Rannsókn Vesturi í Horni í Syðrugøtu

Abstract

Between 1973 and 1975 an excavation was carried out at the former settlement Vesturi í Horni at Syðragøta. The area is above the present village, about 30 metres above sea level and 200 metres from high water mark.

The total area examined is about 250 square metres. Altogether three sites were examined, sites 1, 2 and 3. 265 articles and fragments were found, of which 111 were potsherds.

Site 1.
7 X 3.5 metres at the middle. The site is so badly damaged that it is not possible to make any estimate of the kind of construction. All that can be said with certainty is that it was a house.
Site 2.
This is also a house which was divided into two, a main building 5.5 X 4 metres and a room on the west side, 5.5 X c. 1.8 metres dug down in the moraine. Consequently its floor is c. 0.65 metres lower than that in the principal building.
Site 3.
While sites 1 and 2 date from the same period, site 3 is more recent. It is divided into two. The room to the north is 3 X 3 metres inside and has a door to the west. The room to the south is 1.75 X 3 metres with a door in the south east corner, overlooking the village.

As there are two rooms, each with its own entrance and with no connecting door, it is obvious that this building must have served two different purposes.