VSF 2010 Report - Nabo

despite the fact that this turf is not demonstrably below the Hekla 1693 tephra, the building
seems likely to be of Medieval date, and as such is worth further investigation during
future excavations at Vatnsfjörður.
Figure 4. Southern wall of boathouse in
Trench 40
[10057] Firm mid to light yellowish brown sandy
silt with rare small natural gravels. Some
bioturbation by roots. Munsell: 10YR 3/6 Dark
Yellowish Brown.
[10058] Firm mid greyish brown sandy silt with
layers of reddish orange, with rare small natural
gravels. Substantial bioturbation by roots. H1693
tephra within turves. Munsell: 5YR 3/3 Dark
Reddish Brown with 2.5YR 4/6 Red.
[10059] Moderately compacted mid to dark
orangey brown sandy silt with occasional small
natural gravels. Substantial bioturbation by roots.
H1693 Tephra within turves. Munsell: 5YR 3/3
Dark Reddish Brown.
[10060] Moderately compacted mid brown silt
with occasional natural gravels and charcoal flecks,
and large stones. Substantial bioturbation by roots.
Munsell: 5YR 2.5/2 Dark Reddish Brown.
Trench 41
On the same small peninsula as the boathouse evaluated in Trench 40, a wall around 70 cm
high and following the topography of the shore around 15m inland of the current shoreline
had been surveyed as part of the homefield boundary wall. However, the actual boundary
wall of the homefield runs west of the modern road. A 1 x 2 m trench was opened on the
landward side of this feature to attempt to establish its composition and function (see map
Figure 1).
Figure 5. North Profile of Sea Wall
Immediately below the thin topsoil, a thick layer of stones about 40cm deep was
uncovered. These stones were not beach cobbles but angular rocks from the natural
bedrock. They were interspersed with coarse sand and other beach material such as
fragments of shell, and also patches of soil. Several large stones were found to the
landward side of the wall. The layers of stones were sitting immediately on top of a clean
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