Argisbrekka

When the electricity company SEV had to dam Lake Eiðisvatn in 1986 as a water reservoir, it led to a major archaeological investigation of an area at Argisbrekka, where 22 small buildings made of turf were uncovered. Carbon 14 dating from the investigations shows that the shieling activity at Argisbrekka began during the 9th century and ended in the middle of the 11th century.

Shieling was part of the Landnam farming practices at this time, where, like in Norway, people stayed on the ærgi (mountain pasture) in the summer with the livestock.

Before Eiðisvatn was dammed in connection with the establishment of a hydropower the Norse settlements in Ireland and plant, archaeological remains of a shieling from the Viking Age were found on Argisbrekka. Since then, a study of sediments at the bottom of Eiðisvatn has dated the arrival of sheep and thus people to around the year 500.

Further reading

• 1536-1850 on the Faroe Islands
• 1850-1920 on the Faroe Islands
• 1920-1970 on the Faroe Islands
• 1970-2007 on the Faroe Islands
• Ancient times on the Faroe Islands
• Population trends on the Faroe Islands from 1327-2022
• The middle ages on the Faroe Islands
• The viking age on the Faroe Islands

Read more about History on the Faroe Islands