This document discusses the ecodynamics of early modern Iceland using archaeological evidence. It challenges the narrative of Iceland as a rigid, static society overwhelmed by natural disasters in the 17th-18th centuries. Archaeological findings reveal local and regional adaptation, entrepreneurial fisher-farmer communities, and signs of agricultural improvement even at bishop manors. As the environment changed, settlement patterns shifted from inland cattle grazing to more coastal fishing. While climate impacts were real, Iceland showed resilience, and its economy has since transformed, demonstrating the complexity of human-environment interactions over the long term.

1. Ecodynamics of Modernity &Vulnerability in the Early Modern World George Hambrecht (City University of New York) Gavin Lucas (University of Iceland)

2. Environmental Historical Archaeology Archaeobotany, Archaeoentomology, Geoarchaeology, Zooarchaeology Environmental reconstruction Widespread climate impact Widespread human economic impact Local + regional

3. Early Modern Iceland

4. Early Modern Archaeological Sites Hornbrekka

5. Lakagigar – Famine of the Mist Early Modern Iceland – hostile geology Catastrophe in Iceland but effects elsewhere as well?

6. Other unpleasant parts of 18th century Iceland

7. An ossified society? Dominated by a landowning farming class who created legal barriers to reform Short-term tenancy + primitive agriculture Lack of fencing Lack of plows Lack of fertilizer Restriction on Fishing Laws against numbers of hooks per line + number of oars allowed (keeping the boats small)

8. The early modern Icelandic‘vulnerability + rigidity’ narrative Early modern Iceland as a static society in the 17th and 18th centuries. Trapped in a medieval mindset & overwhelmed by natural disaster and oppressive elites ‘obvious’ solutions to their economic problems ignored- labor mis-allocated (cows not fish) ‘Prisoners of Culture’ Rigidity trap? Poverty trap?

9. ‘Obvious’ solutions? Enlightenment criticisms Lack of Agricultural improvement Lack of intensified fishing projects Underdeveloped wool production

10. The view from Archaeology Regional and local adaptation Marine resources increase inland-Skutustadir When you have sea-ice – have seal for dinner….Svalbard Poor but entrepreneurial fisher-farmers at Finnbogastadir

11. Centers of Rigidity? Two Bishops manors at Holar (N) and Skalholt (S) founded ca 1100 AD Medieval institutions with long histories MAJOR land owners, esp. of prime grazing land Inland sites with little direct access to the sea- all about pastures and cattle.

12. Elite Agricultural improvement Attempts at barley growing in the late 17th century at Skalholt Literacy and International contacts Bishop’s (hornless) cows a novel more ‘modern’ look? Enlightenment sense of the plasticity of nature

13. Skalholt: excavations 2002-07 A changing ‘habitus’ Zooarchaeology Beef production Dairy Farming Architectural change Modernized gable s “Street like” central axis Planned village like lay out Literacy- printing press Imported ceramics, fruit, wine Massive place based investment in landesque capital and ideology But: t he bishop/cathedral move to Reykjavik after a major earthquake in 1784

14. Skalholt to Reykjavik : Cows to Fish Cameralist political-economics Paternalistic Market production Industrial stimulus Weaving company Commercial fish processing Provisioning of workers Administrative center in 1786

15. Skalholt to Reykjavik: Concentric to Polycentric Settlement spaces

16. Iceland today 2007 UN report ranks Iceland top for best quality of life on the planet (in the subarctic too!). 190,000 of 300,000 live in greater Reykjavik Imported Kiwi Fruit + Banking Disaster…… The story continues, but not as total tragedy

17. Different data – different story Historical Archaeology reveals a society with great resilience in the face of exceptionally bad climatic and environmental conditions Rigidity trap?- or backloop beginning?

18. Early Modern Archaeology & Global Environmental History: Challenging Simple Stories Together Material culture + the participants voice High resolution environmental data Local to regional to global scale Longue durée and human life spans Mobilizing the Ecodynamics of Modernity for Sustainability

19. CUNY Human Ecodynamics Research Center (HERC) www.nabohome.org, www.gheahome.org