In anthropological terms the particles reflect the phases of Icelandic feud. A fascinating, comprehensive history of early Iceland, Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2021. well, later on, around the 830 B.C Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson was the first one to actually make a trip to Iceland on purpose and not by accident. It was probably a lot deeper and more limited than I needed for my trip to Iceland, but having said that, it was an easy and very interesting read. It should have been a utopia yet its liberature is dominated by brutality and killing. It is worthwhile, however, to mention at this point what the author emphasized several times h. Jesse Byock combines environmental science, anthropology, and archaeology to view the Icelandic family sagas through the lens of human adaptation and environmental change in the region. The Althing, an annual meeting, passed laws and decided disputes, but feud was a continuing mechanism for dispute resolution and law enforcement stayed a "do-it-yourself" proposition. During this time, Vikings had been raiding islands and coastal regions of Ireland, Scotland, and England. Viking Age Iceland has much knowledge to offer on the privatization of law, courts, and enforcement agencies. Among the presumed oldest fragments are sections from Eyrbyggja saga, Heidarviga saga, Laxdoela saga, and Egils saga. Unable to add item to List. An interesting book, but at times I had the feeling of reading the same information over and over again and some chapters (particularly the ones devoted to the various roles of the Godi) could probably have been merged with minimal loss of information. Medieval Iceland was a peculiar place in the European world. It's place on the edge of Europe and the harsh environment provided a combination of factors that make it sui generis in cultural development. 870-930 Settlement of Iceland In A.D. 793, an attack on the Lindisfarne monastery off the coast of Northumberland in northeastern England marked the beginning of the Viking Age. This simple, easily adaptable technique was based on the use of active narrative particles that occur in no particular order and fall into three categories: conflict, advocacy, or brokerage and resolution. The chieftain-advocates would argue in the Althing and local things to settle feuds. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! In the oral saga, as elsewhere in oral tales, one may assume that adherence to strict fact was never an issue. All the valuable land had been distributed by the time Christianity arrived, and the original Icelanders were fiercely protective of their property, such that most of the land given to the Church was formally retained by private citizens. Dense history textbook on Viking Age Iceland (duh). Seller Inventory # AAZ9780140291155 Readable and fun. For example, the fourteenth century compilation of Modruvallabok is the chief source for many of the eleven sagas it contains. Full of good historical information and tie-ins w/ the sagas as well as explanations of what some of the terms & sayings & customs in the sagas are all about, where they come from, etc. According to stories written down some 250 years after the event, the country was discovered and settled by Norse people in the Viking Age. This book, along with the author's other works, should be in the library of anyone who seriously wants to learn more about the Viking-Age Norse cultures. see the oldest fragment of a glass drinking vessel found from the Viking Age in Iceland! Buy a cheap copy of Viking Age Iceland book by Jesse L. Byock. Look for the"ISL_Viking_Age" prefix. EMBED. The Viking Village Festival in Iceland In early June, every year, the town of Hafnarfjordur is buzzing with all things Viking-related. Something went wrong. 'Viking Age Iceland' is an engaging, multi-disciplinary work bringing together findings in anthropology and ethnography interwoven with historical fact and masterful insights into the popular Icelandic sagas, this is a brilliant reconstruction of the inner workings of a unique and intriguing society. The way society operated. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published She conveys how they knew they had a chance to build a bit differently from back home in Norway, in 'The Founding of a New Society'; 'The Effect of Emigrating from Europe'. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. An excellent book - very well-written, thorough, & informative. Incredibly useful and informative book about Iceland in the Viking period, Medieval Iceland was a peculiar place in the European world. Start by marking “Viking Age Iceland” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Antiquity 87(335):150-161. Keywords. They deal less with extended kin groups, as the name ‘family sagas’ might imply, than with regional disputes in Iceland. An interesting book, but at times I had the feeling of reading the same information over and over again and some chapters (particularly the ones devoted to the various roles of the Godi) could probably have been merged with minimal loss of information. Here Leifur heppni - Leif the Lucky (approx. Interesting overview of Iceland society from the Viking settlement to Norwegian Rule in the 14th Century. A wonderful book written by a passionate scholar, Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016. rat ble llse wo ard rfO-:ip-see ¡nd lat-Ìet, l¡te by Dressing