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Expensive errors or rational choices: the pioneer fringe in Late Viking Age Iceland

Vésteinsson, O.; Church, M.J.; Dugmore, A.J.; McGovern, T.H.; Newton, A.J.

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Authors

O. Vésteinsson

A.J. Dugmore

T.H. McGovern

A.J. Newton



Abstract

Just as the colonies established on the North Atlantic islands in the Viking Age were peripheral to Europe, so these islands had their own peripheral areas. In Iceland the highland margins have long been a focus of archaeological research and the prevailing view has been that highland settlement failed because people had made unrealistic assessments of carrying capacity. This paper presents a case study of the northern highland valley of Krókdalur and argues that the dating and pattern of settlement in that valley indicates that its settlers were keenly aware of its limitations. It also suggests explanatory frameworks that can make sense of this marginal settlement without resorting to environmental determinism.

Citation

Vésteinsson, O., Church, M., Dugmore, A., McGovern, T., & Newton, A. (2014). Expensive errors or rational choices: the pioneer fringe in Late Viking Age Iceland. Post Classical Archaeologies, 4, 39-68

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date May 1, 2014
Deposit Date May 7, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Post-Classical archaeologies.
Print ISSN 2039-7895
Publisher SAP Societá Archeologica
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 4
Pages 39-68
Keywords Iceland, Viking Age, Highland, Settlement, Abandonment.
Publisher URL http://www.postclassical.it/vol.4.html

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