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<p>Transhumance is believed to have been brought to Iceland by settlers in the late 9th century and practiced countrywide until its abandonment around <span>ad</span> 1900. Domestic animals were herded to shielings during the summers to utilise outfields for grazing and to spare the infields for winter fodder production. Most palaeoecological research in Iceland has been focused on infields, while less emphasis has been placed on outfields, such as shieling areas. This paper aims to increase our understanding of the environmental trajectories related to the operation of shielings. The results of palaeoecological research at two shieling sites in Svarfaðardalur valley, northern Iceland, are presented. Palynology, lithology and tephrochronology are applied to understand past vegetation and associated environmental changes occurring over the last 2,000&#xa0;years. An open birch woodland was present at both sites prior to human settlement of Svarfaðardalur, with human presence detected from ca. <span>ad</span> 900. At Selhjalli, an expansion of grassland and decline in most other taxa suggest intensive grazing activities, while at Sel selective removal of birch may have resulted in a short-lived expansion of willow shrubland. Indications of grazing at Sel were detected around <span>ad</span> 1050, about 250&#xa0;years prior to the construction of the shieling structures. Following a new ecological equilibrium adjusted to grazing, heathland vegetation developed, suggesting reduced management of pasture and possible abandonment of the shielings. This happened shortly after <span>ad</span> 1350 at Selhjalli and may be attributed to plague, while at Sel a corresponding development is recorded in the 19th century.</p>

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Shielings and their surroundings: the palaeoenvironment of two shielings in Svarfaðardalur, northern Iceland

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月7日

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  • Snædís Sunna Thorlacius,
  • Egill Erlendsson,
  • Susanne Claudia Möckel,
  • Elín Ósk Hreiðarsdóttir,
  • Árni Daníel Júlíusson

摘要

Transhumance is believed to have been brought to Iceland by settlers in the late 9th century and practiced countrywide until its abandonment around ad 1900. Domestic animals were herded to shielings during the summers to utilise outfields for grazing and to spare the infields for winter fodder production. Most palaeoecological research in Iceland has been focused on infields, while less emphasis has been placed on outfields, such as shieling areas. This paper aims to increase our understanding of the environmental trajectories related to the operation of shielings. The results of palaeoecological research at two shieling sites in Svarfaðardalur valley, northern Iceland, are presented. Palynology, lithology and tephrochronology are applied to understand past vegetation and associated environmental changes occurring over the last 2,000 years. An open birch woodland was present at both sites prior to human settlement of Svarfaðardalur, with human presence detected from ca. ad 900. At Selhjalli, an expansion of grassland and decline in most other taxa suggest intensive grazing activities, while at Sel selective removal of birch may have resulted in a short-lived expansion of willow shrubland. Indications of grazing at Sel were detected around ad 1050, about 250 years prior to the construction of the shieling structures. Following a new ecological equilibrium adjusted to grazing, heathland vegetation developed, suggesting reduced management of pasture and possible abandonment of the shielings. This happened shortly after ad 1350 at Selhjalli and may be attributed to plague, while at Sel a corresponding development is recorded in the 19th century.