Journey to the Center of the Earth: REVEALing a Subterranean Landscape of Fear in the North Atlantic

这项提案寻求急切的资金，在北部独一无二的考古遗址苏图尔洞穴的地下环境中，测试由布朗大学工程学院开发的一种新的三维地图和遗址记录产品--REVIEW。苏特谢利尔被中世纪的冰岛人以维京时代的北欧殖民者认为会带来世界毁灭的火焰巨人的名字命名。中世纪的文献描述了维京时代的酋长们为了抚慰苏尔特谢利尔的这位烈火巨人而旅行，后来又为了击败据说在洞穴中避难的歹徒而旅行。13世纪的资料描述了12世纪40年代酋长在这个洞穴内实施的残害和报复的残酷政治行为。这些和其他参考资料表明，苏尔特谢利尔可能是冰岛最令人畏惧的地方，但也是与中世纪冰岛的社会恢复行动有关的地方？S酋长。因此，了解这一独特的遗址有可能为冰岛-S复杂的土著社会中领导人的神圣和社会角色提供新的见解。所有这些都位于冰岛最长的熔岩洞穴的深处。

This proposal seeks EAGER funding to test REVEAL, a new 3-dimensional mapping and site documentation product developed by Brown University's School of Engineering, in the challenging subterranean environment of Surtshellir, (Surtur's cave), a unique archaeological site in the North. Surtshellir was named by medieval Icelanders for the fire-giant that Viking Age Norse colonists believed would bring about the destruction of the world. Medieval texts describe Viking Age chieftains traveling to propitiate this fire-giant in Surtshellir and, later, to defeat outlaws said to have taken refuge in the cave. Thirteenth century sources describe brutal political acts of mutilation and revenge carried out by chieftains inside this cave during the 1240s. These and other references suggest that Surtshellir may have beenthe most feared place in Iceland, but also a location linked to acts of social restoration by medieval Iceland?s chieftains. Understanding this unique site therefore has the potential to provide new insights into the sacred and social roles of leaders within Iceland?s complex indigenous society. Preliminary work inside Surtshellir in 2001 documented that it contains (1) one of the best-preserved Viking Age structures in the world, (2) a massive dry-stone wall, and (3) a pile of domestic animal bones, crushed, chopped, burned and thrown from the structure deeper into the cave. All are located deep within this, Iceland's longest lava cave. Now, we intend to use REVEAL to gain new information on the unique deposits inside Surtshellir and to use this opportunity to test REVEAL's ability to document archaeological features within the logistically challenging environments of subterranean and interior spaces, where it may be able to make its greatest contributions. Further, as the archaeological remains in Surtshellir cave are actively endangered through unregulated tourism and are threatened by the inevitable collapse of the cave in which they are located, this project will provide critical documentation and tools for the site's protection and long-term management by the Icelandic Archaeological Heritage Agency (Fornleifavernd Ríkisins) and the National Museum of Iceland (Þjóðminjasafn Íslands), both of which are partners in this research.