The first settlers of : an isotopic approach to colonisation T. Douglas Price1 & Hildur Gestsdottir´ 2

The colonisation of the North Atlantic from the eighth century AD was the earliest expansion of European populations to the west. Norse and Celtic voyagers are recorded as reaching and settling in Iceland, and easternmost North America between c. AD 750 and 1000, but the date of these events and the homeland of the colonists are subjects of some debate. In this project, the birthplaces of 90 early burials from Iceland were sought using strontium isotope analysis. At least nine, and probably thirteen, of these individuals can be distinguished as migrants to Iceland from other places. In addition, there are clear differences to be seen in the diets of the local Icelandic peoples, ranging from largely terrestrial to largely marine consumption. Keywords: Iceland, colonisation, settlement, isotopes, strontium, human migration, enamel

Introduction An extraordinary series of events began in the North Sea and North Atlantic region around the eighth century AD. Norse raiders and settlers from , better known as the , began expanding to the west, settling in the British Isles and Ireland, including the smaller groups of islands, the Orkneys, Shetlands, Hebrides and the Isle of Man. Stepping across the North Atlantic, Norse colonists reached the Faeroe Islands by around AD 825, Iceland by around AD 875 and Greenland by around AD 895 (Figure 1). Both Iceland and the Faeroe Islands were uninhabited at the time of the Norse colonisation. The Norse also settled briefly in North America at L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, around AD 1000 (Jones 1986; Wallace 1991). The Greenland colonies were abandoned by around AD 1450 in the face of deteriorating climate and agricultural conditions. Thirteenth century Icelandic chroniclers reported that the majority of the original settlers came from but they also thought that a significant number came from the British Isles, of both Norse and Celtic origin. There is some written evidence that people from the Hebrides, Ireland and the west coast of Scotland settled in Iceland, although they were likely to have been of Norwegian descent (Loyn 1977). Contact between Iceland and the Hebrides is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas and is known through artefactual evidence. Although written several hundred years later than the events it describes, the Book of Settlements refers to Hebridean who settled especially in western Iceland (Benediktsson 1968). There is considerable debate regarding the actual timing of the arrival of the first people, with some evidence indicating human activity in Iceland prior to the date of AD 874

1 Laboratory for Archaeological Chemistry, Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53706, USA (Email: [email protected]) 2 Institute of Archaeology, Barugata´ 3, 101 Reykjav´ık, Iceland Received: 28 July 2004; Accepted: 14 January 2005; Revised: 31 January 2005 antiquity 80 (2006): 130–144 130 ugse ywitnsucs(..Roberts (e.g. sources written within area by the shows suggested circle The colonisation. and settlement Norse of locations major Iceland. the of and 1500km Atlantic North The 1. Figure htmgat oIeadfo lehr ilb edl itnusal rmtoebr there. born means those This from low. distinguishable submarine quite readily be by is will soil created elsewhere As from the sea, Iceland of analysis. to the ratio migrants for that isotope from strontium material emerged the time, providing building, mountain geological settlement, volcanic in initial recently, been of only have has period burials the Iceland human the of of begin from number investigation to large there place the relatively the excavated A in as reasons. selected well several was Iceland for work homelands. investigations new should their our relatively and migration, Atlantic a North human enamel, the of of tooth settlers study and the bone several for human from likely of method movement provenancing population Isotopic with remains areas. subject, colonisation different mysterious the rather reasons, and the fascinating Whatever a conditions. climatic favourable and (Benediktsson unrest thereafter few very and uncertainty. settlement of of subject years a 60 again first 1968), the in came colonists the Hermanns-Audard (e.g. two or century eteshv ogbe eae.The debated. Lewis of been Isle the long on have found (Dunwell been Iceland settlers in have and graves Hebrides of Outer types the Similar in found. been yet has settlement xlntosfrti xaso aeicue hpdsg,pplto rwh political growth, population design, ship included have expansion this for Explanations .DulsPie&H Gestsd H. & Price Douglas T. oko Settlements of Book ti 91;hwvr oeiec fsc early such of evidence no however, 1991); ottir ´ 131 tal. et tal et 03,i oeisacsa uha a as much as instances some in 2003), 96.Hwvr h oead fthe of homelands the However, 1996). . ottir ´ lorprsta lotalof all almost that reports also

Method The first settlers of Iceland

Table 1. Possible results of isotope analysis of human tooth enamel vs. bone Bone isotope ratio Local Exotic

