Árbók Háskóla Íslands - 02.01.1925, Page 249

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Industries and resources. The Icelanders live
principally as farmers and fishermen. In 1920 the first class
comprised 43% of the population, the second 19%. In winter
home industries occupied the time. All clothing and other
necessaries were made in the liome, though lately a change lias
taken place, owing to increase of trade. Trades were not spe-
cialized. Farmers fished in winter, fisliermen farmed in sum-
mer. This close intercommunication between all parts of the
country has welded the nation into one whole. Tliere is hardly
a trace of dialects and no marked difference in stature or looks
anywliere in the entire comitry.
Bad trade, difficult communications, a cold climate. volcanic
activity and polar ice have impoverished the Icelanders, bul
during the twentielh century they are more prosperous. Famine
and famine diseases have often decimated the population.
Hygienic conditions. In this respect life has been
a hard struggle. It is true the dwelling houses were of ample
proporlions in the age of the settlement, large lialls with long
fires along the middle of the floor, as was customary in Nor-
way, and there was plenty of fuel at first, for the land was
covered with a low birchwood. But soon lack of building mate-
rial made itself felt, as timber could not be grown in the island
and trade was slack. The Icelanders were thus compelled to
build liouses from turf, grass sod, and rough stones, as had
then already been done in Norway and the Hebrides. At the
same time the size of the house decreased gradually, so that
finally it consisted of but one large living room, besides an
apartment for the master and mistress. At last each iierson
had only 5 cubic metres of breathing space. The lack of fucl
was the main cause of this. The birphwood forests disappeared
soon and little is left of them now. There was no coal, and
good peat was scarce. The fire of the hearth was no longer lit.
For centuries the Icelanders have lived in almost unheated hous-
es in a cold country. These conditions exist \\4dely to-day, al-
though an improvement is discernible in the present century.
Thus it may be said that housing has been unusually bad in
Iceland.
Clothing has on the whole heen satisfactory. Every homestead
had quantities of wool and the women spun and wove it and
made clothes. The shoes were rather poor, low shoes of un-
tanned hide, that did not keep the wet out. No materials for
tanning were found in the island.