Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2009, Page 43

Richard E. Hughes and Gavin M. Lucas
GEOCHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION OF
THE SOURCE FOR OBSIDIAN ARTIFACTS
FROM THE VIKING SETTLEMENT AT
HOFSTAÐIR IN MÝVATNS SVEIT,
NORTHEASTERN ICELAND
As part of a pilot study to evaluate the potential of sourcing obsidian within
Iceland, four samples of obsidian artifacts from the Viking settlement of Hofstaðir
in northeast Iceland were analyzed. The samples were subjected to non-destruc-
tive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (edxrf) analysis to identify trace ele-
ments which were compared to control samples from known obsidian sources in
Iceland. The results showed fairly clearly that all four pieces probably derive from
Krafla which is the closest known source to the site. The success of this study
invites a more extensive analysis of material from other sites in Iceland.
Richard E. Hughes, Geochemical Research Laboratory 20 Portola Green
Circle, Portola Valley, CA 94028-7833 U.S.A.
Gavin M. Lucas, Department of Archaeology, University oflceland,
Reykjavík, Iceland
Keywords: Obsidian, Geochemistry, Hofstaðir, EDXRF
Introduction
Iceland is renowned for its spectacular
and widespread volcanism, which has
long attracted the attention of geologists
and geochemists (e.g., Askelsson et al.
1960; Jónasson 1994, 2007; Macdonald
etal. 1990; McGarvie et al. 1990;Walker
1966) as well as capturing the public
imagination (Bardarson 1980). But inter-
est in obsidian, a product of this silicic
volcanism, does not appear to have gen-
erally extended to Icelandic archaeolo-
gists despite the fact that, because of its
excellent Uaking properties, the material
is an outstanding medium for manufac-
turing sharp edge stone tools. The
Icelandic “experience” is dramatically
different from other parts of the world
where obsidian, also occurring naturally
in island contexts (e.g. New Zealand and
Japan), was extensively exploited over
long periods of time by indigenous human
populations. In areas where aphyric
obsidian was erupted in westem North
America, it was by far the favored tool-
stone material for thousands of years and,
during certain periods, was conveyed
over significant distances - up to 2,400
km (Hughes 2006).
The perceived lack of interest in obsid-
ian in Icelandic archaeology may relate
to history and technology. Iceland was
not colonized until ca. AD 870 by Nordic
peoples employing Iron Age technology.
Archaeologia Islandica 7 (2009) 41-54