Frank Feeley (CUNY) Early "Industrial Scale" Fisheries at Gufuskálar Iceland

Medieval Fishing at Gufuskálar Snæfellsnes, Western Iceland

Frank [email protected]

CUNY Graduate CenterOctober 2012

Gufuskálar

~16m

Fish Drying Sheds

2m

2011 Excavations

2012 Excavations

Trench 5

Trench 9

Trench 5

Trench 9

Trench 9

Cranial Elements and Vertebral Elements

0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

Cranial Axial

NISP2008, Trench 3 – 1701 Identified Elements

HEADS TAILS

97%

2% 1%

Fish - 97%

Sheep/Goat -2%Birds - 1%

34%

40%

12%

5%

2% 1% 6% Cod - 34%

Gadids -40%Haddock -12%Cusk - 5%

Cod Fam

ily

Sheep/Goat Bone Element Distribution

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

All Cranial

Mandible

Forequarter

Vert & Ribs

Hindquarter

Lower Forelimb

Lower Hindlimb

Feet

% MAU

2011, Trench 8 – 284 Identified Elements

NO HEADS

VERY FEW FEET

Fish Bones & Structural Stones Surface Eroded by Wind

Thanks!