Research Plan
Research plan
The plan presumes that sources on ancient assembly sites and assembly practices will be examined. The old site of the Alþing, the general assembly, will be thoroughly measured, the condition of relics at the assembly site will be examined and a digital map of the place will be produced. Modern technology will be utilized in order to throw new light on ancient assembly practices.
Archaeological remains not visible on the surface will be
traced by ground penetrating radar surveys. Excavations will be restricted to selected places, in order to minimize surface disturbance of the assembly site. Excavation trenches at the assembly site and Spöngin, from the year 1879, will be re-opened, together with ditches dug in 1957 for underground installations, on the eastern bank of the Öxará river. When the results of surface examinations are at hand, other excavation areas will be selected, thoroughly charted and then examined in part by excavation.
The next four years, excavations are estimated to last eight weeks each summer. 10 persons will work on the excavations each summer, while two to three will be occupied with processing and preparations the whole year.
Although for now research will be concentrated on the assembly site itself, scientists are of the opinion that various other places in the Þingvellir area should be examined. For instance, they are interested in examining archaeological remains in the close vicinity of the Þingvellir house and church, which for example might reveal earlier foundations of the church. Furthermore, scientists believe it would be worthwhile to investigate the condition of relics in the area, examine erosion in ruins or damage caused by tree plantation. They also find it necessary to record relics found in the whole Þingvellir area, thus acquiring a complete map of all archaeological remains. This would be of help when planning preservation, development and other activities in the national park. Such research is of course scientifically valuable, as well as adding to the general knowledge of the history of the place.
