The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1946, Page 8

6
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Winter 1946
JJandic'iattA o[ Iceland
By SOFIA WATHNE
A question frequently ask-
ed is “What are the handi-
crafts of Iceland?” As far
as the writer has been able
to discover the handicrafts
of the people of Iceland are
those of the Scandinavian
peoples, and they come by
them quite honestly.
As the history of Iceland
is recorded from its very
beginning in the ancient
Icelandic Sagas, we are well
informed on everything per-
taining to the settlement of
the island.
Thus we know, that prior
to the arrival of the Norse-
men in the late 9th century, the only
people living on the island were a few
Irish monks who had taken up their
abode there presumably because they
shared with one of our famous film
stars, the desire “to be alone”. With the
exception of these hermits who left al-
most at once; Iceland was entirely unin-
habited, and no evidence of prehistoric
people, of strange creeds or crafts has
ever been found.
The first settlers to arrive came from
Norway. They were chieftains and nobles
who had chosen to leave their native land
with their families, livestock and other
possessions rather than to bow to auto-
cratic rule. They were joined in Iceland
by other high ranking families of Norse
descent who came from Ireland, the
Western Islands and the islands north
of Scotland.
Judged by the standards of the times,
these people were cultured and highly
civilized. That they were skilled crafts-
men and had brought with them ade-
quate equipment, is shown by the fact
that one of their chief exports was vad-
mal, this woolen cloth was also recog-
nized legal tender.
According to history the Norsemen
adhered with great fidelity to the ways
of their ancestors and had brought to the
new country everything necessary to
their way of life. Some of the more
wealthy settlers imported timber and
built pretentious dwellings with separ-
ate banquet halls where guests were
lavishly entertained. We are told that on
festive occasions tables were decked
with white linen tablecloths and that
fingerbowls and towels were also used.
Linen towels and tablecloths indicate a
knowledge of the spinning and weaving
of flax.
Costly gold brocaded garments and
mantles of scarlet and other striking
colors worn by ladies and gentlemen of
rank at these social functions are de-
scribed in the Sagas, and it was custom-
ary to deck the halls with wall hangings
and draperies. From this we know that
picture weaving, enbroidery and dyeing
were highly developed arts. Not all of
this finery was imported. Some of it
may have been purchased abroad, —
ships of the ancient Vikings made fre-
quent visits to foreign ports and they
traded everywhere — but much of it was
doubtless made at home by the ladies
of the aristocracy who spent their leisure