Skáholt 2002 - Nabo

flint, jasper, opal and obsidian, all of which are available in Iceland except flint which
would have been imported. There is some ambiguity in the identification of the flint
which may in fact be a variety of jasper. The flint was pale grey and opaque and very
common, while jasper (red) and opal were rarer. Proper identification needs to be carried
out on these flakes. More easily identifiable was the obsidian which usually was fine and
smooth (hrafntinna), but a coarser type also occurred, which may in fact be pitchstone
(biksteinn), although it is related. A number of substantial blocks of obsidian came from
[90] (), which look like a cache of raw material for making strike-a-lights.
Whetstones
A large number of whetstones occurred, both in fragments and whole, and all were in
schist. A full study will be conducted later, but there is a great deal of variety in size and
shape, and they come from all levels. The only notable piece is one fragment which had
the initials HA... scratched on one side, and on the other, a finely carved mould for a
button or stud ().
Quernstones
Fragments from two rotary querns were found, one thick fragment from the general
demolition layer () and an almost complete upper part of a quern from the Bishops
Rooms (). Both are in basaltic lavastone (hraungrýti). The stone in the Bishop´s
room was in the later re-use layers and was probably utilized as floor paving, and
certainly does not reflect a secondary use of the room as a millhouse. The stone probably
originally came from the millhouse however, which was situated to the east of the farm
mound, down by the stream.
Other
Various other stone or mineral objects were recovered. Personal or dress items included a
jasper bead, and jet buttons/fasterners. A fine, multi-faceted jasper bead was found
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