Enamel isotope ratio Local Indigenous Recent returnee Exotic Long-term migrant Short-term migrant

Isotopic provenancing of human remains The method of isotopic provenancing of human remains has been in use in archaeology for approximately 15 years. Isotopes of strontium, oxygen and lead have been used in such studies. The basic principle is essentially the same for the different isotopes and involves comparison of isotope ratios in human tooth enamel and bone. The enamel in teeth forms in early childhood and undergoes little subsequent change (Hillson 1996). Post- mortem changes in enamel are minimal. Enamel has been shown to be generally resistant to contamination and a reliable indicator of biogenic levels of strontium isotopes (e.g. Aberg˚ et al. 1998; Budd et al. 2000; Kohn et al. 1996). Human bone is dynamic. The process of bone remodelling turns over the chemical composition of bone in a period of roughly 10 years. Because isotopic ratios vary geographically, values in human teeth (place of birth) that do not match those of bone (place of death) indicate immigrants. There are four possible outcomes in the comparison of enamel and bone isotope ratios in the same individual (Table 1). If the enamel and bone ratios are similar then the individual probably did not move. If the enamel ratio is distinct from the local ratio, this individual must have moved to the place of death from a geologically distinct homeland. These two situations are most common. In cases where the bone ratio is exotic, either individuals have recently returned to the place of death after a long residence elsewhere (enamel is local), or the individual has only been resident in the place of death for a short time (enamel is exotic). These cases are rare. The local isotopic signal can be measured in several ways: in human bone from the individuals whose teeth are analysed, from other human bones at the site, from archaeological fauna at the site, or from modern fauna in the vicinity. Because of the expense of the analyses and the fact that bone is subject to contamination, in this study we have measured only enamel from archaeological or modern fauna to establish the bio-available levels of strontium isotopes in the local environment (Price et al. 2002). The research of the Laboratory for Archaeological Chemistry has focused primarily on strontium isotopes. A number of studies have been published documenting the utility of strontium isotope analysis, involving the Anasazi period in Arizona (Price et al. 1994a; Ezzo et al. 1997), the Neolithic Linearbandkeramik and Bell Beaker periods in southern Germany (e.g. Price et al. 1994b, 2001), slaves in the historical period in South Africa (Sealy et al. 1991, 1995), and Neolithic and Norse skeletons from the Hebrides (Montgomery et al. 1999, 2000, 2003), among others. The stable isotopes of strontium include 84Sr (∼0.56%), 86Sr (∼9.87%), and 88Sr (∼82.53%). 87Sr is formed over time by the radioactive decay of rubidium (87Rb) and

