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| Þóra Pétursdóttir
Icelandic Viking Age Graves: Lack in Material – lack of Interpretation?
Pre-Christian graves have long been objects of archaeological research in Iceland.However, despite the amount of research devoted to this material it is arguable that the graves themselves have rarely been the actual focus.More often grave goods and morphological aspects have been used to throw light on other issues, such as the landnám, origins, trade and economic conditions.This focus, followed by an emphasis on comparative research, has led to a reluctance to see the material on its own terms, and a tendency to believe that it is somehow deficient, and hence holds scant informative/interpretive potential.This paper argues that the proclaimed poorness of the material is rather a result of this approach, and that a change of focus may reveal otherwise.