Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.1998, Page 153

Reviews
than dour and method-based approach
makes his article the only one in this
volume where the reader actually
begins to get an idea of the dynamics
and processes involved when a group
of people invades a virgin environment
and starts building a society. Sturla
Friðriksson’s excellent article is fol-
lowed by Þóra Ellen Þórhallsdóttir’s
paper on vegetation change as a result
of the landnám. Although based on
earlier research, mainly by Steindór
Steindórsson and Hörður Kristinsson,
this is more original than most articles
in the volume with some new data
being presented on the distribution of
plant species and interpretation of how
such data can be used to elucidate
human impact on the Icelandic eco-
system.
Another method article follows, by
Árný Sveinbjörnsdóttir and Sigfús J.
Johnsen, on the coring of the Green-
land ice cap with a discussion of the
methods involved in interpreting the
cores and a short overview of the
remarkable research which has taken
place on the ice cap. The authors dis-
cuss the ice cores primarily as evidence
for climate change, making some sadly
uninformed comparisons with histor-
ical records (p. 181-184) — the only
sign of really unscholarly work in this
volume which the editor should not
have allowed — but on the whole shy
away from discussing how this evi-
dence relates to landnám studies. The
last article of the volume, by Grétar
Guðbergsson and Þorleifur Einarsson,
is another useful overview of human
impact on the Icelandic eco-system,
this time with emphasis on human
and naturally induced instability of
soils and subsequent erosion.
While in no way a riveting read, not
even for the keenest student of land-
nám, this volume is generally well
written and the ideas and methods
described are clearly presented. Most
of the articles are short and to the
point, placing the emphasis on meth-
od rather than content. They are high
on authority and low on originality,
making the collection useful primarily
as a text-book for students (which
would have been all the more ap-
propriate if any academic instruction
was given in this field) rather than a
volume of scholarly debate. Sadly, this
volume is primarily a monument to
the stagnation in landnám studies in
Iceland over several decades. It shows
that the slight advances that have been
made are in ecology rather than his-
tory, philology or archaeology, and
that while there is clearly room for
manoeuvre, very few people seem to be
taking up the challenge to study what
should be a very exciting subject.
Orri Vésteinsson
153