ÍsleifThe Icelandic Archaeological Database

GHEA Open WorkshopUniversity of Maryland

Nov. 4 – 6, 2013

Fornleifastofnun Íslands (FSI) (Institute of Archaeology in Iceland)

Adolf Friðriksson

AtlantisThe Lost Empire

GHEA Open WorkshopUniversity of Maryland

Nov. 4 – 6, 2013

Fornleifastofnun Íslands (FSI) (Institute of Archaeology in Iceland)

Adlb Fhgise

Ísleif - archaeological survey in Iceland

• Data, Survey and Legislation• Previous archaeological surveys• Ísleif Database• Survey - Approach and methods• Using the data• Future Development

Legislation and Definition• An Archaeological Site: A Definition:From Classic (1907, 1968), To Socio-Economic (1989), To Landscapes (2001)

• 1907, 1968: ”Historic sites”, ruins of farms, churches, temples, assembly sites, enclosures, fishing booths, boat shelters, outlaw´s shelters, mounds, grave sites, caves, inscriptions.

• 1989: AND: Ruins of merchant sites, enclosures, shielings, peat-cutting sites, charcoal and iron making sites; old homefields and other cultivated fields, old roads, dams, bridges, fords, ferry sites, cairns, defence structures, mounds, pagan and christian grave sites, ship wrecks, sites 100 yrs or older... As well as:

Old assembly sites, alleged temples and ritual sites, haunted places and other ”locations relevant to tradition and folklore”

• 2001: + Cultural landscapes

Archaeological Survey in Iceland

1880-1910: - Archaeological remains from the “Settlement

Period”- Remains from the “Saga Age”Ca. 870 to 1250 AD.Historical Topography. Sources: Icelandic Sagas, The Book of

Settlements, Place-names, FolkloreCa. 1000 sites on record

Archaeological Survey

• 1910-1940: Protection of Sites and Monuments (ca. 750 sites)

• 1930-1980: Place-name surveys

• 1970-1990: Minor archaeological surveys

Ísleif – A Database of Archaeological Sites in Iceland

• 1994: New National Survey (FSI)• Low Tech – High Concept• Cheap and efficent methodology• Documents and archives survey• Field survey• Data entry, analysis and reports• Municipalities (hreppur)

• Ca. 50 types of sites (features), 80 functions.• Total number of sites in Iceland, est. 125.000.• A great number of sites damaged or destroyed.

Ísleif - Data Structure

• Level 1: Farm units (or Commons)Location, farm settlement history, environment,

farm boundaries, metadata.

• Level 2: Archaeological Site unitsType of feature, function, description, co-

ordinates, local topography, dimensions, condition, threat.

From 20 to 50 sites pr farm settlement.

The farm of Litla-Víðiker in Bárðardalur, NE-Iceland, Daniel Bruun: 1896.

Hvalfjörður, SW-IcelandBirna Lárusdóttir et al. 2001

A General Archaeological Survey

Ísleif – Quantity of Data

1994-1999 2000-2005 2006-20110

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

Field Survey

Archive Survey

User Groups

• The Scientific Community - Archaeologists ...• Cultural Heritage Agencies• Municipalities /Planning Authorities• The General Public - Schools• Tourism

The Scientific Community

• Analysing Survey Data - Regional distribution - Comparative studies...• Preparing New Research Programmes• Contextual Information• Store additional data - Excavation records - Additional survey documentation

Specific Survey Targets:

Medieval boundary walls and enclosures in S-Þingeyjarsýsla, NE-Iceland.

O. Aldred, Á. Einarsson, O. Vésteinsson et al.

Targets: Alleged viking age burial sites in Dalir, W-Iceland

Cultural Heritage Management

Ísleif: Level of Threat – Source of Threat:• Road contstruction• Field levelling• Buildings• Mining• Erosion• Reforestation

• Scary Statistics• Policy, legislation

Archaeology and Tourism

• Iceland: “World of natural wonders”• Growth of tourism: 11% pr year since 1990.• Early Spring: 2013, 2nd Qtr: 29,5% growth.• Total number of archaeological sites in tourism:

10.• Total number of archaeological sites in Iceland: 125.000.• Future: A role for archaeology in tourism.

The General Public - Schools

Ísleif: 200 enquiries pr. year• Local tourists• Local history• Family history• MediaAnd....• Crack-pots and the lunatic fringe

Atlantis?Thingvellir Survey 2003

Lake Thingvallavatn

Thingvellir Data Entry 2013

Atlantis – the lost empire, approx. 10.000 BC

Ísleif site code ÁR-324:022

Ísleif, availability and access

Field reports, in Icelandic = 500 reports

Data available on-line = 0Ísleif

Accessible

Ísleif, Off-line = information on 5.990 farms, 95.500 sites

Data available in English = 0

Ísleif – the lost empire

Future work:• Ísleif on-line• English version• Linking up with other data collections for North-Atlantic research