TO ICELAND!

with No Comments

Hello all!

This is Justin, I’m a rising senior biochemistry major and your host for our first blog post!

15:50

All of the students and a few faculty have checked in and made it through TSA with no problems! For some of us, flying internationally is a new experience so smoothness throughout the process of getting to Iceland is the goal.

17:08

Charlie, one of the faculty leads, has been stuck in TSA for 45 minutes. A minor setback but the flight boards in 80 minutes so we aren’t too worried!

18:20

Charlie made it to the gate. Everyone is accounted for and we’re on track for boarding at 18:40

18:50

We are not on track as we thought but never late than never. We are boarding now!

20:31? (time zones are weird)

We are 40 minutes into the flight and so far everyone is doing well.

Flight path wise we are right on the border of Canada between Detroit and Toronto. For our first blog post, I thought it would be fun to provide updates at different portions of our trip but Im realizing it’s harder than it looks as we switch back and forth between time zones .

One thing I found both funny and cool is that before takeoff, many in the group pulled out phone apps for measuring altitudes and air pressure. As a group of scientists, there’s no place or limit for curiosity.

Looking at the flight path, we should fly over Greenland. It’s nighttime and very foggy right now so it might be a close call whether we’ll be able to see it well, but fingers crossed. See you all in the next update!

05:00

We just passed over Greenland! For those who aren’t familiar, the name Greenland is very deceptive, as the island is mountainous and entirely covered in snow.

Here are some pictures taken by Joe, another student who you’ll get to know more about throughout the trip. He captured these pictures on his Canon camera (he does really cool photography stuff).

I sat near Joe and Issac (who you’ll also meet) and we were in awe of the landscape. We all agreed that seeing Greenland alone made the trip worth it!

05:53

We only have 38 minutes left of the flight! Most people were asleep for most of the journey, but it looks like the majority of us are awake now.

06:03

30 minutes left. We’ve started to drop altitude slightly, indicating that landing is approaching. If you look at the picture below you’ll notice a bank of clouds. We suspect that the presence of these clouds means there’s land nearby. Iceland might just be hiding behind them!

06:13

20 minutes left! I decided to interview Clayton, another student you’ll meet, to gauge his thoughts and emotions right now. It’s worth mentioning that he has never traveled outside of Ohio and Richmond, Indiana. So many of us have been eagerly awaiting Clayton’s perspective on the flight. Here’s a quote from our conversation:

“The initial takeoff is probably one of the most amazing things I’ve experienced” – Clayton

06:23

Only 10 minutes until landing. We’ve descended about 6000 meters in the last 15 minutes.

Apart from that, there’s nothing new to report.

See you on the ground!

06:33

We’ve landed! And we spotted lots of lupines in bloom. The plan here is for us to get our baggage, and head to the hostel where we will stay for a day before heading to our next destination.

16:00

A few of us are visiting the National Museum of Iceland, while others went on a quest for groceries needed for dinner. Now, here’s a tricky question for you: What do you think these bottles are?

Surprisingly, they are actually chemicals for film processing! Initially, I mistook them for bottles of medicine. It’s fascinating how things can be deceiving at first glance.

We plan to continue exploring until the museum closes in about an hour. Our next update will be back at the hostel!

19:55

Everyone has enjoyed a delicious dinner and we have the rest of the night to relax before embarking on our 7-hour road trip to our next destination.

Seth, Charlie, and Porter teamed up to cook pasta and it was amazing! We also had salad on the side with a dressing from Stevie, another student who you’ll meet. Stevie spoke very highly of this dressing during our car ride and I can confirm that it lived up to its reputation!

With dinner taken care of, we can now retreat to our rooms and unwind before hitting the road tomorrow morning. We’re excited about the many opportunities we’ll have to explore the stunning landscapes and wonders Iceland has to offer.

Thank you for joining me on our first day and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

When You Give A Classic’s Major a Blog Post (on the same day they see an archaeological dig)

with No Comments

Camping is always an adventure, even if said camping is in a schoolhouse.