132 o0001,bsdo 0 yai ylso aacleto.Aayia rcdrsare procedures Analytical collection. data of Ezzo cycles in detail dynamic greater 100 in described on based 0.000010, to 0.710259 of elgcladbovial totu nIeadadthe and Atlantic Iceland North in strontium bioavailable and Geological in Variations 1972). as Powell expressed conventionally & are materials (Faure natural in strontium compositions isotope total strontium of 7.04% approximately comprises oial le ra,sc snrhr owy h ctihIls rln,adteFaeroes. the geo- and from Ireland, come Isles, have Scottish the probably isotope Norway, will northern strontium they as distinctive low as such highly enamel, areas, very exhibit older tooth will a logically their island has in the exposed ratios bedrock to is isotope Europe volcanic ridge the strontium northern mid-ocean new from of a This the where migrants one over earth Any 2). sea on has signature. (Figure the places Iceland from specifically few level the emerged study. and sea of that a one above island Atlantic, and volcanic such North years a million for is the 25 it ideal last of earth; almost the case on is the landscapes context youngest In geological area. study the geological Iceland, the the is in remains human present of provenancing variability isotope the in consideration important An etr54. Sector Fue&Pwl 92 ar 96.Gooia nt htaevr l ( old very are that units Geological 1986). Faure 1972; Powell & (Faure eyhg rgnlR/rrto ilhv eyhigh very have will ratios Rb/Sr original high very h g n yeo oka ucino h original the of function a as rock of type and age the hyaeecpinlylrefo elgclsadon n a necs faayia error analytical of excess ( in but Spectrometer far Mass small, Ionisation and seem Thermal standpoint a may geological TIMS, variations using a These from 1989). large exceptionally Hawkesworth are & they Rogers (e.g. 0.706 than less aelwR/rrto,sc slt-eoocvlai ra,gnrlyhave generally areas, volcanic late-Cenozoic as such ratios, Rb/Sr low have eetps ( past recent nlsduigatemlinsto utpecletrms pcrmtr(IS nthe in (TIMS) spectrometer Hill. Chapel mass Carolina, North collector of University the multiple at Laboratory ionisation Geochemistry Isotope thermal a using analysed exchange phase. cation mobile using the isolated as was acid Strontium hydrochloric were sample. 2.5N there the with if chromatography in repeated was remaining and underlying procedure organics box This drying trace the acid. flow any laminar hydrochloric from sterile 2.5N a layer ultrapure in visible in dried enamel hot redissolved any acid, and nitric vials remove the concentrated digestion to savilex ultrapure remove sterile in bit to digested to transferred sanding then were ground a small samples enamel Tooth and with A dentine. fitted childhood. preservative tooth, drill early and/or the dental very dirt from a and removed with gestation was abraded during mechanically enamel forms the tooth of this portion of enamel movement. the human of that terms in significant usually are place decimal third the in ais(h bnac of abundance (the ratios aiswr orce o asfatoaini h ntuetuigteepnnilmass exponential the using instrument the in and fractionation law mass fractionation for corrected were ratios ape eete one nzn-endtnau lmns n totu was strontium and filaments, tantalum zone-refined on mounted then were Samples fact the and consistency for both analysis, for preferred is molar first permanent The 87 Sr/ < − + my) ncnrs,rcsta r elgclyyug( young geologically are that rocks contrast, In 1m.y.). 86 .03( E.Itra rcso sadr ro)i yial 0.000006 typically is error) (standard precision Internal SE). (2 0.0003 raaye ( analyses Sr 86 Sr/ 86 ri iia ota of that to similar is Sr 88 n Sr .DulsPie&H Gestsd H. & Price Douglas T. = = 0 fteNS R totu abnt ile value a yielded carbonate strontium SRM NIST the of 40) .14 h ape eemaue sn MicroMass a using measured were samples The 0.1194. tal. et 19)adBentley and (1997) 133 87 r.Srnimiooerto aywith vary ratios isotope Strontium Sr). 87 87 Sr/ − + Rb/ c .00 for 0.00001 ottir ´ . 86 0g h ot ape were samples tooth The 10mg. 86 Srratiostodayaswellasinthe tal. et rrtoo oreadisage its and source a of ratio Sr (2002). 87 < Sr/ > -0.. n that and 1-10m.y.) 0my)adhad and 100m.y.) 86 r.Differences Sr). 87 Sr/ 86 87 87 rratios Sr Sr/ Sr/ 86 86 Sr Sr

Method The first settlers of Iceland Figure 2. The .

