VIKING UNST PROJECT: FIELD SEASON 2008 - Nabo

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perforation on both opposing surfaces. On one surface the groove runs through theperforation but damage has obscured whether this was repeated on the alternate side. SF739(figure 3.1a) from context [123] is a finely shaped complete example and is the largest ofthe three line sinkers (157.5x78x54mm). In outline the sinker is pear shaped taperingtowards one end. In profile the base of the weight is curved with a flat upper surface. Theperforation has been drilled slightly off centre and has been placed favouring the widerheavier end. The apical groove is a scored channel predominantly U-shaped although V-shaped in places. On the flat upper surface the channel is approximately 4mm deep but only2mm deep on the curved base. The groove at the wider end is irregular and appears to haveincorporated a basal plug hole. The worn nature of this area makes it difficult to discern ifthis was broken during use or the original working of the artefact. The first two line sinkerswere both carved from a very soft slightly coarse example of steatite, the third example,SF760 (figure 3.1a) from context [148], is made from a harder, finer grained material andmay possibly be imported. Although similar in outline to SF739, this example is smallerand narrower (138.5x54.5x39mm) and displays a greater refinement in its manufacture. Thecentral perforation has been partially knife cut and is situated slightly towards the narrowerend of the artefact. The channel has again been scored and knife cut, changing from U-shaped to V-shaped and 11.5mm to 4mm in depth on the flat upper surface. This channelruns into a basal hole set at a slight angle at the wider heavier end of the sinker. On thecurved lower surface the channel is V-shaped, 5.5mm deep and only runs from the narrowend to the central perforation. Unlike the other examples the channel on its upper surface issurrounded by a crude but decorative incised groove.Similar in outline but on a much smaller scale to the line sinkers is SF1053 from context[074]. The artefact is a small (48x21x12mm) slightly tapered rectangle of steatite with acentrally drilled perforation. Leading away from the perforation towards the narrower endis a faint groove forming a shallow notch at that end of the artefact and returning to thecentral perforation on the opposing side. At its wider end a second larger notch or theremains of another larger perforation is visible.Spindle whorlSF1090 from context [123] is a small steatite disc with a central perforation. Compared tothe example from the coarse stone assemblage this whorl is relatively crude. Theperforation is slightly off centre and as mentioned is oval rather than circular.Worked/Possibly Worked but of Indeterminate FunctionThere are 114 finds in this category. Most are in fact pieces which seem to have beentrimmed but which due to their incomplete nature do not allow fuller comment. It ispossible that some of this may be debris from the on-site trimming of vessel blanks, but thiscannot be confirmed.Finds in this general category include pieces which show grooving (e.g. SF1501 fromcontext [097]), perforations (eg SF1407 context [123]), smoothed faces (e.g. SF1999 andSF1822, both from context [185]) and tooling. There is a variety of tool marks on a numberof pieces, such as SF1981 (context [201]) and SF1584 (context [185]) but SF1675 from40
context [185] is a fine example of a thin piece which has good clear tool marks on one side,but its function is not clear.Steatite Chips (see table 3.3)There are 184 Small Finds in total comprising chips or otherwise unworked small pieces ofsteatite, spread across 36 contexts. There is a very limited number of contexts which haveover 10 finds (Area A: context [170] has 11, and context [185] has 65; Area B: context[035] has 14, context [168] has 11, and context [196] has 10). The obvious majorconcentration here is therefore context [185] in Area A and further study of these pieceswill be required, particularly to see if there are any specific dumps within the layer itself tocheck whether this was actually an area of working, trimming of larger pieces into finishedobjects, or an area where the steatite close by is actually rotted.Area Context Finds units TotalA 070 3088 9128 1185 67170 11 91B 011 535 1474 576 1101 2111 1120 1121 1122 1123 6140 1141 2144 1145 1149 5166 1168 11169 1171 2173 3179 1196 10201 1206 3207 2209 6220 1222 1 9041
Page 1 and 2: VIKING UNST PROJECTEXCAVATIONS AT H
Page 3 and 4: This is a provisional report on the
Page 5 and 6: PART TWO: PERSONNEL AND RELATED RES
Page 7 and 8: PART ONEEXCAVATIONS AT HAMAR &THE U
Page 9 and 10: A geophysical survey of the site wa
Page 11 and 12: The 2006 & 2007 excavation seasonsT
Page 13 and 14: sites are multiperiod settlements s
Page 15 and 16: more complex; geophysics would be a
Page 17 and 18: floor surface included fragments of
Page 19 and 20: Lower room & ash pitWork also concl
Page 21 and 22: Figure 2.2: Plan of the sunken floo
Page 23 and 24: External DepositsA section was exca
Page 25 and 26: along the north edge (open side) of
Page 27 and 28: Figure 2.5: The south east annexe,
Page 29 and 30: At the lower (easternmost) end of t
Page 31 and 32: 3. SUMMARY OF FINDS FROM THE 2008 S
Page 33 and 34: 46mm) with working marks on three s
Page 35 and 36: 3.2.2 A geological assessment of th
Page 37 and 38: minerals are chemically stable in n
Page 39: the same stone. SF721 (context [117
Page 43 and 44: close proximity of steatite outcrop
Page 45 and 46: oom. The three body sherds are fair
Page 47 and 48: Greenland and Iceland that a number
Page 49 and 50: channel changes from U-shaped to V-
Page 51 and 52: 4. ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCEJ.M. Bond,
Page 53 and 54: The cereals recovered are hulled si
Page 55 and 56: five barley grains and a single oat
Page 57 and 58: 4.3.2 The Upper House, UnderhoullAs
Page 59 and 60: [176]. The identification of microl
Page 61 and 62: iron within the soils (Gaffney & Ga
Page 63 and 64: 63Figure 4.1: The graphical represe
Page 65 and 66: SitecodeSamplecodeContext SFnumberA
Page 67 and 68: presence of tephra within the depos
Page 69 and 70: has been widely criticised as too g
Page 71 and 72: Outram, Z., Cussans, J.E., Summers,
Page 73 and 74: Level Two StudentsKirsty BennellJoh
Page 75 and 76: 8. BIBLIOGRAPHYAlsvik, H. and Batey
Page 77 and 78: Davidson, D.A. and Simpson, I.A. 20
Page 79 and 80: McDonnell, J.G. 2000. Pyrotechnolog
Page 81 and 82: 700s-800s: a potential alternative

VIKING UNST PROJECT: FIELD SEASON 2008 - Nabo

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