Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2015, Page 63

Harp Seals in the Icelandic Archaeofauna: Sea Ice and Hard Times
Figure 1. Archaeofaunal assemblages with harp seal bone in Iceland: 1) Skriðuklaustur, 2) Svalbarð, 3) Tjörnes,
4) Gömlu Grímsstaðir, 5) Skútustaðir, 6) Hofstaðir, 7) Gásir, 8) Siglunes, 9) Akurvík, 10) Eyri (Isafjörður),
11) Fornusandar. II. Other seal bone assemblages mentioned in the text: a) Skuggi and Oddstaðir (Hörgárdalur),
b) Gjögur, c) Vatnsfjörður, d) Miðbær (Flatey), e) Innri Hvanney (Bjarneyjar).
(Armorosi 1996, 401-402). Ongoing ar-
chaeological investigations at Svalbarð con-
tinue to find harp seal bone, ... including
that of neonates (Konrad Smiarowski, pers.
comm.).
Ihe available data for Tjörnes is lim-
ited but implies at least one harp seal (Fig.
2, NISP 1) and although there is no de-
scription of the archaeological context or
stratigraphic position, it is placed between
the Medieval and Early Modern period
(Amorosi 1996, 168). The harp seal ulnas
from Fornusandar II (Fig. 2, NISP 3) have
no stratigraphic context and are found in a
region that lies beyond the usual range of
sea ice. An explanation of the latter point,
and a date, is sought through the presence
of a nearby commercial sealing enter-
prise established during the 17th century
(Amorosi 1996,188). While harp seal bone
data is available for 18th century Skútustaðir
(Fig. 2), harp seal bone identified within
deeper deposits has yet to be quantified and
dated (Hicks & Harrison 2009).
Harp seal culls and hunting methods
in Iceland (1600-1900)
Harp seals are conventionally believed to
arrive in Iceland during years of severe
or extreme sea ice (Guðmundsson 1944;
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