134 tdfeetlctosi cln ofimti au stebs siaefrteiln sa as island Taylor the 1979; for Jahn estimate & best Sun the 1973; as Schilling value this formations 1997; geological confirm (Dickin on Iceland whole ratios in Measured locations 0.704. and different 0.703 at between value a suggest basalt, h elgclfrain fGenad u ngeneral in but Greenland, of formations geological the 87 oadtekonvlefrsaae.I sas osbeta oeo l h niiul we individuals the all elsewhere. or from Greenland some to that migrants possible fact also in is were It measured seawater. have for value known the toward oteefcso e pa vrlreprso h sad ca ae a an has water Ocean relate island. may the but of present, parts at large than known over not higher spray is sea are offset of this ratios effects for Iceland, the isotope a reason from to The strontium obtained enamel rock. bioavailable and tooth for Clearly reported human Iceland values prehistoric 0.7056. from for is barley value below, modern minimum reported measured The also 0.7068. geological of have reported value the We than Iceland. Br higher considerably for (north), are values and Heggstadanes 0.7069 Jadar, and 0.7059 – Kj between Iceland and range (east) in Fellum Ormarsstadir, locations (south), various Biskupstungur from originated These 1979). o erpeettv.Tofcosmyhv asdteevle odfe rmbioavailable from differ to values these caused have from may may and individuals factors 0.712, Two to several representative. 0.706 from from be ranging not enamel variable, highly tooth are values human These 3). (Table in Greenland isotopes strontium measured have .2 n .5.Mnmmvle o h ik a einaemaue tgreater at measured are region Bay Disko the for values Minimum than 0.755. and 0.725 Hoppe ratios. ratios isotopes isotope strontium higher of have coast generally west Atlantic the North Iceland. and than the Ireland, in and Isles areas British These northern Norway. the Islands, Faeroe the Greenland, values. bioavailable the raised have may and 0.7092 of Sr/ aeiesrnimiooerto o cln,etmtdo h g n opsto fthe of composition and age the on estimated Iceland, for ratios isotope strontium Baseline totu stp aisi h nmlo oenseptehwr esrd(al 2). (Table measured were teeth sheep modern of enamel the in ratios isotope Strontium reln,freape otissm fteods ok nerhwt ihstrontium high with earth on rocks oldest the include of some settlers contains example, Icelandic for Greenland, the for origin and contact of places probable most The 86  ri reln.Ade flreymrn od ol oehmneae values enamel human move would foods marine largely of diet A Greenland. in Sr .2 Klbe alr19) hr so oresbtnilvrainwithin variation substantial course of is There 1999). Taylor & (Kalsbeek 0.725 N231,Ri ru 3,gae2Toh0.709542 0.706851 0.712157 0.706532 Tooth Tooth Tooth Tooth 2 grave 035, Group Ruin 3 KNK223x15, grave 035, Group Ruin churchyard KNK223x14, 035, Group Ruin 223x1, 3 KNK grave 048, Settlement Group Eastern Ruin Greenland. KNK221x11, from measurements enamel tooth Human 3. Table aa,Hgsaae NrhIead 00.706965 0.705922 years) (in Age 10 7-8 Iceland) (North Heggstadanes Jadar, Iceland) (East Fellum Ormarsstadir, Kj Br Iceland from enamel tooth name sheep Place modern in ratios isotope Strontium 2. Table ,Bsusugm(ot cln)670.706067 6-7 Iceland) (South Biskupstungum u, ael Kj oafell, ´ ´ s(etIead 0.706384 5 Iceland) (West os ´ tal. et 20)hv siae reln ausi h ag between range the in values Greenland estimated have (2003) .DulsPie&H Gestsd H. & Price Douglas T. 135 ottir ´ ael Kj oafell, ´ 87 Sr/ 86 tal. et rvle r ih We high. are values Sr s(et.Teevalues These (west). os ´ 87 Sr/ 98 Wood 1998; 86 rratio Sr 87 Sr/ 86 rvalue Sr tal. et u, ´

Method The first settlers of Iceland

Further east along the North Atlantic rim, strontium isotope ratios are higher than on Iceland. The Faeroes are part of the mid-Atlantic ridge. The islands are basaltic rock with a thin layer of moraine and peat on the surface (Rasmussen & Noe-Nygaard 1970). Strontium isotope values have not been reported but are likely to be similar to other areas of the North Atlantic Tertiary Volcanic Province (Larsen et al. 1999). The northern islands of Britain – the Shetlands, Orkneys, and Hebrides – have varying but generally high 87Sr/86Sr values. The geology of Shetland is varied and the islands contain a large and diverse range of rock types – igneous, sedimentary, volcanic, with metamorphic rocks predominant. The Orkneys, a group of more than 200 islands 16km north of the Scottish coast, are composed largely of Old Red Sandstone from the Devonian. We have measured a single sample of modern barley from the Orkney Islands and obtained a value of 0.7123. Montgomery et al. (2003) measured values from a Norse graveyard on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides at 0.709. They concluded that one male, with an enamel value around 0.707, had probably migrated to Lewis from within the North Atlantic Tertiary Volcanic Province (e.g. the small Scottish islands of Skye, Mull, Canna, Eigg, and much of County Antrim in Northern Ireland). Much of County Antrim is Tertiary basalt with predictable 87Sr/86Sr values around 0.707. In Great Britain, soil leachate values suggest labile 87Sr/86Sr variations among soils overlying sedimentary rocks from about 0.7073 on Cretaceous chalk to 0.7115 on Triassic sandstone (Budd et al. 2000). Soils formed on igneous and metamorphic rocks as well as rubidium-rich clay soils are likely to have far higher ratios. Budd et al. (2000) report human enamel values from Anglo-Saxon England ranging from 0.708 to 0.712. Values measured on granites and gneiss in southern Norway range from 0.7087 to 0.7185 and even 0.7519 and higher (Wilson et al. 1977). Aberg˚ et al. (1998) report values ranging from 0.7077 to 0.7323 for human enamel from localities in southern Norway between Bergen and Oslo. For the purposes of this study, it is sufficient to know that individuals who went to Iceland from elsewhere in the North Atlantic would have had strontium isotope ratios distinct from the local Icelandic values. For future research, the local values in Norway, the British Isles, Ireland and the Faeroes will be used to try and isolate the places from where these migrant individuals came. In combination with oxygen and lead isotopes we hope to be able to constrain possible places of birth. For the moment, however, we will focus on identifying migrants to Iceland.

The human remains from Iceland burials A typical Icelandic pre-Christian Viking burial place is located on a low piece of land, on a low rise or a small bank. They are normally found some distance from settlement sites, either just outside the home-fields, at settlement boundaries or along ancient roads or tracks (Fridriksson 2004). The burials take three main forms, mounds, graves or a combination of the two, a shallow grave with a low mound on top. All burials are inhumations; cremation

136 htti yeo uilblnst h rtfwcnuisfloigtestlmn fIceland. of settlement the following centuries few century first eleventh the theory the to the supporting belongs of comm.) burial middle pers. of the Church type M. predate this comm.; age that them pers. Viking Heinemeier of the J. none of & that Arneborg five (J. show from dates sample radiocarbon this unpublished cent) in per yet burials (26.1 As 12 these goods. of grave goods, grave datable with had burials other with associated were or goods grave n13 ytete tt niura Matth antiquarian state excavated then was Skeljastadir the at by cemetery The 1939 goods. in grave in buried associated were no bodies with the position where supine burials, a orientated east–west with cemetery a by surrounded burials Christian rectangular. often are but form, in round or and oval long 150-200cm be typically can measure graves They The unknown. are graves novn h xaaino ih al am nThj in farms early eight of excavation the involving Thj in Skeljastadir cemeteries, two from Haffj come in Haffjardarey burials Christian The (Eldj period time end this the to towards settlement first until the century from ninth burial date the of to and considered traditionally 4 is Table Iceland 14 in in and period provided 2 is between burials of groups these inhumations. burial on double several information from from locationsareshowninFigure3. sex skeletons skeletons and 3 both Age to included individuals. 1 6 include and remainder inhumations, The well single these Of http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/price). are were at cent 4 14 (Table per study this 30 (Gestsd for male about female sampled are cent were are these per cent 68 Of approximately per adults; skeletons. are 32 burials 182 the and of of cent per total 90 than a More preserved. and individuals burials five individual than 316 more excavated been contain has sites which burial there these excavated although of grave six 2004). burials largest (Fridriksson the only The single individuals; sometimes sites. commonly burial eleven but unknown most multiple are has rare, are of which are graves instances features coffins all Viking some bent, are Wooden stones. legs Iceland. with the in outlined with side, burials is one Christian on later lie goods, to in grave (Fridriksson tends some body locations with the usually the unremarkable in north–south, and the orientated unobtrusiveness frequently and their are mounds, graves is Viking non-existent 2004). Iceland the or for in low reason graves main the Viking The landscape, of excavation. controlled discovery number to small accidental subject very primarily a been Only have investigated. that graves when means undisturbed disturbed This been of development. have other graves or the building of majority road the erosion, (Eldj soil 50cm by about exposed finds, is chance average the but 20-100cm, from ftenntet etr ealteeoino h ie(J decades site last the the of from erosion Records the excavation. detail the century nineteenth before the disturbed of badly been had cemetery nsm ntne hr sn la aigeiec o hs uil.Tepre-Christian The burials. these for evidence dating clear no is there instances some In with sites, burial age Viking pre-Christian known 157 least at are there today Iceland In ru.Bt fteeaeeceisia ie ihsalchurches small with sites ecclesiastical are these of Both ordur. ¨ r 00.O h kltn nti td,3 8. e et had cent) per (82.6 38 study, this in skeletons the Of 2000). arn ´ c . D10 n aal rv od rmecvtdstsalbelong all sites excavated from goods grave datable and 1000 AD .DulsPie&H Gestsd H. & Price Douglas T. ti 98) oa f4 kltn rm3 locations 36 from skeletons 46 of total A 1998b). ottir ´ 137 ´ a Th ıas c . 0mwd.Tedpho h rvsvaries graves the of depth The wide. 50cm rasn sapr faNri project Nordic a of part a as ordarson, ´ r 00.Vkn uil r usually are burials Viking 2000). arn ´ ors ´ ottir ´ rau (Th ardalur ´ nsn18) klatdri not is Skeljastadir 1885). onsson ´ rasn14) The 1943). ordarson ´ ors ´ rau and ardalur ´

