Geostatistical approach to spatial, multi-elemental dataset from an archaeological site in Vatnsfjörður, Iceland

This paper presents the results of geochemical mapping conducted in the coastal zone of a multi-period archaeological (farm) site in Vatnsfjörður, northwest Iceland. The main aim of the study was to test the efficiency of geospatial analysis (based upon a principal component data fusion technique) in dealing with a multi-elemental dataset. The method was applied in order to distinguish between different zones of human activity across the site. The results enabled the site to be divided into discrete zones. In combination with previous studies, the new information enabled speculation about each zone's functional character, chronology and development history.