Adolf Friðriksson Fornleifastofnun Íslands (FSI) (Institute of Archaeology in Iceland)

1. Ísleif
The Icelandic Archaeological Database
GHEA Open Workshop
University of Maryland
Nov. 4 – 6, 2013
Fornleifastofnun Íslands (FSI) (Institute of Archaeology in Iceland)
Adolf Friðriksson

2. AtlantisThe Lost Empire
GHEA Open Workshop
University of Maryland
Nov. 4 – 6, 2013
Fornleifastofnun Íslands (FSI) (Institute of Archaeology in Iceland)
Adlb Fhgise

3. Ísleif - archaeological survey in Iceland
• Data, Survey and Legislation
• Previous archaeological surveys
• Ísleif Database
• Survey - Approach and methods
• Using the data
• Future Development

4. Legislation and Definition
• An Archaeological Site: A Definition:
From Classic (1907, 1968), To Socio-Economic (1989), To Landscapes
(2001)
• 1907, 1968: ”Historic sites”, ruins of
farms, churches, temples, assembly sites, enclosures, fishing
booths, boat shelters, outlaw´s shelters, mounds, grave
sites, caves, inscriptions.
• 1989: AND: Ruins of merchant sites, enclosures, shielings, peat-
cutting sites, charcoal and iron making sites; old homefields and
other cultivated fields, old roads, dams, bridges, fords, ferry
sites, cairns, defence structures, mounds, pagan and christian grave
sites, ship wrecks, sites 100 yrs or older... As well as:
Old assembly sites, alleged temples and ritual sites, haunted places and
other ”locations relevant to tradition and folklore”
• 2001: + Cultural landscapes

5. Archaeological Survey in Iceland
1880-1910:
- Archaeological remains from the “Settlement
Period”
- Remains from the “Saga Age”
Ca. 870 to 1250 AD.
Historical Topography.
Sources: Icelandic Sagas, The Book of
Settlements, Place-names, Folklore
Ca. 1000 sites on record

6. Archaeological Survey
• 1910-1940: Protection of Sites and
Monuments (ca. 750 sites)
• 1930-1980: Place-name surveys
• 1970-1990: Minor archaeological surveys

7. Ísleif – A Database of Archaeological Sites
in Iceland
• 1994: New National Survey (FSI)
• Low Tech – High Concept
• Cheap and efficent methodology
• Documents and archives survey
• Field survey
• Data entry, analysis and reports
• Municipalities (hreppur)
• Ca. 50 types of sites (features), 80 functions.
• Total number of sites in Iceland, est. 125.000.
• A great number of sites damaged or destroyed.

8. Ísleif - Data Structure
• Level 1: Farm units (or Commons)
Location, farm settlement history, environment,
farm boundaries, metadata.
• Level 2: Archaeological Site units
Type of feature, function, description, co-
ordinates, local topography, dimensions,
condition, threat.
From 20 to 50 sites pr farm settlement.

9. The farm of Litla-Víðiker in Bárðardalur, NE-Iceland,
Daniel Bruun: 1896.

10. Hvalfjörður, SW-Iceland
Birna Lárusdóttir et al. 2001
A General Archaeological Survey

11. Ísleif – Quantity of Data
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
1994-1999 2000-2005 2006-2011
Field Survey
Archive Survey

12. User Groups
• The Scientific Community
- Archaeologists ...
• Cultural Heritage Agencies
• Municipalities /Planning Authorities
• The General Public - Schools
• Tourism

13. The Scientific Community
• Analysing Survey Data
- Regional distribution
- Comparative studies
...
• Preparing New Research Programmes
• Contextual Information
• Store additional data
- Excavation records
- Additional survey documentation

14. Specific Survey Targets:
Medieval boundary walls
and enclosures in S-
Þingeyjarsýsla, NE-Iceland.
O. Aldred,
Á. Einarsson, O. Vésteinsson et al.

15. Targets: Alleged viking age burial sites in Dalir, W-Iceland

16. Cultural Heritage Management
Ísleif: Level of Threat – Source of Threat:
• Road contstruction
• Field levelling
• Buildings
• Mining
• Erosion
• Reforestation
• Scary Statistics
• Policy, legislation

17. Archaeology and Tourism
• Iceland: “World of natural wonders”
• Growth of tourism: 11% pr year since 1990.
• Early Spring: 2013, 2nd Qtr: 29,5% growth.
• Total number of archaeological sites in tourism:
10.
• Total number of archaeological
sites in Iceland: 125.000.
• Future: A role for archaeology
in tourism.

18. The General Public - Schools
Ísleif: 200 enquiries pr. year
• Local tourists
• Local history
• Family history
• Media
And....
• Crack-pots and the lunatic fringe

19. Atlantis?
Thingvellir Survey 2003
Lake Thingvallavatn

20. Thingvellir Data Entry 2013
Atlantis – the lost empire, approx. 10.000 BC
Ísleif site code ÁR-324:022

21. Ísleif, availability and access
Field reports, in Icelandic = 500 reports
Data available on-line = 0
Ísleif
Accessible
Ísleif, Off-line = information on 5.990
farms, 95.500 sites
Data available in English = 0

22. Ísleif – the lost empire
Future work:
• Ísleif on-line
• English version
• Linking up with other
data collections for
North-Atlantic research