More than a landing site, less than a vicus. Medieval Gasir in northern Iceland
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2017-03-23

Gásir is well known from historical records as the main trading site in northern Iceland in the medieval period. The site has extensive ruins and a church and when large-scale excavations began in 2001 it was expected that direct evidence would be found of exchanges between foreign merchants and native Icelanders. 6 years of meticulous excavation failed to identify much evidence for trade taking place at the site, which nevertheless has several of the attributes normally associated with emporia. This has raised questions about the nature of the site and the nature of trade in a marginal economy like Iceland’s.
The paper discusses the evidence unearthed at Gasir and places it in the context of social and economic organization in the medieval North Atlantic.

Author - Prof. Vésteinsson, Orri, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (Presenting author)
Co-author(s) - Roberts, Howell, Institute of Archaeology, Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
Co-author(s) - Gisladóttir, G , Institute of Archaeology, Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland