In 2001-2003, archaeological excavations on Aðalstræti in central Reykjavík unearthed the site of a 10th-century longhouse, and a wall fragment, the oldest man-made structure found in Reykjavík. The wall fragment is dated by reference to a layer of tephra (volcanic ash) deposited by an eruption in 871 ± 2, and this is the significance of the exhibition title. The longhouse and wall fragment have been preserved in situ as the focus of a new exhibition. An innovative exhibition approach combines Viking-Age artefacts with interactive multimedia technology,

offering a variety of possible interpretations, theories and comparisons.