Seth D. Brewington Graduate School and University Center CUNY, New York

1. The archaeology of
sustainability in the
Faroe Islands
Seth D. Brewington
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Graduate School and University Center
CUNY, New York
GHEA Open Workshop
University of Maryland
4 November 2013

2. The Faroe
Islands

5. Fowling cliffs
Sea
Outfield
Village
(Infield)

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

9. Mollusk
Fish
Seabird

10. Mollusk
Fish
Seabird
DomesticatesDomesticates

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

13. Summary
• Pastoralist economy heavily subsidized with wild
resources (e.g. seabirds)
• Successful long-term management of key resources
– TEK
– Adaptive, localized control

14. 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