English and Hanseatic Trading and Fishing in Medieval Iceland

Location

Research focuses on the south coast of Iceland, the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the West Fjords. Most of medieval trading and fishing activities took place in these areas due to the proximity of rich fishing grounds.

History

Since the first settlement around 871 strong trading links connected Iceland with northern Europe. During the later middle ages, in particular, the ready availability of fish, wool and sulphur formed the basis for trading contacts with England and the German Hanse. Iceland played an important role in the economic history of northern Europe, despite the fact that only about 50.000 people were living there during the late middle ages. A number of trading places and fishing settlements were established along the coasts of Iceland which during the 15th and 16th century were used by English and Hanseatic merchants. Many of those places are mentioned in Icelandic, English and German medieval documents. In most of these cases it was uncertain whether traces of those sites still existed and where those ruins were located.

Icelandic sources mention English fishermen for the first time in 1412. By the late 15th century some hundred English vessels sailed to Iceland annually, mainly departing from the ports of East Anglia. Most of the fishermen stayed in little settlements erected for that purpose. Reason enough for Icelandic historians to call the 15th century the "English Age". Soon also Hanseatic vessels were sent to Iceland and in the 16th century the Hanseatic League took control of trade with Iceland.

The strong presence of the English and Germans during the 15th and 16th century has left many traces on Iceland. We can find them not only in the landscape, but also in society, economy and culture. Isländische Schriftquellen berichten erstmals im Jahr 1412 von englischen Fischern. Bereits im späten 15. Jahrhundert segelten jährlich mehrere hundert englische Fischerboote nach Island, die meisten davon aus den Häfen von East Anglia. Viele der Fischer blieben während ihres Aufenthalts in eigens errichteten kleinen Siedlungen: Dort brachten sie den Fang an Land, zerteilten die Fische und trockneten sie für den Export. Grund genug für die isländische Geschichtsschreibung, das 15. Jahrhundert das "Englische Zeitalter" zu nennen. Bald jedoch begann die Hanse, ihre Schiffe nach Island auszusenden. Nach und nach brachte sie den Handel in ihre Hand und dominierte schließlich im 16. Jahrhundert alle Aktivitäten dieser Art. Die starke Präsenz der Engländer und Hanseaten im 15. und 16. Jahrhundert hat deutliche Spuren auf Island hinterlassen. Wir finden diese Spuren nicht nur im Gelände. Letztendlich standen auch Gesellschaft, Wirtschaft und Kultur stark unter diesem Einfluss.  

Objectives

The project which began in 2006 focuses on the identification of trading and fishing sites and their exploration. The main research questions concern the settlement structures, their inhabitants, the traded goods, the extent of trade, the changing character from English to German dominance and the organisation of trade between Icelanders and northern Europeans.

 

History of Research

Daniel Bruun and Finn Jónsson had investigated the trading site of Gásir in Eyjarfjord, northern Iceland in 1907. Gásir played an important role in the international trade during the 14th century and is mentioned in a number of written sources. Today many ruins of small earthen booths are still visible. Large-scale excavations directed by the Icelandic Institute of Archaeology have been taking place at Gásir since 2001. (http://www.instarch.is/rannsoknir/uppgroftur/gasir/uppgroftur%5F2001%2D2004/).

Another well known trading site is that of Gautavík in the east of Iceland. Here trade mainly took place during the 15th and 16th century. The excavations carried out in 1979-1981 showed that also the ruins of Gautavík consisted of a number of small adjacent booths which were in use only temporarily.

The picture of a "typical Icelandic trading site" was created on basis of those two trading sites. It was argued that such sites consisted of small booths made of turf, lying side by side and stretching over a large area of land. Recent investigations have however raised doubts about that picture. During this research a number of other trading sites were discovered. Their structures differ considerably in size and shape.  

Previous Activities

During two survey campaigns in 2006 and 2007 several late medieval trading and fishing sites were located and documented in the southwest of Iceland (Reykjanes peninsula), the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the West Fjords (Vestfir_ir). These sites were found through the interdisciplinary work using medieval documents, historical maps and place names.
 

Current Work

In 2008 a third survey campaign will investigate the northern coast of Iceland in search of other trading and fishing sites. In August we plan to excavate the trading place of Kumbaravogur, located on the northern side of Snæfellsnes peninsula.  

Methods

By analysing place names, medieval documents and historical maps we have searched for the up-standing remains of English and Hanseatic trading and fishing sites and have recorded them. This requires detailed studies of written documents, as well as detailed survey in all parts of coastal Iceland. The ruins themselves are recorded using a differential GPS. Selected sites will be excavated as part of this research.  

Results

Preliminary results have shown that besides the "typical" Icelandic trading site, a number of other sites existed which differ fundamentally from the ruins of Gásir or Gautavík. This can clearly be seen, for example, in the remains of Kumbaravogur, located at the northern side of Snæfellsnes peninsula. Kumbaravogur was a trading site frequented by merchants of Bremen and Oldenburg during the 15th and 16th century. The site consists not only of small booths but larger buildings, a boat house and an enclosure. The site of Bú_arhamar near Stakkhamar, on the south coast of Snæfellsnes peninsula, consists of large buildings and boat houses. In Brei_avik (West Fjords) ruins of an especially well preserved fishing site have been recorded. A number of buildings are situated directly on the shore and are threatened by erosion. Each year up to 50 cm of soil are lost into the sea. The excavation and documentation of this settlement before its final loss is another goal of this project. 

Cooperation

Department of Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queen´s University Belfast Fornleifastofnun Íslands (Icelandic Institute of Archaeology)  

Contact

 Natascha Mehler M.A.

Frühgeschichte
Telefon: +43 1 4277-40457
Email: natascha.mehler@univie.ac.at

Further Contact Partners

Dr. Mark Gardiner (http://www.qub.ac.uk/arcpal/staff/m_gardiner.htm) m.gardiner@qub.ac.uk

Bibliography

Mark Gardiner, Coasts Cold. The archaeology of fishing and trading sites in Iceland. Current World Archaeology 19, 2006, 49-55. Mark Gardiner / Natascha Mehler, English and Hanseatic Trading and Fishing Sites in Medieval Iceland: Report on Initial Fieldwork. Germania 85/2, 2007 (im Druck). Natascha Mehler, Fisch und Schwefel: Handelsstreit im hohen Norden. Archäologie in Deutschland 1, 2007, 56-57.