VSF 2010 Report - Nabo

Table 1. Register of units recorded at Hálshús.
Unit
No.
Unit
Type
Description
1 D
Dark gray and firm deposit of flaky soil . Contained few bits of burned bones and
1piece of glass
3 D A mixed deposit of wood- and peat ash.
5 D A firm deposit of turf collapse.
6 D A mixed deposit of wood- and peat ash.
7 D
A deposit of mostly clean peat ash with lenses of black wood ash. Contained fire
cracked rocks and one iron nail
8 D A lensed gray and pink peat ash deposit.
9 D A clean black wood ash deposit high content of charred birch wood.
10 D A clean deposit of peat ash. Contained one iron nail.
11 D A black wood ash deposit containing a few bits of charred birch wood and iron slag.
12 D A clean and thick peat ash deposit. Contained one piece of wet stone.
13 D A deposit of flaky soil with high bits of birch wood content.
14 D A deposit of homogenous soil
15 D A sequence of gray wood ash lenses.
16 D A deposit of silt mixed with flecks of turf.
17 D A thin deposit of black wood ash.
18 D A medium brown deposit of flaky soil. Contained birch chippings.
19 D A medium light brown deposit of flaky soil. Contained birch chippings.
20 D A medium brown deposit of flaky soil. Contained birch chippings.
21 D A mixed deposit of turf debris and silt. Contained some birch chippings
22 D A deposit of homogenous soil
23 D A deposit of silt, slightly mixed with charcoal
24 D A lensed deposit of wood ash with charcoal
25 D A possible turf wall. Made of lensed orange and brown turf
26 D A mixed wood ash deposit with high charcoal content
27 D A deposit of fine black wood ash.
28 D A deposit of mixed peat ash with charcoal
29 D A thick deposit of clean peat ash
30 D A very thick deposit of mixed peat ash with a few bits of charcoal
31 D A thin deposit of clean peat ash
32 D A thin deposit of black wood ash with charcoal
33 D A thick peat ash deposit. Contained a few bits of burned bone
Conclusion
The goal of the test trenching at Hálshús was to locate a midden of a similar date as the one
in Vatnsfjörður in the hope it would contain comparative material for the site. Wood ash
lenses, (unit [015]), which were seen in the coring on top of the slope as well as in the
erosion face on the west slope of the farm mound were thought to be a good indication to
the location of a midden at Hálshús. These wood ash lenses [015] clearly do not represent
the main body of an occupation midden, but rather seem to be isolated events of waste
material deposition, postdating the H~1693 tephra. The main midden body is earlier than
possible wall remains [025] which clearly predates the H~1693 tephra considerably. The
midden is mostly composed of peat ash and occasional lenses of wood ash, where artefacts
and bone are almost non-existent, indicating that it is possibly industrial waste rather than
waste associated with the occupation of the farm. There is therefore little information to be
gained from further excavations within this area. The objective to collect comparative
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