VSF 2010 Report - Nabo

Organic preservation was generally very good especially in the 17 th century layers of
the room given the group number 10662, where large amount of organic material as wood,
textile, leather and bone were found. Most of the finds were retrieved from floor deposits
which included large amounts of wood items (mainly of broken artefacts and splinters,
probably from woodworking), textiles (both shreds and larger pieces, some identifiable items
among them – both woven and knitted) and bone fragments ( fish and mammals). The animal
bones are being analysed by Céline Dupont-Hébert at the Université Laval (see this report).
Most of the retrieved pottery vessels
date to the 17 th – 18 th centuries. These vessels
were mainly found in structures given the
group numbers 10662, 10151, 10590 and
8562. Pottery dated to the 19 th -20 th centuries
were mainly found in structures 8563, 8590
and 8563. The assemblage is diverse and
there are many interesting pieces such as
Westerwald jugs and tripod cooking vessels.
All the clay tobacco pipes found in field the
2010 field season can be dated to the 17 th
century. The glass finds consist both of
window pane and vessel fragments from
bottles, phials, beakers and stemware, some
very decorative. Few beads are also present
in the finds assemblage. The glass material is
dated to the 17 th -20 th centuries, as the
pottery.
Most of the metal objects are of iron
and copper alloy but lesser amount of lead
and lead alloys. The preservation of metal is
average to bad and many of the finds in very
poor condition. The metal finds are also very
diverse, most of the iron finds are nails –
both forged and machine manufactured,
shovel blades, knives, sewing needles and
cooking vessels. The finds made of copper
alloy are of more personal nature, clothing
items, thimbles but also cutlery. Stone
objects are mostly hammers and weights but
also schistose whetstones.
The find assemblage from room
group 10662 is a very interesting one. The
amount of fish bones and fish hammers
reflect food processing activity but great
numbers of textiles shreds and fragmented
wood found in the floor layers might suggest
that the rags and shavings were thrown on the
floor to keep it dry.
It is firmly believed that ongoing
excavation during the forthcoming 2011
excavation season will add further to our
understanding of the daily life in the 17 th and 18 th centuries at Vatnsfjörður.
Figure 1. The two pottery fragments on the left are
from 10506. The one on the right is from context
10578.
Figure 2. Clay pipes, stems and bowls from
context 10510.
Figure 3. Whetstones. Above: from context
10529. Below context 10651.
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