the Dead: Gender, Identity, and Adornment in Viking-Age Iceland Michèle Hayeur-Smith he most widespread use of je This is an excellently organized, coherently written overview and analysis of life in the free republic of Iceland. Iceland was in this era unique in its settlement, social organization, lack of executive authority, legal development and cultural environment. Similar actions involving different characters are repeated in different locales. I enjoyed the way Byock used a variety of sources, from the sagas to archaeological evidence, to paint a picture of life in Viking-age Iceland. This commonwealth farm (In Icelandic: Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng) is a historically accurate reconstruction of the three buildings, including a longhouse. Another reviewer praised it with the phrase "Freedom is possible." The Icelandic Free State lasted longer than the United States has been in existence by 106 years. Within a few centuries, they’d wiped out most of … Fascinating history, especially on how the immigrant settlers “experienced a de-evolutionary change”, and the establishment of a new society and culture. The only downside was that certain sections felt a little dry, and given that, I think this is a book that will only appeal to those with an existing, deep interest in the topic. A good explanation of the evolution of self-governance in Iceland would require a full book, oh, say the length and depth of Viking Age Iceland. Nor was the saga-teller required to memorize a fixed text; a general outline of a story that was perhaps of historical origin was sufficient. Viking Age Icelanders only killed in moderation. Read this Book only if you have an abiding interest in Vikings In Iceland, Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2018. Only 3 stars due to excessive minutiae on some topics. The Church of Iceland never developed much power and was kept out of lay society, in part due to their poor land holdings. Garðar is the name of a Viking age estate within the Eastern Settlement of Greenland. Viking Age Iceland was an interesting read. Despite their reputation as fierce marauders, the Vikings were pretty civilized in their political and social structure. Landnamabok, for example, names several that are now lost. But what happened, and when? Please try again. The reasons for this, argues Jesse Byock, lie in the underlying structures and cultural codes of the islands' social order. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Yet these tales are little read today. If the discovery does prove ultimately that the Vikings took a Native American woman back to Iceland, then history would indeed have to be rewritten. Ruins of a real Viking Settlement-Age farm, Stöng, can be found in Þjórsárdalur valley.Some of the Vikings settled in in the valley, unaware that they were in the proximity of the notorious volcano Hekla - the Queen of Icelandic volcanoes.. Mt. The title wasn't strictly tied to jurisdiction, and the chieftains would "advocate" for different parties at the annual Althing (kinda like a legislative court). General readers may not find it as enjoyable. The annual assembly lasted for around two weeks and was held at the Lögberg (Law Rock) and the Lögrétta (Law Council). The family sagas often exaggerate situations of crisis. It also explained the desolation of the countryside --- when you travel from the airport to Reykjavik, the land is like much like on the moon --- treeless crags abound. By using the particles he (or she) translates social forms into narrative forms. Whatever the desire of individuals for vengeance, Icelanders as a society were principally concerned with finding workable compromises that avoided recourse to violence. Here we … Jesse Byock is a lead scholar of Scandinavian history at UCLA and writes with great authority and detail on the subject. Victor E. Turner, An Anthropological Approach to the Icelandic Saga. The popular image of the Viking Age is of warlords and marauding bands pillaging their way along the shores of Northern Europe. I read it as background for an upcoming trip to Iceland and it provides much more than almost anyone needs to know. Some may consider this approach akin to mining Cheever for truths about the lives of 20th-century suburbanites, but he certainly puts those facts he finds to cogent use. 'Viking Age Iceland'. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2016. As could be expected, Byock focuses very heavily on feuding and its ramifications. The book explains how this came to be. But how did Iceland got its name? This was an academic work covering Icelandic history between the settlement (~920) until the end of the Free State era (1260ish?). Other topics were touched upon so superficially it left me a bit frustrated, but it's entirely possible there's not an awful lot more information available in the first place. The focus is on society and culture rather than any sort of narrative, and it's really great as an aid in understanding the sagas. For centuries, this island country, unique in Medieval Europe, operated with no king, no great lords, no foreign policy, and no defense forces but which developed legal and judicial systems to limit the violence of bloodfeud and protect the rights of freemen. Takes a literary, saga-based approach to the history of Viking Age Iceland. Settled by Vikings from Norway and the British isles starting around 860, the island never fell under the control of a king or island-wide hierarchical authority; rather, local "big men" scattered all over enjoyed local respect and were turned to for help, but did not have political authority. The reasons for this, argues Jesse Bycock, lie in the underlying structures and cultural codes of the islands' social order. