Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2010, Page 54

RAMONA HARRISON
University of New York, and includes
other NABO members). This project was
aimed at improving our understanding of
the interactions of local farming strate-
gies affected by changing climate and
ongoing human impact with medieval
overseas trade and long distance
exchange centered on Gásir (i.e. Roberts
2006, Roberts et al. 2009). The long term
goal is to collect multi-scalar data derived
through interdisciplinary research and
thus provide information on the entire
settlement history of the region. The
GHP has since become part of a larger
Eyjafjörður Ecodynamics Project taking
in the whole period from first settlement
to the 19^ century, but the original focus
upon rural landscapes shaped by eco-
nomic power and status relationships of
the GHP remain a core concem.
The Skuggi inland site dated to the
late 10th to the late 12th centuries AD is
used here for placing a single archaeofau-
na into a larger regional context (faunal
analyses from Myrkárdalur, Möðmvellir
and Oddstaðir are still ongoing). A
regional context likely includes the
power realm of the high status chieftain’s
farm that developed into a medieval
monastery at Möðmvellir, Staðartunga,
the farm possibly owning Skuggi during
at least part of the Middle Ages, and a lit-
tle known winter grazing/sheltering facil-
ity called Klausturhús. Neither Skuggi
nor nearby Klausturhús were well docu-
mented and the first is still subject to
environmental analyses for more infor-
mation on site activity, fuel utilization
strategies, and environmental impacts on
the surrounding areas.
Through the sites connections with
Möðruvellir, either already before or
after the manorial site had become a
House of Canons in 1296 (Vésteinsson
2001:11), there is a hypothetical connec-
tion to the Gásir trading site, which
according to some written sources could
have acted as a harbor hosting intema-
tional merchant’s ships prior to the late
13th or 14th c. (i.e. Roberts 2002:2). Most
of the international trade was possibly
decided by and executed at the large
chieftain’s or religious farmsteads in the
fjord, rather than at Gásir itself
(Vésteinsson 2007:159, Vésteinsson et al
2010 in press).
Skuggi was likely founded long
before the establishment of the Gásir
trading center and mainly provides evi-
dence for the organization of mral econo-
my before the 13th century. However, its
final occupation phase, consequent aban-
donment, and its hypothetical replace-
ment with a large specialized sel
(shieling) or specialized winter fodder
shelter at Klausturhús coincided with
increased intemational trading activities
on the coastal end of the valley.
One of the issues discussed in this
paper is the potential relationship
between Skuggi and Klausturhús because
of their overlapping pastureland needs.
Further, the potential nature of surplus
management of wool resources is
touched upon in connection with the
regional power hierarchy. Brief discus-
sions on restricted access to local natural
resources and a possible reason for this
particular site placement complete the
questions raised by the archaeological
data set currently available from this site.
More questions than answers have
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