Saga - 1988, Blaðsíða 131

RÓM OG RANGÁRÞING
129
can be studied from an „Icelandic" angle and the meaning of several hitherto
nondeciphered myths ascertained through Icelandic parallels.
The above prediction is presented in 40 hypotheses. In RlM it had been
predicted as far back as 1969 that the prevailing view of the random estab-
lishment of Rome was wrong and that the city would be found to have been
bound up with geometric, geographic, astronomical and mathematical cal-
culations. This prediction was based on purely Icelandic evidence - symbolic
material contained in myths which seemed to have counterparts in the Rom-
an mythology. On 21 April 1986 the Italian professor of architecture Piero
Maria Lugli announced his results of 30 years of study into the original lay-
out of Rome: he came to a similar conclusion, based entirely on Roman mat-
erial and discovered independently of RÍM.
The main hypotheses above propose the following: The myths of Njáll-
Flosi and of Ingólfur-Leifur will be found to have been used in the establish-
ment of Rome. Basic ingredients of these myths concern the Circle, Great
Years, cycles of time, the Centre as an idea, the horizon as a marker, specific
weights and measures as well as the mythical contents of „Troy" underlying
both Icelandic and Roman symbolism. In other words: mathematical ideas as
well as cosmology can be read through ancient symbolism contained in
myths. A correspondence existed between the sky and the earth. Specific
ideological structures were tied up with, on the one hand, certain places in
the landscape, and on the other, certain places in the starry firmament. Ice-
landic symbolic language yields information on space, time, numbers and
cosmology in general. And the world structure of „Norse" Icelandic is seen
to be closely related to that of ancient Rome. A close parallel can thus be
suggested between the cultural origins of Rome and Iceland. This parallel
consists of a system relating land to landmarks, place names and ideas. Once
one, or preferably two, correspondences have been found, many additional
hypotheses can easily be proposed concerning the material under scrutiny.
A major implication of this discovery is that Icelandic law of ca 930 A.D. can
not be separated from the basis of ancient Roman law.
A striking correspondence has already been found between ninth century
Iceland and Florence of the Renaissance. The discoveries of the architect
P.M. Lugli now promise to yield substantial material for further research in
mythology and symbolism.
To sum up: the paper states that when/if correspondences are found they
vvill furnish us with many explanations for phenomena in the cultural hi-
story of Europe. Thus the symbolic system preserved in Iceland may well
become a common denominator of a singular applicability.
Finally, the paper points a moral: within our medieval Sagas historical stu-
dies can not be pursued unless mythical material is specified and elucidated
w'thin its proper context. To omit the study of mythical material and to take
'1 for granted that our main medieval texts contain a historical narrative - or,
or the matter, fiction - without paying attention to a possible connection
W'th ancient myth, is to flee from the complex issues confronting the hi-
storian.
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