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2013, A well researched book regarding the early Icelandic settlers and found it of enormous help regarding an online course about the Vikings of 9/10th centuries, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2012. 'Viking Age Iceland' is an engaging, multi-disciplinary work bringing together findings in anthropology and ethnography interwoven with historical fact and masterful insights into the popular Icelandic sagas, this is a brilliant reconstruction of the inner workings of a unique and intriguing society. The Scandinavians of the Viking Age are often referred to as Vikings as well as Norsemen, although fe… if you are looking for detailed information how the Icelandic Vikings dressed or what they ate, look elsewhere. In a crisp and usually straightforward manner they describe the dealing between farmers and chieftains from all parts of the country and among families from diverse elements of the society. The Sagas of Icelanders: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition), The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics), The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki (Penguin Classics), The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings (Hist Atlas). In an earlier book, Feud in the Icelandic Saga, I suggest that feud served as a cohesive and stabilizing force in Old Icelandic society. The Viking Age was a period of time in Northern European and Scandinavian history from the eighth to eleventh centuries. COVID-19: Updates on library services and operations. However, I was to tempted to continue beyond page 142. While at times a bit dull (mostly because I'd read the Medieval Iceland, rendering parts of Viking Age Iceland redundant), this is a must-have for anyone interested in Vikings, Iceland, and the Sagas. In this fascinating history, Jesse Byock shows that Norse society in Iceland was actually an independent one-almost a republican Free State, without warlords or kings. Although much of the material of this book appeared in an earlier work of his (Medieval Iceland, University of California Press) he has added new conjectures and explanations to provide a fuller description of life on the island. Combining history with anthropology and archaeology, this remarkable study serves as a valuable companion to the Icelandic sagas, exploring all aspects of Viking Age life: feasting, farming, the power of chieftains and the church, marriage, and the role of women. Unlike the subsequent discoveries of Greenland and North America, Iceland was uninhabitated. The cultural and ecological setting in Viking Age Iceland gave individuals an incentive to keep the peace. The museum uses interactive technology - and kudos to them for the idea of adding lit-up images all around the longhouse of what Reykjavík was like at the time the settlers arrived - and at the same time they show the view from the longhouse. His papers on the archaeology at Mosfell and its connection with the Sagas were truly inspiring. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2010. Peer pressure, demanding moderation and consensus, emerged as a potent force in Icelandic politics because Icelanders lived in what might be called a "great village society." As a result of Iceland’s isolation and cultural conservatism, modern Icelandic remains close to the dönsk tunga (‘Danish Tongue’), the common Old Norse language spoken by all Scandinavians in the Viking Age. This is a comprehensive academic work about about the settlement of Iceland through its eventual domination by Norwegians, a period of about 400 years. Thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially as a philosophical anarchist since Byock ends up detailing the rise and fall of one of the world's most enduring (couple hundred year-run a'int bad) anarchist societies. The Ásatrú faith also celebrates Old Norse mythology and its pantheon of morally ambiguous deities – gods such as Odin, Thor and Loki – that came to Iceland during the Viking Age… In this fascinating history, Jesse... Free shipping over $10. Viking Age Iceland - Ebook written by Jesse Byock. A companion to the Sagas of Icelanders and an introduction to the people of the sagas. The Viking Age lasted a few hundred years. In the 10th century, Icelanders by and large worshiped the old pagans gods of their ancestors. One of the places in Iceland which makes me feel like I have stepped back to the Settlement age is Eiríksstaðir, where a reconstruction of Eirík the Red's Viking longhouse has been built. The language of the settlers was called the Danish tongue, dönsk tunga. These, like later copies of entire sagas, give no information as to when the earliest versions of the texts were compose; thus dating the sagas has always been a difficult task and scholarly conclusions are open to question. I'm looking forward to seeing the Althing and hopefully the Gragas and other legal codices that comprised the body of Icelandic law dur. The Hurstwic team made bloomery iron in Iceland for the first time in 700 years, using all Icelandic materials