Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1993, Side 68
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ÁRBÓK FORNLEIFAFÉLAGSINS
Vilhjálmur Ö. Vilhjálmsson 1992. Texti við nr. 588 í skrá, Spænde i Urnesstil. Vikitig og
Hvidekrist. Nordeti og Europa 800-1200. Ritstj.: Else Roesdahl. Uddevalla.
Zachrisson, I. 1984. De samiska metalldepáerna ár 1000-1350 i ljuset av fyndet frán Mört-
trásket, Lappland. Archaeology and Environment 3. Umeá.
Þór Magnússon. 1967. Bátkumlið í Vatnsdal í Patreksfirði. Árbók Hitts tslenzka fornleifafélags
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Þór Magnússon. 1975. Hringaríkisútskurður frá Gaulverjabæ. Árbók Hins islenzka fornleifa-
félags 1974. Reykjavík.
Þór Magnússon. 1987. A Shoivcase of lcelandic National Treasures. Reykjavík.
Þór Magnússon. 1992. Nya lánder i Nordatlanten. Island Vikittg og Hvidekrist. Norden og
Europa 800-1200. Ritstj.: Else Roesdahl. Uddevalla.
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Hvidekrist. Norden og Europa 800-1200. Ritstj. Else Roesdahl. Uddevalla.
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SUMMARY
The classic division into the six Viking Age styles is the best means of understanding the
art of the Viking Age. This article deals with the Mammen style, dated to c. the second half of
the lOth century, the Ringerike style, dated to c. the first half of the llth century and the
Urnes style, dated to c. the second half of the llth century. The concept of art is understood
in spatial terms. The archaeological finds are the basis for our knowledge about the art of the
Vikings.
The late Viking Age styles are found in Iceland, as in Scandinavia, in various materials:
wood, bone, tooth, metal and, exceptionally, on stone. In contrast to Scandinavia, no exampl-
es of art on stone monuments are known in Iceland from this period of art; picture rune-
stones never became the fashion there. Nor are there any examples of these styles on textiles,
e.g. as embroidery, as are known in Scandinavia. The Mammen, Ringerike and Urnes styles
are found as miniature art as well as art on monuments. The latter is found in Scandinavia
both in stone and wood, whereas in Iceland it is found only in wood and only the Mammen
and Ringerike styles, not the Umes style. The work was carried out two- or three-dimension-
ally. The styles are common Nordic and common to all social classes within the free society.
Large art works and artistic revivals were created by artists associated with the politically
and economically powerful groups in society. To illuminate the development of art in
Icelandic material during the late Viking Age the following characteristic or unique pieces
have been chosen:
For the Mammen style: as miniature art, the mask on the bone plate from Ljótsstaðir,
Hofshreppur, Skagafjörður district, northern Iceland, inv. nr. Þjms. 1959: 52 (fig. la and lb);
and as art on monuments in advanced Mammen style, the fir tree panel from Gaulverjabær
in Flói in southern Iceland, inv. nr. Þjms. 1974: 217 (Magnússon 1975: 66).
For the Ringerike style: as miniature art and as a plastic sculpture, the statuette from
Eyrarland close to Akureyri in northern Iceland, inv. nr. Þjms. 10880 (fig. 3); and as art on
monuments, the panels from Flatatunga in northern Iceland, inv. nr. Þjms. 15296 a-d (Eldjárn
1954: 94, fig. 9).
For the Urnes style: as miniature art, the Urnes brooch from Tröllaskógur, Rangárvalla
district in southern Iceland, inv. nr. Þjms. 6524 (fig. 5).