Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1991, Page 11

THE BURIAL SITE OF VIÐ KIRKJUGARÐ
15
Fig. 12. Grave K5A. Photo: N. Hartmann 1989.
found a couple of as yet unidentified iron
bits and a fragmentary clipped silver coin,
see fig. 14.
Grave K5B
Grave K5B was very similar to K5A in its
surface construction. However only a single
stone, besides the two gable stones, formed
part of the actual cist. The reminder merely
functioned as surface markers enclosing an
irregular rectangular area of practically the
same size as that of K5A.
We found no signs of a stone built
southern longside - presumably the stones
have been disturbed and removed by later
cultivation.
Grave K5B can, as Grave K5A, be classi-
fied as a stone-cist grave, although somewhat
less complete in construction as the actual
burial pit is only stone-lined at each end.
Again, as with K5A, the skeleton was that
of a young person, not over 20 years of age
and in all probability a woman.
The woman had been buried on her back
and had been given a knife, a necklace of
amber, glass and bone beads, a number of
undetermined iron objects and a plain silver
finger ring with tapering ends and possibly a
twined lock.
Grave K5D
During surface excavation a set of teeth were
discovered revealing the presence of yet
another burial. Further investigation yielded
the remains of a severely decomposed scull
and several, likewise decomposed, bones.