The schoolhouse in Stöd is both clean and cozy, with a carpeted little atrium–that has become a kind of common space–and plenty of little nooks and crannies (like the upstairs foosball table, or the little office space I am currently using to write this blog post). Everyone has been impressed with the living situation, enjoying the space to roam and the opportunity to get a little bit of personal space during the quiet moments.

The day started busy, a quick but enjoyable breakfast and then a hop over to the dig site at Stöd. The site has been, thus far, a four-year venture– with multiple hands and great minds involved. The day before, Rannveig expressed that coming to work at the site was like a holiday, she only does it one month out of a year–so, the equivalent of four months of excavation. While four months may not seem like a lot of time, the site itself is exceedingly impressive. I am an Ancient Classics Major with a Medieval Archaeology minor, thus, the dig at Stöd was like walking into a candy store. While this is the first archaeological dig site I have viewed in progress, I have seen the final product of excavations and know a little bit about the process; I was very impressed by the amount the Stöd team had uncovered and how intact a lot of it appeared to be. Yes, the site does look like barebones to the naked eye–however, the number of walls and floors they have excavated and the length is surprising. You can actually imagine the structure there–whereas, there are a lot of sites (mostly older) that just look like a pile of rocks or scattered artifacts.

We were met at the site by Rannveig and Bjarni and educated on the history and rough outline of information about the site. What they have found is that there are the remains of two separate buildings, one bigger and older building and a smaller and newer building built inside the older. It is assumed that whoever created the smaller structure found the ruins of the older and found it more convenient and maybe offered more insulation to build within it. Additionally, the question that hangs in the balance is whether or not it was truly a settlement or just a waypoint (the latter being more common for Vikings to build). This depends on what DNA they find (especially in Midden heaps), if there are remnants of cattle then it is more likely that it is a settlement and not a waypoint.

After we were all caught up we parted ways, separating into teams. We had Porter, Lilli, Jordan, Li, and Mubi working on drones–flying the flight plans and collecting visual data on the site (the first batch of photos were high definition photos which will later be used for a 3-D display of sorts; the second half was with the NRA camera, to help see if there is anything below the surface by capturing the UV light from the plants). Another team (E, Katherine, Joyce, and Sydney) was in charge of the soil samples we collected at Solo. Meanwhile, C ran around answering questions and helping as the Jack-Of-All-Trades and vehicle driver. And I was left to soak up as much information about the site and feed my passion–getting a feel for what a dig looks like, meeting everyone, asking questions, and observing the excavation as it is and what it will hopefully turn into.

 

 

 

Since it was a holiday (Wit Monday, following Pentecost), the Stöd team was not digging today, however, they were available for questions and willing to share information. By about lunchtime I had been shown the artifacts (AMAZING! There are stones, a nail head, a part of an Arabic coin, some beautiful beads, etc.) and I had discussed the finds in their newest test pit (they found a bit of a wall and a hearth); while also asking some basic questions about identification of settlement and what the work looks like on a normal day.


Again, it was a holiday so all the businesses were closed today. Except, there was a wonderful restaurant/gift shop called Brekkan which welcomed us in and served us lunch. It was a fabulous meal! Baked Fish with a cream sauce, fries (or chips), some sweet dark bread, and salad with grapes. It was all delicious and very much appreciated. Everyone at the table had their fill (maybe even a little too much–I certainly felt like I had to be rolled out the door afterward) and sat, very satisfied. 

We came back to the schoolhouse to gather more layers (the wind was biting cold and the sun was just not warm enough to make up for it like our previous nine days) and to split up again. This time Lilli stayed behind to work on uploading the available drone photos, while the rest of the drone team headed back out to take the NRA photos. Soil people stayed behind to continue their diligent work in the dining room area of the schoolhouse kitchen (you gotta do what you gotta do).

