Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2006, Page 13

The idea of landscape in Icelandic archaeology
The description also includes a map of
the sites, and this portrays a sense of
scale that helps to identify the relation-
ships between the sites in their landscape
setting. A similar example from Snæfells-
nes by Bogi Benediktsson describes the
sites and objects in his texts, which he
accompanies with sketches and profiles.
He used this as a device to relate sites to
one another by describing their relative
locations to the assembly site at Þórnes
(FF, 353). At Möðruvellir, Hörgárdalur
in Eyjafjarðarsýsla, Stefán Þórarins-
son describes the sites he lists which is
accompanied by a map showing their
locations which also allows some of the
inter-site relationships to be explored (FF
573-586).
The Icelandic Literary Society
between 1839-1873 carried out a total
description of Iceland, including archaeo-
logical sites. Like Finnur Magnússon’s
Survey a questionnaire was circulated
to local people. This group of survey
projects and thematic studies highlight
several important points connected with
the identity of landscape. These initial
surveys were fairly comprehensive geo-
graphically, but were limited by the types
of sites being studied. Of these there was
clearly a special interest in Saga sites and
those landscapes relating to the earliest
settlers. The relationship that local peo-
ple had with the landscape around them
is also revealed, suggesting that they were
aware of the areas beyond the farm and
the relict elements of people who inhab-
ited the land before them.
The nineteenth century was a
productive period for Icelandic archae-
ology. As in other countries interest in
archaeology was based on pursuing local
identities and the historic agenda. Priests,
local worthies and intelligentsia within
local communities were active partici-
pants in the collection of archaeological
Figure 1. A landscape depicted. Laugarbrekka in Snœfellsnes byAsgrimur Vigfússon (FF, 320-325).
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