Smith, Kevin P.. Landnám. The Settlement Of Iceland In Archaeological And Historical Perspective

• Author: Smith, Kevin P.
• Title: Landnám. The settlement of Iceland in archaeological and historical perspective
• Published in: World Archaeology 26/3
• Year: 1995
• Pages: 319-47
• E-text:
• Reference: Smith, Kevin P. "Landnám. The settlement of Iceland in archaeological and historical perspective." World Archaeology 26/3 (1995): 319-47.

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• Key words: archaeology (fornleifafræði)

Annotation

A critical examination of historical and archeological data relating to the settlement of Iceland, the development of Icelandic society and culture and the ecological impacts of settlement. While medieval descriptions of the settlement process agree with archaeological research in that initial settlements appear to be found exclusively in coastal areas, with interior regions being used at first for non-residential activities and only later populated, historical accounts describe a process taking place within the lifetime of the first settlers, who largely direct the process. Archeological data points to a more complex process lasting at least a century; Smith proposes that the concept of the "settlement period" AD 870-930 be abandonned altogether. (Map of Skallagrím's land claim can be found on p. 322.)

Lýsing

Gagnrýnin úttekt á sagnfræðilegum og fornleifafræðilegum gögnum sem varða landnám Íslands, þróun íslensks samfélags og menningar og vistfræðilegar afleiðingar landnáms. Enda þótt ritaðum miðaldaheimildum um landnámið beri saman við niðurstöður fornleifafræðirannsókna um að í upphafi hafi bústaðir eingöngu verið meðfram ströndinni og innsveitir þá verið vettvangur annars konar starfsemi og ekki byggst fyrr en síðar, lýsa ritheimildirnar þessari þróun eins og hún hafi orðið á æviskeiði fyrstu landnámsmannanna sem hafi sjálfir stýrt þróuninni að mestu leyti. Gögn úr fornleifarannsóknum benda til þess að þessi þróun hafi verið flóknari og að hún hafi staðið yfir í að minnsta kosti heila öld. Smith leggur til að hætt verði að nota hugtakið „landnámsöld“, 870–930. (Kort af landnámi Skallagríms er að finna á bls. 322.)

References

Chapter 28: þá nam Skalla-Grímur land: "Both Sturlubók and Egil's saga maintain that the entire region around Borgarfjörður was within Skallagrím's original land claim. However, another version of Landnámabók (Melabók) and the thirteenth-century Vatnsdæla saga limit Skallagrím's land claim to areas west of Norðurá... [E]arly in the thirteenth century the chieftain Snorri Sturluson extended Mýrumannagoðorðið control over all the eastern areas that Egil's saga and Sturlubók include within Skallagrím's land claim. Sturlubók was compiled by Sturla Þórðarson, Snorri's nephew and potential heir, while Egil's saga was probably written by Snorri himself ... Skallagrím's land claim, as outlined in these documents, encompasses the entire region over which these chieftains were trying to establish a claim to legitimate political authority. Melabók and Vatnsdæla saga, which limit Skallagrím's area of control, were written by authors that were not under Mýramannagorðorð control" (p. 321).

Links

• Written by: Katelin Parsons
• Icelandic translation: Svanhildur Óskarsdóttir