS
Chapter 7. 'I'wo ruins at Áttahringsvogur.
The two ruins lay on either side of the creek, which is the second landing place on the
island. Áttahringsvogur I, which lies to the north, was only sectioned length- and crosswise
(fig. 57), to reveal a rectangular structure, orientated southeast-northwest, with walls
made largely of turf, but with stone foundations, measuring 3.5 X 2 m internally, with
a doorway in the southern side wall. The floor consisted of a layer of peat-ash of up to
9 cm thick, and it seemed to have had a fireplace at the northern side-wall. Tcphrochro-
nology indicates that the structure was built after 1362.
Áttahringsvogur II on the southern side of the creek, was fully excavatcd. It was a small,
rectangular structure (fig. 58), 5.25 X 1.75 m in sizc intcrnally, orientated approximately
east-west, with a doorway in the middlc of the southern side-wall. The walls wcre made
of turf resting on a stone foundation. Both gablcs had broad, raised benches. From the
eastern gable a sample (P96) of a grey substance was analysed as being derived from sea
birds and seals, suggesting that thc house served as a workshop for working maritime
produce. Objccts found to support such a use were a small knife (fig. 61) and whetstones.
A charcoal sample (St8348) froni the floor was C-14 dated to between the 1 lth and 13th cen-
turies, and the Ö 1362 volcanic ash was shown to havc been deposited over the structure well
after it had been abandoned.
To thc east of thc ruin, a layer of pcat-ash, charcoal and slag, up to 8 cm thick and
identified as smithying slag, was found to extend underneath the gable of the house,
suggesting earlier activity at the site. A sample of charcoal (Birm-1128) frorn that layer was
C-14 dated to betwcen the llth and 12th centuries, a slightly earlier date than the charcoal
samplc from within the house. It seems reasonable to assume that this house was in use at the
same times as Goðatættur.
Although thc investigations on Papey did not produce any evidence for papar, they did
show that the island was occupied early - certainly by the 9th century - and that there was
widespread activity on the island well before 1362.