Method The first settlers of Iceland

Figure 3. The location of sites with burials used in this study. mentioned in any documentary sources, but the oral tradition indicates that the cemetery hadservedalloftheThjors´ ardalur´ (Jonsson´ 1885). There is no dating evidence for when Skeljastadir cemetery first came into use, but it is likely that burials there ceased when Thjors´ ardalur´ was abandoned due to the AD 1104 eruption of Mt Hekla (Thorarinsson´ 1968). However, more recent studies at Stong,¨ a nearby settlement, suggest activities there into the thirteenth century (Vilhjalmsson´ 1988). The nature of the burials and the fact that there is little or no superpositioning of the graves suggests that the cemetery was not in use for a very long period, perhaps no more than 100 years or so, c. AD 1000-1104 (Thordarson´ 1943). Fifty-six skeletons from the cemetery at Skeljastadir are preserved in the Icelandic National Museum, and 33 of these were sampled for this project (Table 4, see http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/price). The ageing and sexing of the skeletons from Skeljastadir was carried out by Gestsdottir´ (1998a). The earliest documented reference to the cemetery in Haffjardarey dates to 1223. It was probably in use for approximately four centuries, c. AD 1200-1563 (Steffensen 1945). The island where the site is located is severely affected by erosion. Sources from the early eight- eenth century mention exposure of human skeletal remains in the cemetery (Magnusson´ & V´ıdal´ın 1933: 45). Bones were first taken from the cemetery in Haffjardarey in 1905, when Vilhjalmur´ Stefansson´ removed at least 50 skulls that lay on the surface and carried them

138 eesmldadaelse nTbe4 on thttp://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/price. at found 4, Table in listed are from and skeletons sampled the were of of use sexing Gestsd of by and period out ageing carried the The any was in from. Haffjardarey of when date known excavated lack large not skeletons how The is the it determine 1945). cemetery that the (Steffensen to means represents difficult excavation the this is from population it evidence dating original that the means of 1945 the proportion of in erosion excavation a the the of extent to The prior individuals. 58 cemetery represents collection total the so individuals, Results a excavated They Museum. National Icelandic 24 the bones of in removing total J today students are medical 1945. that of cemetery in records Haffjardarey also site are There the States. from United the to him with order. rank in burials Iceland from ratios isotope Strontium 4. Figure nmlsmlsfo 0idvdaswr esrdfor measured were individuals 90 from samples Enamel r .Temjrt fteidvdasfl ewe h oetvlea .060adsample and 0.705620 at value lowest the between fall individuals the of majority The 4. ure is measurements ratio used. isotope 4. Table were the in listed teeth on are error other enamel dental standard cases human maximum those the The of in analysis and isotope strontium removed the not of results were The bone molars alveolar first the avoided; when were in sampled traits was remaining non-metric molar or first lesions The pathological individuals. cent), displaying indeterminate Teeth per 4 possible. (60 and males 54 cent) included per total (36 The females sampled. 32 were older, or age of years 18 individuals, h itiuino h eut,odrdfo oett ihs au,i rsne nFig- in presented is value, highest to lowest from ordered results, the of distribution The nsitu in kltn n,i diin eoe oe ersniga es 4other 34 least at representing bones removed addition, in and, skeletons nSefne n Kristj and Steffensen on ´ .DulsPie&H Gestsd H. & Price Douglas T. ti 20) oa f1 kltn rmHaffjardarey from skeletons 10 of total A (2004). ottir ´ 139 nEldj an ´ ottir ´ 87 Sr/ r xaae oe rmthe from bones excavated arn ´ 86 ri hssuy nyadult Only study. this in Sr − + 0.000009.