in Icelandic-style furnaces based on recent archaeological discoveries. The Viking Age in Iceland was like the Springer show with violence; quite amusing. Focuses on the period from the tenth to the middle of the thirteenth century in Iceland. They were fully unprepared for the ferocity of the warriors, armed with sword, axe and shield. The reasons for this, argues Jesse Byock, lie in the underlying structures and cultural codes of the islands' social order. These texts vary markedly in length: some, like Hrafnkels saga, are approximately twenty pages in modern volumes; others, such as Njals saga and Laxdoela saga, fill 300 or more pages. I came away with a healthy respect for their institutions, too. The best book I've found so far on medieval Iceland. Feb 4, 2014 - Read "Viking Age Iceland" by Jesse Byock available from Rakuten Kobo. 2018 into the Global25 datasheets (see here). Viking Age Iceland – discovered in 850 by Scandanvian sailors who were lost Rumors of large amounts of free land spread from Norway to Ireland (already established settlements) Gaelic wives/slaves brought to Iceland New environment was often harsh even for hardy Scandanavians 2. The medieval audience expected the narrator of a family saga to observe certain strictures. The reasons for this, argues Jesse Byock, lie in the underlying struct… From around the year 793 to 1066, Norsemen used rivers and oceans to explore Europe for trading, raiding and conquest. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries. Viking Age Iceland has much knowledge to offer on the privatization of law, courts, and enforcement agencies. Other topics were touched upon so superficially it left me a bit frustrated, but it's entirely possible there's not an awful lot more information available in the first place. The popular image of the Viking Age is a time of warlords and marauding bands pillaging their way along the shores of Northern Europe. The time period is examined partly through the lens of the sagas and partly from other sources, all of which show meticulous research. We encountered Jesse Byock's work while researching the history of Iceland prior to our visit in October. Beginning in A.D. 793 with the Lindisfarne raid, Norwegians, Swedes and Danes set to raiding. In this fascinating history, Jesse Byock shows that Norse society in Iceland was actually an independent one-almost a republican Free State, without warlords or kings. Be the first to ask a question about Viking Age Iceland. The ways in which feud operated provided a structure for the sagas. The family sagas are preserved in a wide variety of manuscripts, none of which is an original text definitely attributed to a specific author, despite the educated guesses of scholars. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2009. The Althing, an annual meeting, passed laws and decided dispu. Covers much of the same ground as Byock's book 'Medieval Iceland,' but in greater detail. Hekla erupted for the first time after the Settlement of Iceland in 1104 causing the devastation of some 22 settlement farms in Þjórsárdalur valley. More a survey of the saga literature than a real history, but Iceland is an endlessly fascinating place. This is an excellently organized, coherently written overview and analysis of life in the free republic of Iceland. Abstract The authors show that the principal correlates of feasting in Viking Age Iceland were beef and barley, while feasting itself is here the primary instrument of social action. In Viking Age Iceland, the law was taken seriously. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Viking Age Iceland. Each society’s social drama could be expected to have its own ‘style’, too, its aesthetic of conflict and redress, and one might also expect that the principal actors would give verbal or behavioural expression to the values composing or embellishing that style. The title says it all - this book is about Iceland in the Viking Age. It should have been a utopia yet its literature is dominated by brutality and killing. About Viking Age Iceland. It was a unique approach that mostly worked very well. The Viking Age (793–1066 AD) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest and trading throughout Europe, and reached North America. Good stories, but not enough nuggety facts. Viking Age Iceland Jesse L. Byock. Viking Age Iceland (Book) : Byock, Jesse L. : The popular image of the Viking Age is of warlords and marauding bands pillaging their way along the shores of Northern Europe. In this fascinating history, Jesse Byock shows that Norse society in Iceland was actually an independent one-almost a republican Free State, without warlords or kings. This well-written book takes up a wide variety of subjects, including the social fabric, domestic realities, cultural codes, politics and legal infrastructures, and the mechanisms that defused conflicts among the fiercely independent early Icelanders. It followed the Migration Period and the Germanic Iron Age. The festival was a homage to experimental archaeology, with a focus on unlocking the secrets of how Icelanders made iron in the Viking age, secrets that have been lost for centuries. The Sagas differ from all other ‘heroic’ literatures in the larger proportion that they give to the meanness of reality. In the Viking colony of Iceland, an extraordinary vernacular literature blossomed in the 12th through 14th centuries, and many traditions