Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2010, Side 75

SMALL HOLDER FARMING IN EARLY MEDIEVAL ICELAND: SKUGGI IN HÖRGÁRDALUR
supplement its own supply of domesti-
cates with wild marine resources before it
was abandoned around AD 1150-1200. A
second explanation for the increase in
especially marine species could be that
Skuggi became more connected to the
extended region and profíted from an
exchange network, i.e. supplying meat,
dairy, or wool in retum for físh and seal
products, and possibly other goods being
moved inland from the coast. Upon farm
abandonment, the animal shelter at
Klausturhús could have been utilized for
tending to a sheep herd possibly raised for
wool surplus production to be exchanged
either at Möðmvellir or another site for
eventual intemational export.
At this stage in the research, it is not
yet possible to point to specific independ-
ent farms deciding over local and regional
social and economic aspects with certain-
ty, but an idea of possible connections
emerges. Skuggi's proximity to local natu-
ral resources, but its perceived inability to
make use of those clearly indicates that the
power stmcture was not an egalitarian one,
but rather a hierarchy. One explanation for
the emergence of a hierarchic power stmc-
ture is that valley systems such as
Hörgárdalur that were connected to
Eyjafjörður offered a limited amount of
pasture land and thus may have created a
population density possibly not observed
in plains and interior highland plateau set-
tlements. A more densely populated area
might have needed third parties to negoti-
ate problems associated with little space
between the individual fanns (Vésteinsson
2000:14-16).
Skuggi as part of the Gásir Hinterlands
and Eyjafjörður Ecodynamics project has
raised some topics valuable for contem-
plation and further investigation.
Eventually, with more information and
research about the long-term socio-eco-
nomics of Hörgárdalur, a regional model
may emerge and may aid a better under-
standing of the role Gásir played in this
area. More importantly, it may reveal
whether and to what extent powerful
farms were in control of the valley and the
local and intemational market exchange,
especially from AD 1200 on.
Acknowledgments
Thanks are due to generous funding provided by
grants from the US National Science Foundation
(Grants OPP ARC 0732327 and OPP ARC
0809033), and from Fomleifasjóður, Iceland (2008
excavation), and the CUNY Northem Science &
Education Center. Special thanks go to Howell M.
Roberts for a series of productive field seasons and
his continued support, advice, and very generously
shared data. Thanks to Elín Ósk Hreiðarsdóttir, Þóra
Pétursdóttir, Guðrún Alda Gísladóttir, Mjöll
Snæsdóttir, Garðar Guðmundsson, Orri Vésteinsson,
Adolf Friðriksson, and all other helpfi.il people and
ffiends at FSÍ; Bjami E. Guðleifsson, and Þóroddur
Sveinsson from the Agricultural University of
Iceland, and especially Jón Pétur Ólafsson, landown-
er of Staðartunga and Skuggi. The author would like
to thank the 2008-09 field teams, and all the special-
ists contributing to this project. Special thanks to
Professors Thomas H. McGovern and Sophia
Perdikaris for their continuous support and advice,
for offering access to and generous use of their
NORSEC laboratories, and for their tremendous help
discussing and disseminating the data.
References
Abu-Lughod, J. (1989) Before European hegemo-
ny: The world system A.D. 1250-1350. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Albarella, U. (1997) ‘Size, power, wool and veal:
zooarchaeological evidence for late medieval
innovations’, in: G. De Bow & F. Vorhaeghe
(eds.). Bruges: Institute for the Archaeological
Heritage of Flanders. Papers of the 'Medieval
Europe Brugge 1997'Conference volume 9, pp.
19-30.
Albarella U. (2005) ‘Meat consumption and
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