Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2011, Page 29

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED SUBMERGED SITES IN VESTFIRÐIR
threshold closes the inner parts of the fjord,
creating a different environmental setting
on each side of the threshold. Samples
taken in August 2010 recorded low
temperatures (3°C) and low oxygen
saturation (65-72%) close to the seabed on
the inner part of the threshold. This study
also suggested that the waters in the fjord
are layered, with the warmest temperatures
and high oxygen saturation at the surface.
The possibility that the waters in the inner
parts of the fjord are layered also suggests
the absence of strong currents on the inner
side of the threshold (Þórisson, B., Gallo,
C., Eiríksson, Þ. 2010).
It is important that the heritage
management in Iceland recognizes the
submerged heritage as an important
national resource and takes measures to
ensure the protection of submerged sites
around the country. It is also important to
establish active research, especially core
research such as survey and sampling, on
submerged sites to gain better
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