Jökull - 01.12.1960, Blaðsíða 3

JOKULL
Á R S R I T
JÖKLARANNSÓKNAFÉLAGS ÍSLANDS
10. ÁR REYKJAVÍK 1960
SIGURDUR THORARI NSSON :
Glaciological Knowledge in Iceland before 1800
A Historical Outline
It has often been emphasized, and not with-
out reason, that the Icelanders have both in
the clistant past and in later times achieved
great things in the spliere of literature. It is
much less known what they have achieved in
the field of natural science, and, on the surface
at any rate, it seems of rather little account in
comparison with the achievements of their poets
and saga-writers. External circumstances liave
been the decisive factor in this respect rather
than any lack of aptitude for the study of
natural science. Natural science is more depen-
dent on various external conditions than the
arts. Its various branches, e.g. astronomy, physics
and chemistry, cannot clevelop except to a very
limited extent without scientific equipment and
facilities for research work which did not exist
in Iceland.
In some branches of natural science the Ice-
landers have, however, been in a position to
achieve something. Their land has itself given
them subjects for research ancl been to those
who liave kept their eyes open a better school
than any university. One of the branches of
natural science is glaciology.
Just to over one nintli of Iceland, or 11800
km2, is covered by glaciers, which in some
places stretch right down to inhabited areas.
The Icelanders have travelled along their edges
ancl across them since the beginning of the
séttlement of their country. It would seern
strange, therefore, if the Icelanders had not in
past centuries acquired some knowledge of gla-
ciers and their nature. The fact is that although
there is little mention of Icelandic and other
Nordic people in connection with the history
of glaciology Iceland has its history of glacier
research which in earlier times was fully com-
parable with the history of glacier research
found in countries where glaciology is supposed
to have begun, i.e. the Alpine countries. An
attempt will be made here to outline this hi-
story.
It may be taken for granted that some of
the Norwegians who settfed in Iceland in the
second half of the 9th and the first half of the
lOth centuries had personal knowledge of gla-
ciers in their home country. It is noteworthy
in this connection that many of the settlers
came from parts of Norway where glaciers are
particularly prominent, i.e. the Hordaland and
Sogn and Fjordane districts. Some routes be-
tween Norwegian settlements approached these
LAN'OStMASAFi'í
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ÍSLANDS
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