THE SVARTHAMEREN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE COMPLEX AT ROBERT RIVER, RECHERCHEFJORDEN - SPITSBERGEN

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1 Marek Е. JASIŃSKI History and Archaeology Museum of Natural University of Trondheim 7004 Trondheim, NORWAY Kazimierz PĘKALA Department of Geomorphology Institute of Earth Sciences Maria Curie-Skłodowska University Akademicka Lublin, POLAND Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen UMCS, Lublin, 1994 THE SVARTHAMEREN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE COMPLEX AT ROBERT RIVER, RECHERCHEFJORDEN - SPITSBERGEN INTRODUCTION The southern region of the Bellsund and Recherchefjorden area is noted for its numerous archaeological sites in connection with seasonal colonisation in the 17th and 18th centuries. They constitute an important stratigraphic link in the study of geomorphological processes, such as: dynamics of the development of the shore zone of the sea, the velocity of glaciisostatic movements, the phases of the development of solifluction. They form a basis for the study of changing climatic conditions, of contemporary phases of glacier movement, of isostatic movement, and of the dating of Quaternary deposits (Pękala, Repelewska-Pękalowa 1990). For these reasons an inventory was compiled in the years of colonisation in the north-western part of Wedel Jarlsberg Land (Krawczyk, Reder 1989, Dzierżek et al. 1990), consequently in the years , excavation work was begun as well as surface research of chosen sites on the western coast of the Recherche Fjord. This work was all part of a programme undertaken by members of different scientific fields and organized as a project of Geographical Expeditions of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. Teams of Norwegian and Russian archaeologists also took part (Jasiński, Starkov 1992, 1993; Jasiński et al. 1993; Roll 1993, Starkov, Jasiński 1994). During geomorphological charting, the existence of numerous archaeological site was recorded also on the east coast of the Recherche Fjord. Most of these were hitherto unknown, and are of great historical, paleogeographical and geomorphological significance, as temporary reference points for the assessment of dynamics of coastal and slope processes. One of the most important 21

2 archaeological complexes can be found in the coastal region situated to the south of the Reinodden cape, on the east coast of the Recherche Fjord in Svarthamerem Bay, by the Robert River estuary (Fig. 1). A CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SVERTHAMEREN ROBERT RIVER SITE The Sverthameren-Robert River site was registered in 1990 by K. Pękala during the geomorphological charting of Reinsletta; subsequently in 1993, together with dr Marek Jasiński, photographic documentation and preliminary surface observations of the archaeological remains were made. The objects are situated on marine terraces 5 to 20 metres high, on approximately 500 m long strip of the coast. Most of them are in an area of active marine cliffs, by the Robert River estuary, showing a great deal of erosive and accumulative activity. The following archaeological objects are to be found on the site: 1. The remains of three whale ovens for the melting of blubber, sea waves partly get at these. One cannot reject the idea that more ovens existed on the site, but were destroyed by the sea. 2. The foundations of eight buildings belonging to the whaling station. 3. A cemetery situated on a gravel hill, constituting a storm ridge of an elevated marine terrace 18 to 20 metres above sea level. There are over 15 graves in the cemetery. Abundant relicts are to be found in the region of the foundations of the buildings and in the neighbourhood of the rocks of the southern part (topographical point 14 m). This lies on the eolically ruined surface of the tundra and directly on the rock surface, as well as among blocks of the foundations. These were fragments of clay pipes there, ceramics, pantiles, fragments of brick and nails used for barge building. A plan of the objects is shown on the attached photographic documentation (Photo 1-19). CONCLUSIONS Remnants of buildings and monuments indicate that this was a very large and well-equipped West European whaling station, probably Dutch from the first half of the 17th cent. One cannot exclude the possibility of there being other national groups in this complex of whaling stations. There are historical premises (Pellham 1632) which suggest a first unplanned wintering of the English in at this site, headed by Edward Pellham in Bellsund. According to Pellham, they prepared winter quarters for themselves in a building belonging to what once used to be a Dutch whaling station. They spent 9 months here and were taken back to England by ships which sailed to Bellsund next year. 22

