Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2013, Page 72

GUÐRÚN ALDA GÍSLADÓTTIR, JAMES M. WOOLLETT, UGGI ÆVARSSON, CÉLINE DUPONT-HÉBERT,
ANTHONY NEWTON AND ORRI VÉSTEINSSON
Introduction to archaeology at
Svalbarð, past and present
Svalbarð is located in the westem part of
Þistilfjörður and is historically the
principal farm of Svalbarðshreppur and
one of two principal farms in the
Þistilfjörður region. Svalbarð has been
occupied since at least the mid- llth
century (Amorosi 1992,1996:502) andhas
hosted a church at least since 1318
(Diplomatarium islandicum 2:425-26),
though the church was probably
established well before that time. Svalbarð
remains a prominent place in the
community today, the hreppur’s only
church is located there, and it hosts an
elementary school which also serves as a
community centre, a teacherage and the
three households of the family who own
and operate the farm. Svalbarð has also
served as the hreppur assembly-place and
the post office for the area was located
there (Elentínusson 2003, 420). The
central farm of Svalbarð (litt: "Cool bank")
is aptly named as it is located on an
exposed and windy terrace above a wide
meander of the Svalbarðsá river, in the
midst of a basin 5 to 12 km wide bounded
by the Svalbarðsá to the west and the
Sandá to the east. The dwelling places in
Svalbarð are all in the same area. Complex
of residences are on the south side of the
old farm mound, facing the church and
churchyard, to the east. Further east of the
church are animal houses and still further
east are the modem school and the
teacher’s residence. A large, flat home
field surrounds the farm complex and
extends to the edge of Svalbarðsá’s steep
ravine edge.
Little is as yet known about the
disposition of the pre-modem farm as
little traces of mins are still visible in the
levelled homefield. Archaeological
investigations conducted at the farm in
1988 concentrated on a visually
Figure 1. Svalbarð farm. Church and churchyard in the forground, resdence further behind. The
midden area located on the picture to the right. Camera facing NW.
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