Method The first settlers of Iceland

81 0.709325. There is a clear break between samples 81 and 82 (at 0.709722) and a sharp upward turn in the curve for the last nine samples. It seems clear that these highest nine values belong to individuals who migrated to Iceland from elsewhere. It is also important to note that the values of these nine individuals are not consistent with a single place of origin. The values range from 0.7097 to 0.7119. These nine values fall into at least four groups, indicating that these migrants to Iceland came from several different places. It is also the case that there are no sources of strontium isotopes in Icelandic foods greater than the value for seawater (0.7092). Thus, any individuals with ratios above that value are likely migrants. That would include four more of the highest values (all above 0.7092) and indicate that 13 of the 90 individuals in the sample (14.4 per cent) probably moved to Iceland from elsewhere. Thus the 87Sr/86Sr data indicate that at least nine and probably 13 individuals in our study moved to Iceland from other places. Twelve of the 13 individuals identified as migrants were from the earliest period of occupation. Seven of these migrants were male, five were female, and one was indeterminate. Given the high proportion of males in the total sample, females are slightly higher than expected among the migrant individuals. These burials come from the sites of Alaugarey,´ Nesjahreppur, Skaftafellssysla´ (AEY-A-1); Kornholl,´ (SVE-B-1); Hr´ıfunes, Skaftartunguhreppur,´ Skaftartungus´ ysla´ (HRS-A-2); three individuals from S´ılastadir, Glæsibæjarhreppur, Eyjafjardarsysla´ (SSG-A-1, SSG-A-3 & SSG-A-4), Hafurbjarnarstadir, Midneshreppur, Gullbringu- og Kjosars´ ysla´ (HBS-A-6), Skardstangi, Merkurhraun, Rangarvallas´ ysla´ (MEH-A-1), Draflastadir, Halsahreppur,´ Sudur-Thingeyjarsysla´ (DSH- A-1), Dalv´ık, Dalv´ıkurhreppur, Eyjafjardarsysla´ (DAV-A-9), Kroppur, Hrafnagilshreppur, Eyjafjardarsysla´ (KRE-A-1) and Bru,´ Jokulsdalhreppur,¨ Arness´ ysla´ (BAJ-A-1). With the exception of Merkurhraun, all of these skeletons are from burials associated with grave goods. In the case of Alaugarey,´ S´ılastadir, Hafurbjarnarstadir, Dalv´ık and Kroppur these are datable grave-goods, including swords, spears, axes, broaches (oval, trefoil and penannular), a ringed pin, beads and a comb, all dating to the tenth century (Eldjarn´ 2000). In addition, there is an unpublished radiocarbon date from Bru,´ dating it to the tenth century (J. Arneborg & J. Heinemeier pers. comm.). The only Christian burial is from the cemetery at Skeljastadir, Arness´ ysla´ (ÞSK-A-39). This has been radiocarbon dated to the late tenth-early eleventh century (J. Arneborg & J. Heinemeier pers. comm.) The range of variation within the local Iceland individuals from 0.7056 to 0.7092 is also of interest. As we have noted, there is a continuous gradation from lowest to highest across these values seen in Figure 4. This range extends from a value close to that measured for the lowest modern sheep on Iceland to the value for seawater. The sheep is clearly eating a terrestrial diet; the highest local Icelandic values almost certainly reflect a diet very high in marine foods. The continuous gradation observed in the local values likely reflects differences in diet along a range from largely terrestrial to largely marine. Such variation could be due to changes in diet over time on Iceland or to site location, whether inland or coastal. There is a fascinating study of human diet on Greenland during this same period (Arneborg et al. 1999). Climatic changes over the last 1400 years revealed in Greenland ice cores document periods of warmer and colder conditions than today (Dansgaard et al. 1975). The expansion of the Vikings across the North Atlantic coincided with the Medieval

140 sstlmn spsil ihnIead hl afadryi oae nasaliln along island small a on inland located is far Haffjardarey as while situated Iceland, is within possible cemetery is Skeljastadir settlement The as 6). (Figure although Haffjardarey inland and Skeljastadir be to tend well. values as terrestrial pattern More this areas. to exceptions inland from. are the there originate in samples values although the two coast of the are on most there primarily where found strontium are areas north, diet) the (seawater/marine the the and 0.7092 to reflecting approaching sea Values areas likely three the most ratio. in to west, cluster isotope clearly distance and values and south, the migrant between location highest nine correlation site The a signature. between isotope is relationship there supports the instances values most shows isotope In strontium 5 the Figure of hypothesis. distribution so this spatial 1200 The AD ratios. isotope to begun. strontium prior yet not period Icelandic probably the the had from of conditions come climatic case of burials the deterioration dated In the the that Norse. of the fifteenth all the by of however, abandoned middle individuals, the and completely By period. conditions was collagen this cooler during Greenland bone diet human century of marine from to evidence time terrestrial from isotope a shift carbon a The documents shows 1300. however, AD Age, after harvests Ice declining Little The Period. Warm legend. the in shown is symbols the to Key range. by ratios isotope Strontium 5. Figure hsrltosi spriual biu nacmaio ftetoCrsincemeteries, Christian two the of comparison a in obvious particularly is relationship This Icelandic local the in values of range the for explanation better a be may Location .DulsPie&H Gestsd H. & Price Douglas T. 141 ottir ´

