Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2013, Page 122

HOWELL M. ROBERTS AND ELÍN ÓSK HREIÐARSDÓTTIR
between each end varies significantly.
Two groups may be discemed, with the
intemal distances being either 10-16mm
or 20-28mm (see Olafsson, n.d.). These
measurements indicate overlapping
timbers of half those ranges in thickness -
and hence a rather lightly built vessel. The
size of the vessel, approaching 7m is
thought to be about the upper limit for a
four oared boat, or towards the lower
range for six oared vessels.
The copper alloy bell (see figure 9)
found in the boat burial is of a type known
írom three other burial finds in Iceland - at
Komsá, Brú and Vatnsdalur (Eldjám,
2000, 387-388 - see also Gísladóttir 2012,
81). Objects of this type are also known
from the northem British Isles, but not
from Scandinavia. Recent research based
upon data from the Portable Antiquities
Scheme in the UK has identified some 44
similar bells. The distribution of their find
spots (where known) has a strong
resemblance to the area of Scandinavian
influence in northem England - the
Danelaw. There are also some outlying
finds from Ireland, north-westem Wales
and Scotland (Schoenfelder and Richards,
2011, 156 - see also Batey, 1990,
101-110).
The disc shaped bead measures 27mm
in diameter, and has a central hole 5mm in
diameter. It is made of a soft glossy near
black stone, jet or shale.
Burial IV - Human(?) and dog
burial
Following the discovery of Burial III in
2007, it was decided to expand the
excavation area in 2008, both to the
south-south east and to the north-north
west (see figures 3 and 10). To the south
the remains of an apparently person
shaped grave were found (Burial IV, cut
[216]), amongst a complex group of
subsidiary features. The grave cut itself
[216] measured 2.70m in length, 0.65m in
width and up to only 0.20m in depth. The
latter feature however sat within a rather
larger shallow cut [190], up to 4m in
length, 1.65m in width and itself
0.25-0.30m in depth, also enclosing
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