Viking-Age burial site
In the fall of 2021 archaeologists found four burials from the Viking-Age
The burials are from the 10th century. In the fashion of the time the deceased were buried with grave goods and animals
Burials like these offer a glimpse into life in the Viking-Age
On top of the burial site were midden layers of peat ash, bones and shells.
In the background you can see a landslide that partially covered the area.
In Burial 1 at least one individual was buried in a small boat. Almost nothing was left of the wood but plenty of boat rivets where found. The person was buried with a horse or horses, an axe, knife, silver threads, silver brooch, a bronze tongue-shaped brooch, silver ring, game pieces and beads.
In Burial 2 a young male seems to have been buried with a horse and iron buckles. The burial had been disturbed at some point, maybe even robbed so most bones of both the man and horse were missing and likely most of the artefacts. The individual had slanted, worn teeth meaning he used them as tools frequently and ground them down.
Burial 3 had skeletons of a horse and a large dog along with buckles and small nails/rivets that were likely part of riding equipment. No human was found in the grave, but the southern part of it had been disturbed by a utility pole and the remains may have been removed. It is also possible this grave accommodated Burial 1.
Burial 4 was undisturbed and rich with artifacts. The body had fully decomposed but it was possible to see its form by other remains surrounding the person. The artifacts indicate that this was a womans grave. She had been laid on a bed of birch branches and possibly had a feather pillow and/or mattress.
On her right side was a satchel or a box containing jasper strike-a-light stones, a hook for a pot, a knife and a whetstone, things needed in day to day life. On top of the body where laid sheers (big scissors) wrapped in cloth and around the neck a necklace with 11 beads of glass and stone.
Three bronze brooches were found. As the bronze deteriorated the metal protected a part of the womans clothing, leaving intact three layers of textiles. Textiles like this are extremely rare finds which can tell us a lot about how she was dressed.
Despite the varied conditions of the graves and little human bone material they give us a cross section of life in Seyðisfjörður in the time of its first inhabitants and life in Viking Age Iceland.
Many questions arise; are the items personal possessions or gifts from loved ones? Are the buried related? Where they born in Seyðisfjörður or somewhere else? What were their roles in society?Where the items to be taken to the afterlife or simply tokens of respect?