Method The first settlers of Iceland

the west coast. This means that the diet of the people buried in these two locations is likely to have been drastically different, as is reflected in the results of the results of the strontium analysis. The ten skeletons analysed from Haffjardarey have all a strontium isotope signature above 0.7078, towards the higher end of the range for Iceland, suggesting that their diet was mainly marine based. Of the Skeljastadir material, 24 (72.7 per cent) have a strontium isotope signature under 0.7075, or towards the lower end of the Figure 6. Distribution of strontium isotope ratios (marine vs normal range, suggesting that their diet terrestrial) in the Skeljastadir and Haffjardarey cemeteries. was mainly terrestrial based. Of the rest of the Skeljastadir skeletons, 8 (24.2 per cent) have enamel values indicating that their diet during childhood was mainly marine based. These individuals may have moved to the interior from the coast. All of these individuals were consuming some marine food, based on the strontium isotope evidence, but most of the diet must have been terrestrial.

Conclusions and future research The results of our initial study of strontium isotopes and human migration during the colonisation of Iceland are quite promising. Strontium isotopes have indicated between nine and 13 individuals as migrants among the 90 individuals measured in this study. The ability to identify migrants to Iceland is the primary contribution of our study. The evidence also indicates that these migrants are among the earliest settlers and came from several different places. The data are also interesting in that they show a range of diet from terrestrial to marine among the early inhabitants of Iceland. This diet appears to correlate in part with site location (coast vs. inland), but there are a number of exceptions that might be related to individuals moving up country from the coast or vice versa within Iceland. These data also indicate that marine foods were very important to the population and that some marine foods were eaten in inland locations as well. The strontium isotope data from ancient humans and modern sheep also show an interesting offset from the geological values reported from Iceland that we are investigating.

Acknowledgements The collaboration of the authors began at the North Atlantic Biocultural Organization [NABO] conference that took place in Iceland in 1999. A number of individuals and institutions helped to make this study possible. Tom McGovern provided the initial impetus for our meeting and is the guru behind NABO. The National Museum of Iceland gave permission for the sampling of Icelandic skeletal remains. Sigurdur Sigurdsson at the Chief Veterinary Office at Keldur provided modern sheep samples from Iceland. Niels Oskarsson´ at the Nordic Volcanological Institute assisted with the sampling in Iceland. Oscar Aldred at the Institute of Archaeology, Iceland created the maps. Jette Arneborg provided samples from Greenland. Jane Evans, Svend Pedersen, Mike Church and Jan Heinemeier provided essential isotopic information. Paul Fullager as usual provided

142 ar,G. Faure, G. Faure, rdiso,A. Fridriksson, ud . .Mngmr,J vn,C Chenery C. Evans, J. Montgomery, J. P., Budd, uwl,AJ,TG oi,MF Bruce, M.F. Cowie, T.G. A.J., Dunwell, A.P. Dickin, reog . .Hieee,N ynrp H.L. Lynnerup, N. Heinemeier, J. J., Arneborg, ete,A,TD rc,J L J. Price, T.D. A., Bentley, J. Benediktsson, asar,W,SJ one,N Reeh, N. Johnsen, S.J. W., Dansgaard, zo . .Johnson C. J., Ezzo, Eldj A onaino h SadteIeadcCnr o eerhpoie h udn o uho hsstudy. this of much References for Science funding National the provided The Research comments. for Centre helpful Icelandic the very and made US reviewers the of anonymous Foundation Two data. sample well-measured ˚ eg . .Fosse G. G., berg, ´ geology Sons. & Wiley John NY: 3 799-804. 43: skeletons. Neolithic early isotope in strontium Europe: in migration Prehistoric Science Arizona. study east-central case from a migration: prehistoric on perspectives Neighbour T. Press. University Cambridge Cambridge: ile,N Raud N. 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