Hrísbrú is the name of a Viking period farmstead, located in the Mosfell valley of Iceland a few kilometers from Reykjavik. The site includes a traditional Viking Age longhouse dated ~790-1100 AD, a church and associated cemetery (ca 1000 AD), and pagan cremation site. It is believed to represent one of the highest status residences of the Viking period on Iceland.
Hrísbrú Chiefly Residence
The longhouse measures 28 meters long, one of the largest Viking Age longhouses excavated in Iceland to date. Excavations conducted by the Mosfell Archaeological Project have recovered plentiful imported glass beads, tin-based bronze and iron objects. All of those exotic objects would have been imported for the use of the Viking chiefs. In addition, Hrísbrú is mentioned as a chief's residence in several medieval sagas.
Hrísbrú is today a working farmstead and village and it has been occupied steadily since the 9th century AD; but the longhouse floor was discovered approximately 1 meter below the modern ground level, and it is in a state of remarkable preservation.
Sources
This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to the Viking Age and the Dictionary of Archaeology.
See the Mosfell Archaeolgoical Project for more information about Hrisbru.
Wärmländer SKTS, Zori D, Byock J, and Scott DA. 2010. Metallurgical findings from a Viking Age chieftain's farm in Iceland. Journal of Archaeological Science 37(9):2284-2290.
