Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2005, Page 75

Eyri in Skutulsfjörður
of the northem mound and trench C was
focused on the less well preserved south-
em mound. All three trenches yielded
archaeological deposits with an excellent
degree of preservation, immediately
below the turf surface. Intmsive exca-
vation was therefore kept to a minimum
in order to preserve the deposits in situ
until a wider research programme could
be implemented, taking into account the
full extent of these deposits. Trenches A
and B both contained large bands of turf
debris and rocks, aligned with the long
axis of the farm mound. These features
are clearly suggestive of large walls of
turf and stone, as may be expected at a
settlement of this nature. Similarly, the
associated deposits - including substan-
tial dumps of peat ash - are consistent
with the post-abandonment debris that
might be anticipated on a site such as
this. Trench C, located on the smaller
southeastem mound also showed com-
plex stractural remains, along with con-
centrated evidence of buming and metal-
work. It is therefore suggested that this
stracture (or stractures) represents some
form of workshop or specialised activity
area, possibly a smithy. All of the fmds
from that year were consistent with the
known abandonment of the farm in the
mid-late 19th century. Preservation of
the excavated deposits was excellent in
all three trenches including the preserva-
tion of textiles amongst other fínds and
there is no reason to suspect that underly-
ing phases of activity are any less well
preserved. It was therefore clear after the
investigations in the summer of 2003 that
the farm mound has a substantial archae-
ological potential. It must be considered
likely that the archaeological sequence is
both well preserved and survives to some
considerable depth. Up to 1.7 m of accu-
mulation may be noted across the site
and this is thought to reflect a lengthy
period of occupation, and complex strac-
tural deposits. It was clear that a large
scale excavation would be necessary to
understand such a sequence.
2004 Investigations
The aim and scope of the Eyri project in
2004 was twofold:
1. To complete the assessment of the
obvious limits of archaeological deposits
within the fann mound at Eyri.
2. To begin a program of open area exca-
vation upon the farm mound.
This agenda was designed to significant-
ly expand upon the evaluation work that
had begun in the summer before, in an
effort to widen the understanding of the
site. As such, two further evaluation
trenches (D and E) were opened early in
the season (fig. 4). They were targeted to
locate the midden and the limits of the
home field. Later in the season the top of
the farm mound was opened and a larger
scale excavation started (area F) in order
to incorporate some of the area evaluated
in 2003.
Both of the trenches, D and E,
yielded archaeological deposits with an
excellent degree of preservation, imme-
diately below the turf surface. As in the
year 2003 intrasive excavation was kept
to a minimum in order to preserve the
deposits in situ until the wider pro-
gramme of research, taking into account
the full extent of these deposits, can
encompass them. The true sequence in
the trenches remains unclear, as the
deposits exposed were not excavated.
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