Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2002, Page 81

Brattahlíð reconsidered
has suggested an alternate approach to
determining the social structures. His
classifications do not, however, differ
much from those suggested by Roussell.
In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s the
activity of research into Norse Greenland
was very low, although some excavations
and surveys were carried out by the
Danish archaeologist Christen Leif
Vebæk, especially in the Vatnahverfi
region (Vebæk 1943, 1991, 1992, 1993).
In the 1960s, archaeologists Svend Erik
Albrethsen, Joel Berglund and Knud
Krogh carried out more surveys.
Moreover, an impressive effort was con-
tributed by the teacher and amateur
archaeologist Ove Bak (1969-72) who in
his spare time discovered more than 150
hitherto unknown Norse sites. Today, the
number is approaching 450, probably
representing 200-250 actual farms.
In 1979, Greenland was granted home
rule, and the research into Norse
Greenland was no longer an entirely
Danish matter (even though still carried
out primarily by Danes). The late 1970s
saw some increased research activity and
in South Greenland, a large survey proj-
ect was carried out in 1974-79 in the
Qorlortoq valley (Albrethsen & Keller
1986, Albrethsen 1991). As the first total
survey of a region in Norse Greenland, it
proved that there were still many
unknown sites to be discovered, and per-
haps more important: the earlier surveys
were not adequate. There were always a
lot more ruins to be found on already
known sites.
In the last two decades, the research
activity in South Greenland has been
moderate, or low. The attention has pri-
marily been drawn to the large-scale
excavation of the so-called Farm beneath
the Sand in the Western Settlement
(Ameborg & Gullov 1998).
Realising that there was still much to
be done in South Greenland, I began
doing surveys in this area during the lat-
ter part of the 1990s (Guldager 1997,
1999, 2000, Guldager, Stummann
Hansen and Gleie 2002). These surveys
have provided more detailed material on
the Norse farm sites, especially in the
Qassiarsuk region.
With all the new material at hand,
gathered since the 1930s and 1940s, it is
now possible to question the earlier theo-
ries concerning the location of Brattahlíð,
and the general social structure of Norse
society in Greenland.
Locating the large farms.
Since Roussell's classifications of the
farm sites have proven unreliable, it
appeared natural to examine the entire
material once again in order to locate the
major farm sites, assuming that these
used to be the central places of the settle-
ment. The so-called Western Settlement
is not included in the examination
though, due to the incomplete state of
this material.
As assumed by Norlund and Roussell,
the important criteria for locating the
largest and most important places must
be:
1. A favourable location.
2. A large farm.
3. The presence of a church.
When considering the most favourable
locations, detailed studies of landscape,
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