Archaeological Excavations at Qassiarsuk 2005 - 2006 Field report (Data Structure Report) (original) (raw)

Unit 1. Surface. 5-10 cm deep topsoil. Unit 2. Infill of Nørlunds trench. This deposit consisted mostly of rocks with earth in between. Unit 3. The cut for Nørlunds trench. The cut was only recorded on the south side as any attempt of locating it elsewhere was abandoned. Unit 4. Stone rubble under unit [2] probably the same kind of material. Unit 7. Same as unit [2]. Unit 9. Mixed material and is possibly an undisturbed midden deposit. Unit 12. Based black midden deposit. Unit 14. Midden deposit in sw corner of the trench. Unit 18. Mixed turf and midden deposit in the northwestern end of the trench. Possibly a redeposit layer. Unit 26. Black midden deposit. Unit 27. Isolated turf material. Unit 32. Same as [2]. Unit 34. Midden mixed with turf deposit. Unit 35. Gravel subsoil. Undisturbed deposit. Unit 37. Turf wall, made of strengur turf in south end of Nørlunds trench. Unit 38. Structural collapse from some structure west of the trench possibly part of the collapse from a well recorded by Nørlund and Stenberger. Unit 39. Mixed turf material in N-trench, redeposit material and is same as [2]. Unit 40. Mixed material, redeposit and is same as [39] and [2]. Unit 41. Midden material/turf. Visible in s-section, under [38]. Unit 42. Midden material in South section, under 41. Unit 43. Old excavation trench. Same as [3]. After removal of topsoil [1] it became clear that there had been a lot of activity since 1932 and the latest probably caused damage to the midden. Earth and stones formed the infill [2], [4], [7], [32], [39], [40] of the old 1932 excavation. The deposits consisted mostly of large boulders which had given water easy access to the undisturbed midden underneath. Frost action had also caused these boulders to move which created a grinding effect further damaging the midden. Trench 3 This trench was located approximately 4 meters to the west of trench 1 (Plan 3). Unit 19. Rubble overburden same as [2], under [1]. Unit 20. Mixed dark brown silt with some turf/midden, under [19]. Inclusions are charcoal fragments, burned bone but preservation for unburned bones is bad. Unit 22. Turf deposit under [20]. Slumped turf blocks, not a structure in situ but probably collapse or dump from somewhere around the trench. Unit 23. Mixed dark brown silt with some charcoal under [22]. Inclusions are charcoal and burned bones. Unburned bones are badly preserved. Unit 25. Possible burning patch defined by edge set slab, under [22]. This deposit was in lenses, light grey to black in color. Unit 36. Turf line under [19] overlying [20]. Black organic silt forming a distinct horizon between [19] and [20]. 10 After removal of topsoil [1] similar mixed material [19] was recorded which is the result of the renovation of the site. Underneath was a deposit [20] mixed with turf and midden. When [20] had been removed a deposit of slumped turf [22] was recorded that was not a wall feature but probably a collapse or a dump from some structure in the vicinity. Underneath were mixed deposits [23], [25] containing both turf and midden and are probably midden dumps. A Turf deposit [36] formed a clear horizon between [19] and [20] and is probably an interface between these two deposits. Trench 4. Unit 8. Possible midden deposit with turf layer, under [10]. Mixed color, grey/light grey/brown, mixed with limited midden material. With charcoal and turf inclusions, few wood remains and bad bone preservation (Plan 3). Unit 10. Redeposit rubble over [8], under [1]. Grey/brown organic silt containing large stones, with occasional flecks of charcoal. Unit 11. Grey to reddish brown turf under [8]. Very distinct layer, largely organic. Unit 13. Organic black/brown midden with bone/plant material, under [11]. Numerous uncarbonized wood specimen and bones both in a bad and good state of preservation. The bones are from domestic animals and therefore this is probably a Norse midden dump. Unit 16. Brown/grey deposit, under [13]. Inclusions are gravel, some bone and wood remains. Unit 17. Dark brown/black soil with some wood and bone under [16]. Unit 28. Grey clay subsoil under [17]. Unit 29. Gravel layer under [28]. The same kind of deposit [10] was recorded after the removal of topsoil [1] as in all trenches. Underneath 5 deposits of midden were recorded [8], [11], [13], [16], [17] all were rich in organic material. Underneath were two undisturbed deposits, clayish [17] and a gravel deposit [28]. Trench 5. This trench was located approximately 5 meters to the southwest of trench 1, about 5 meters north of the churchyard wall (Plan 3). Unit 33. Topsoil/rubble layer in top of tr. 5. As with trench 2 the excavation quickly hit large sets of stones which made it impossible to continue the excavation and therefore any further work in this trench was abandoned. Trench 6. The trench was the largest of the test trenches, approximately 2 x 4 meters. It extended from the south edge of trench 1 to the southwest (Plan 3). Unit 5. Redeposit rubble of earth under topsoil [1]. Unit 6. Dark grey compact silt with some bones. Interface on top of midden. Silt/sandy deposit. Unit 1. Topsoil. Unit 2. Archaeological trench by the south gable, 8, 50 x 1 meters and turning towards the south. Unit 3. Archaeological trench on the northwestern side, 3 x 0, 80 meters. Unit 4. Archaeological trench cutting across the ruin, 9 x 1 meters. Unit 5. Archaeological trench in the south end, 3 x 1 meters. Unit 6. Archaeological trench in the south end, 3, 50 x 1 meters. About 20 centimeters south of unit 5. Unit 7. Large excavation trench by the southwestern gable end and continues towards the west. Unit 8. Archaeological trench by the southeastern gable end, 4,40 x 1 meters. Unit 9. Mixed deposit. Turf, earth and stones. Structural collapse from walls and probably a roof. Burned.