I left with the drone group to continue my archaeology observation. I worked for a time creating a (ROUGH) sketch of the site, sitting in the grass and feeling the brisk cold wind. I certainly appreciated the blanket scarf I had picked up after lunch and the warm sun on my back. As I sat I heard unique bird calls, though I was unable to identify where they were coming from and what species was calling out. It is fascinating to observe the variety of birds that live in Iceland, so many species that are different from the ones I am used to in the States (in addition, I’ve grown up in Alabama and Indiana my whole life, which limits my avian knowledge to a limited area).
After sketching, I sat in Rannveig’s “office” (the back of a huge van, with camper chairs and a tiny table). This is where we discussed the different sections of the site (using my sketch as a reference), how it compares to other sites, the work she has done in the past, my research knowledge of Norse raiding and settlement in Ireland, and about the different jobs and activities Rannveig has done or is a part of throughout a year’s time. It is interesting to note, there are several positions open for archaeologists to become consultants for the government or building/electricity organizations, but it lasts about half the year due to weather constrictions.
The drone group finished up around 3:15pm (15:15) and we packed up. We were all eager to take showers in the pool facility and looking forward to taking a dip into the hot tub or swim in the pool. The facilities did not disappoint. We were all able to rinse off and enjoy the hot tub or pool, whichever suited the fancy. I noticed Joyce, Roger, C, Mubi, and Katherine floating around in the pool– while Sydney, E, and Lillian lounged in the hot tub (Rannveig joined the hot tub later–as did most of those swimming in the pool).

It took a bit of encouragement from Sydney to get me out in the open–the wind was still freezing, but this time I was wet from the shower and in a bathing suit. The hot tub appeared way too far away and when I opened the door the first time, and the wind hit me like a wall of ice. E later commented on how it appeared as if watching a cartoon– the door opened, I yelped, and the door was quickly closed again. However, nothing was colder than the 4-6 celsius cold tub. Sydney dipped inside first, staying in long enough for a photo! She later said it was as cold as the glacier runoff she had waded through at Solo (after dipping into the tub myself, I have a newfound appreciation for the determination Sydney, C, Jordan, and Porter had to science that day, at Solo– jeeeeez, it’s cold!). After a bit, most of us at least tried the cold tub– including Lilli, C, Rannveig, and I– which, honestly, really added to the whole swimming in Ice(land) experience.
In a minute, we are going to be treated to Grilled Cheeses and Tomato Soup made by Lilli and Porter. And C has recently collected all the NRA photos and pieced them together–now we wait for the code to be able to adjust the light according to the native plants.
Exciting new developments in Archaeology!!! Hopefully more is revealed as we continue to explore and experiment.

 

 

Today We Hiked Up A Glacier

with No Comments

Yes, you read that right today we hiked up Sólheimajökull glacier in the south of Iceland. After traveling yesterday and staying in Vik, we woke up this morning to the most delightful breakfast. Waffles, fresh warm bread, Icelandic cheese infused butter and smoked trout, with freshly squeezed orange and apple juice was the smell that filled our small hostel here in Vik. Scrambling to get our stuff together, we left Vik at “08:45” on our way to the glacier 45 minutes away, all the while listening to some jamming music from our co-leader of the day Emi.

Arriving at the foot of the glacier we met Gummi and Oddur who helped fit us with crampons and ice axes to look awesome but also to be safe. We hiked a brief distance where we put on our crampons and went through some safety briefings, learning how to walk on the glacier, what not to do and the best places to enjoy its beauty. Then, we started hiking, first together as a full group to get onto the glacier itself and then we split into two, heading in opposite directions around the glacier.

 

Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of the mighty icecap of Mýrdalsjökull and though it is one of the most easily accessible glaciers it is still a difficult climb. Being about 8 km long and 2 km wide, Sólheimajökull is blanketed in ash spots from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 leading there to be black areas all over the glacier, making the most beautiful contrast.

We pushed onto the lower part of the glacier, walking around the deepest crevasses which extended as far down as the eyes can see, as rain and melt water poured into them. The small streams on the glacier were so fresh that we all stopped to fill out bottles with the purest and freshest water we had ever tasted. Spots on the glacier covered by ash at points where higher than the surrounding ice as the ash insolated ice preventing it from melting and the most majestic waterfall could be seen on the left side of the glacier.

                          

Having a brief lunch at a high point on the glacier, we froze our butts as we sat on the 1000-year-old ice and ate our packed sandwiches, drinking Iceland’s purest water. We then hiked back down the glacier taking a different route. The sound of out axes and crampons slamming into the ice as we descended the beautiful Sólheimajökull glacier is something I know we will all remember.

 

 

5th June, 2018