Abstract

Archaeological excavations took place in Seyðisfjörður in the summer of 2021, where avalanche defenses are to be built under the mountain Bjólfur. There will be three avalanche protection walls: Bakkagarður, Fjarðargarður and Öldugarður. Two structures were fully excavated, a sheep house [2048-22] and a mill [2048-28]. In addition, one test trench was excavated. Structure [2048-22] was fully excavated during the summer. It was a sheep house, made of turf and stones. The V-1477 tephra was in the turf walls meaning that the structure is younger than that. The A-1875 tephra is above the structure in situ, meaning that the structure is older than that. The sheepfold was probably in use during the 18th century.

Structure [2048-28] was also fully excavated during the summer. It was a small house, built of turf and stones over a water mill used to grind grain. Water was taken from a stream above and directed by trenches through the mill. The mill wheel was horizontal, which is typical of Icelandic mills. The V-1477 tephra was found in the turf of the walls, showing that the structure was younger than that. The A-1875 tephra was above the structure in the trenches and also both beneath and above the turf, which had fallen from the roof and walls, indicating that the mill was still in use shortly before the tephra fell. According to other sources the first water mills were not built in Iceland until around 1780 and this mill was probably in use in the period from 1800 till 1870.

The test trench in structure [2048-11] revealed that the structure was built of turf. Its function is unknown but most likely it was used for animals or storage. The A-1875 tephra was detected in the turf, so the house must have been younger than that. The remains were sparse and most likely this building was one of those that were hit by the avalanche which fell on the village in 1885.