connected with the Viking Age were written down for the first time in … The popular image of the Viking Age is of warlords and marauding bands pillaging their way along the shores of Northern Europe. I also remember the study of feud in this book, how feud functioned, its place in the justice system: that was a strong point. The social order and significance of feud are related in part through sagas. The time period is examined partly through the lens of the sagas and partly from other sources, all of which show meticulous research. With regularity the stories focus on private matters and offer insights into personal problems of families and the health, good of ill, of marriages. Iceland - Iceland - History: Iceland apparently has no prehistory. Though the notion that population pressure drove migration to Iceland remains unsupported in the academic literature, a number of reasons have been offered for the settlement of Iceland: Available land would have been attractive to Viking Age Scandinavians, especially given the relatively warm climate in Iceland at the time. Guided by the parameters of socially recognized conduct, the storyteller or storywriter arranges these action particles in various orders and with different details. Recorded settlement has conventionally been dated back to 874, although archaeological evidence indicates Gaelic monks from Ireland, known as papar according to sagas, had settled Iceland before that date. However, this is a somewhat different work as well. The Free State period of Icelandic history before the covenant with Norway is fascinating, from a "state development" perspective. Excellent companion to the Icelandic Sagas, with great maps. Did a Native American travel to Iceland and leave behind a telltale genetic marker? A culture where fueding is almost customary and both violence and compromise are legally acceptable options. Chronology. The Free State period of Icelandic history before the covenant with Norway is fascinating, from a "state development" perspective. Iceland did not have a civil war in the first 300 years of its existence. A culture where fueding is almost customary and both violence and compromise are legally acceptable options. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Welcome back. In Iceland, acceptance of the new religion was a matter of law, a carefully crafted compromise that was characteristic of Viking-age Iceland. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. The only downside was that certain sections felt a little dry, and given that, I think this is a book that will only appeal to those with an existing, deep interest in the topic. Viking Age Iceland (Book) : Byock, Jesse L. : Medieval Iceland was unique amongst Western Europe, with no foreign policy, no defence forces, no king, no lords, no peasants and few battles. The popular image of the Viking Age is of warlords and marauding bands pillaging their way along the shores of Northern Europe. "—The London Review of Books. The book came quickly. I am sorry if you think that women drew the short end of the stick, and some of you might be surprised hearing some of these things after hearing about shieldmaidens and equality in the Viking age, but this channel is about facts and not about imaginations. This is Part 6 of our ongoing series about Viking Age Iceland. I always love well written books on this subject. I would definitely use this sender again. I read this book prior to my trip to Iceland, and it really served to give me a good sense of the country, how it was settled, who settled it, and how the population grew over time. I'm using it as background reading for the Sagas. Refresh and try again. The first seven chapters provide a background as to what Iceland was like before the first settlers and their impact on the environment and the society they developed. The image of the Viking as a pitiless destroyer of monasteries and a pillager of towns must be amended, he argues, to include the creation of great literature, a republican form of government, and the mechanisms for conflict resolution. Viking Age Iceland was an interesting read. Byock (old Norse and medieval Scandinavian, UCLA; Medieval Iceland) here attempts to dispel some popular Viking stereotypes. Good stories, but not enough nuggety facts, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2018. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Taking the sagas as his literary map, Byock embarks the reader on a journey through the settlement years and the times of the Icelandic Free State. Among the matters stressed were methods of reacting to overly ambitious or otherwise dangerous characters, precedents for various legal positions and modes of action, successful interventions by advocates, different means of settlement, and the principles underlying the establishment and maintenance of ties of reciprocity. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Sagas thus become accounts of the daily reality of survival within these conditions, and seen from this perspective, the events depicted in the sagas are indeed not infrequently driven by struggles for scarce resources. Settled by Vikings from Norway and the British isles starting around 860, the island never fell under the control of a king or island-wide hierarchical authority; rather, local "big men" scattered all over enjoyed local respect and were turned to for help, but did not have political authority.