The archaeology of sustainability in the Faroe Islands

Seth D. Brewington_____________________________________________________________________________________

Graduate School and University Center CUNY, New York

GHEA Open WorkshopUniversity of Maryland4 November 2013

The Faroe Islands

Fowling cliffs

Sea

Outfield

Village (Infield)

Source: Ian Lawson

Source: http://www.maps-of-the-world.com/mappages/Faroe_Islands_map.htm

Mollusk

Fish

Seabird

Mollusk

Fish

Seabird

DomesticatesDomesticates

Source: http://www.maps-of-the-world.com/mappages/Faroe_Islands_map.htm

Argisbrekka

Summary

• Pastoralist economy heavily subsidized with wild resources (e.g. seabirds)

• Successful long-term management of key resources– TEK– Adaptive, localized control

Símun Arge (Føroya Fornminnissavn)Thomas McGovern (Hunter College, CUNY)Andrew Dugmore (University of Edinburgh)Mike Church (Durham University)Julie Bond (University of Bradford)Stephen Dockrill (University of Bradford)Helgi Michelsen (Føroya Fornminnissavn)

This research was made possible by the generous support of the National Science Foundation’s “Arctic Social Sciences Program,” the Leverhulme Trust’s “Landscapes Circum Landnám” project, the “Heart of the Atlantic”

project, and the PSC-CUNY grants program

Special thanks also to the people of Sandur for their enthusiastic support of the excavations at Undir Junkarinsfløtti

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements