VSF 2010 Report - Nabo

Associated with turf blocking [10509] was one dark floor deposit, up to 25 cm
thick, (unit [9633]), excavated in 2009. This covered most of the interior of the structure.
This floor deposit was heavily organic and seemed to be composed of animal waste and
remains of hay and contained pieces of bones, wood and textiles. The organic nature of the
floor was the main reason for the 2009 assumption that the structure was the remains of
sort of dwelling for animals. Immediately under floor [9633], concentrated in the northwest
and north-east corner of the structure, were two levelling deposits, [10505] and
[10507], both composed of turf and stone. It is possible that these deposits were the
foundations for wooden structures, possibly mangers.
0m
N
[10509]
[10505]
[10507]
(Gr.9650)
(Gr.10515)
(Gr.8590)
(Gr.10590)
10m
(Gr. 9502)
Stones
Turf
(Gr.8562)
Figure 4. A simplified drawing of phase (9650) of structure (10662).
The half blocked north entrance of the structure led to a front room covered with
three firm levelling or floor deposits that were clearly associated with blocking [10509] (in
chronological order youngest - oldest: [10504], [10506], [10512]). All of these deposits
were composed of large stones and turf, but were heavily mixed with charcoal which might
indicate the proximity to a hearth. In the earliest of these, deposit [10506], a sherd of 17 th
century pottery was recovered, and furthermore when turf blocking [10509] was removed,
the bowl of a 17 th century clay pipe was found at its base, an indication that the structure
could be dated to that period. Excavations in the north-west corner of the research area
confirmed this, when it became clear that the western wall of structure [10662] was sealed
by the in situ tephra from the 1693 eruption in Mount Hekla in southern Iceland (see group
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