Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.1998, Page 123

Tom McGovern,
Ingrid Mainland & Tom Amorosi
HOFSTAÐIR 1996-1997
A Preliminary Zooarchaeological Report
Excavations in the Area G depression in 1996-7 revealed a series of well stratified
layers with excellent organic preservation. These deposits contained both.burnt and
unburned bone in substantial quantities, allowing for zooarchaeological analysis.
Preliminary results indicate a farm economy based on cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs
but heavily supplemented by both freshwater fish and processed marine fish
imported from the coast. Notable also were quantities of bird eggshells and very
small mussels (probably brought in attached to seaweed). The mix of species differs
considerably from the modern local pattern of sheep herding. Analysis continues and
additional reports will be forthcoming.
Tom McGovern (Hunter College, CUNY, USA) , Ingrid Mainland (Dept. Archaeology &
Prehistory,University ofSheffield, UK) & Tom Amorosi (Hunter College, CUNY, USA)
Keywords: Zooarchaoology, lceland, Settlement, NABO
Introduction
While a full laboratory analysis will be
required for a final report on the bone
and shell recovered in 1996-7, it was
possible to make a number of obser-
vations during excavation that are of
immediate interest. Note that these
observations are subject to revision
during the laboratory analysis.
Conditions of preservation were out-
standingly good, with substantial am-
ounts of bird eggshell, fish bone and
neonatal (very young) mammal bone
preserved in good condition. This sug-
gests that attrition from chemical
weathering was minor (egg shell is
particularly vulnerable to acid soils).
The midden layers filling the structure
were very loose, suggesting little post-
depositional trampling and the condi-
tion of delicate specimens (such as an
articulated mouse skeleton) suggests
that there was little re-working of
these deposits by human or natural
forces after they were sealed by the C4
layer and subsequent soil and tephra
horizons.
Archaeologia Islandica 1 (1998) 123-128