3 The confirmation of such an hypothesis would only be possible after undertaking archaeological excavation work there. Such work ought to be undertaken as soon as possible, as the process of deterioration of this complex of sites is enhanced by abrasion caused by sea waves and by solifluction processes. Worth noting is the fact that several objects have unfortunately already been destroyed and effaced, due to the inadvertent activity of a mining company, the Northern Exploration Company Ltd., founded in At present a menacing hazard for the archaeological sites of Svarthameren and Robertelva seems to be the spontaneous increase of tourism on Svalbard and outings organized in connection with this to Recherchefjorden. REFERENCES Dzierżek J., Nitychoruk J., Rzętkowska A., 1990: Remnants of the earliest human invasion at Bellsund, Svalbard. Polar Research, Oslo, 8: Jasiński M. E. & Starkov V. F., 1992: Preliminary account of the archaeological investigations of a cultural layer in moraine deposits of the Renard Glacier, Recherchefjorden, Svalbard. Spitsbergen Geographical Expeditions, UMCS Lublin, Jasiński M. E. & Starkov V. F., 1993a: Archaeological investigations of a cultural layer in moraine deposits of the Renard Glacier, Recherchefjorden, Svalbard. Field season XX Polar Symposium, Lublin, Jasiński M. E. & Starkov V. F., 1993b: Archaeological sites at Cape Renard, Bellsund, Spitsbergen. XX Polar Symposium, Lublin, Jasiński M. E., 1994: Archaeological studies in the Station Renard Glacier 1, Recherchefjorden. Preliminary Summing. Spitsbergen Geographical Expedition, UMCS, Lublin. Krawczyk A., Reder J., 1989: Pozostałości osadnictwa sezonowego w północno-zachodniej części Ziemi Wedela-Jarlsberga. Spitsbergen Geographical Expedition, UMCS, Lublin, Pellham E., 1632: God's Power and Providence, shewed in the miraculous preservation and deliverance of eight Englishmen. London. Reprinted in: Works issued by Hakluyt Society, vol. 18. London Pękala К. & Repelewska-Pękalowa J., 1990: Relief and stratigraphy of Quaternary deposits in the region of Recherche Fjord and southern Bellsund (Western Spitsbergen). Spitsbergen Geographical Expeditions, UMCS, Lublin, STRESZCZENIE Na wschodnim wybrzeżu Recherchefjorden występują liczne stanowiska archeologiczne, z których wiele zostało odkrytych po raz pierwszy i zlokalizowanych podczas kartowania geomorfologicznego południowego obramowania Bellsundu. Prace te zostały wykonane w latach przez polskie zespoły podczas realizacji programu ekspedycji geograficznych organizowanych do Calypsobyen przez Instytut Nauk o Ziemi UMCS w Lublinie. W latach podjęte zostały badania archeologiczne i prace wykopaliskowe przez zespół archeologów norweskich i rosyjskich na zachodnim wybrzeżu Recherchefjorden. W niniejszej notatce autorzy przedstawili wstępne rozpoznanie i potrzebę badań, niezwykle ważnego z punktu widzenia historycznego i paleogeograficznego, zespołu stanowisk archeologicz- 23

4 nych. Zespół stanowisk jest usytuowany przy zatoce Svarthameren i ujściu do niej potoku Robertelva, na odcinku wybrzeża o długości około 500 m. Na tym obszarze występuje wiele fragmentów domów i pieców do wytapiania tłuszczu, z licznym materiałem zabytkowym (fragmenty fajek glinianych, gwoździe używane w szkutnictwie, ceramika, dachówki, cegła). Ślady budowli i zabytki wskazują, że była to bardzo duża i dobrze przygotowana zachodnioeuropejska stacja wielorybnicza, prawdopodobnie holenderska, z pierwszej połowy XVII wieku. Nie wyklucza się obecności w tym zespole stacji wielorybniczych także innych narodowości. Istnieją przesłanki historyczne wskazujące na prawdopodobieństwo pierwszego, nieplanowanego, zimowania Anglików w r. pod dowództwem Edwarda Pellhmana w Bellsundzie, właśnie na tym stanowisku. Według Edwarda Pellhmana przygotowali oni sobie kwaterę zimową w budynku należącym do byłej wielorybniczej stacji holenderskiej. Przezimowali w niej 9 miesięcy i zostali zabrani do Anglii przez statki, które przypłynęły do Belłsundu w następnym roku. Potwierdzenie tej hipotezy możliwe będzie po przeprowadzeniu archeologicznych prac wykopaliskowych. Prace wykopaliskowe powinny być wykonane w tym zespole stanowisk przede wszystkim z powodu niszczenia obiektów wskutek silnej działalności fal morskich (abrazji) i procesów soliflukcji. Na podkreślenie zasługuje fakt, że już szereg obiektów uległo zniszczeniu i zatarciu w związku z działalnością górniczą Northern Exploration Company Ltd.,firmy założonej w 1910 r. Obecnie zagrożeniem dla zespołu stanowisk archeologicznych Svathemeren i Robetelva jest również spontanicznie rozwijająca się turystyka na Svalbardzie i związane z nią liczne wycieczki do Recherchefjorden. Praca wykonana w ramach realizacji projektu badawczego (grant KBN) nr

5 BELLSUND Calypsobyen Malbukta Pncfichiiililen Svarthamaren i Loegerneset!» 0 1! 1 km\ i, Fig the location of archaeological sites at Svarthamerem and the Robert River on the east coast of the Recherche Fjord (Recherchefjorden), 2 - discovered sites hitherto not studied, ruined by abrasion 25

6 Photo 1. General view from the east of the Robert River estuary (Robertelva) and of the residual rock. In the forefront a whale oven corroded by solifluction processes Photo 2. View from the south onto the south-west part of the site underneath the rock 10 m a.s.l. Foundations of cottages ruined by a very active cliff

7 Photo 4. The casing of the tent and the cottage. Fragment of photo no. 3

8 Photo 5. Cottages "built" into the rocks and casing of the large cottage under the clif, ruined by storm waves. In the forefront, foundations of an oven and stone steps ruined by contemporary abrasion Photo 6. General view looking north-eastwards of the ruined oven and the cottage, situated along the edge of the terrace 6 to 8 m, the Robert River estuary. On the right, a cemetary situated on the storm ridge about 18 to 20 m a.s.l.

9 Photo 7. Contours of a partly destroyed cottage, covered by solifluctual deposits Photo 8. Fragment of the reconstruction of a cottage with the solifluctual cover on. Fragment of Photo 7

10 Photo 9. General view northwards of the Robert River canyon, tombs on the storm ridge and the terrace as seen from the left, 6 to 8 m with numerous bases

11 Photo 11. Part of the Robert River site with relicts of the whalers houses

12 Photo 13. One of the three blubber melting ovens

13 Photo 15. One of the graves

14 Photo 17. Relicts of one of the buildings on the other side of the Robert River

15 Photo 18. View north-eastwards of the active Svarthamaren shore nd of the ReinsleUa cliff. An area of numerous archaeological sites Photo 19. View of the cottage next to the cliff, corroded by abrasion