Reykjavík Grapevine - 21.09.2007, Side 23

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In the Saga Museum in Perlan it all starts at the
very basic beginning; it begins with the land,
with lava and with rocks. With a very fancy
mp3 player and headphones in my ears, I am
being prepared for a thirty-minute overview of
Iceland’s story. The whole thing, or up through
the Sagas at least. Starting with the lava.
The museum tackles seventeen points of inte-
rest about Icelandic history, spanning religion,
commerce, trade, war, illness and more. The
exhibit highlights important historical figures,
such as literary, religious, and war heroes, as
well as tackling economic, cultural and political
phenomenon, such as the once popular swamp
iron smelting, and the creation of Alþingi,
Iceland’s first government.
The figures used in the museum are silicone
casts of real models, chosen for their supposed
likeness to the historical figures which other-
wise have no physical depiction on historical
record. The process was developed by Ernst
Backman and creates an amazingly alive re-
presentation of figures long, long dead.
The museum also talks at length about
the origin of Icelanders and especially of the
first Icelandic women settlers, most of whom
were of Celtic origin, kidnapped from Ireland
of the mostly Nordic Vikings. Other important
stories that are lodged in the conscious of every
Icelander - such as that of Egill Skallagrímsson,
the most famous, and violent, poet of the
Saga age - are brought to life with startling
authenticity.
The exhibit is surely as enthusing a visit
for Icelanders as it is for visitors discovering
Iceland’s sagas for the first time. VÞ
Perlan, Öskjuhlíð, 105 Reykjavík, www.saga-
museum.is
Open daily from 10-18 through September,
1000 ISK for adults
CD available in Icelandic, English, German,
French, and Swedish
The Saga
Museum
Photo by Gulli
I have always thought that the
old radiotelegraph office by
Suðurgata is the most beautiful
building in Reykjavík. It does
not hurt that it stands between
Árni Magnússon Institution,
where the old Icelandic manu-
scripts are kept, and Háskólabíó
cinema, where the La Grande
Bouffe by Marco Ferreri was
screened over 30 years ago.
Bragi Ólafsson used to play bass for The
Sugarcubes. Today he is an award winning
author.