Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1991, Page 27

PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT . .
31
A Modest Attempt at a Conclusion
It this article I have tried to touch upon
some of the main problems concerning the
earliest settlement in the Faroe Islands.
What has been tried, in broad outline, is
not to point out solutions, but to present
the stage of research today.53 One may ask
if there exists any stage at all, or rather a
state of confusion, with so many parties in-
volved and with so many gaps in our
knowledge. At least, no final synthesis is
possible.
But many questions must naturally be
asked. For elample: FIow could it be that
human beings had been living in Shetland
for almost 5000 years before the Faroe Is-
lands were discovered? It must be accept-
ed as a matter of fact that they were
known by people in »Scotia« early in the
8th century. Can it be possible that the
Norse expansion to the West, beginning
shortly before 800 should have been 100 or
150 years »old« when Norse people settled
in the islands, considering their geographi-
cal position. Only the future can tell us if
it will be possible to bridge the gaps, by
means of the results of archaeological
research, back to Dicuil, and eventually
from him to early settlers — not to speak
of those still more obscure peoples that
might have visited our islands about four
thousand years ago.
Some of the answers may be slumbering
in the patient earth, and may some day be
given a voice — either as a result of
research, or by mere accident.
References
1. J. J. Tierney: LIBER DE MENSURA ORBIS
TERRAE. Scriptores Latini Hiberniae. Volume
VI. Dublin 1967, pp. 71-74.
2. Op. cit., p. 12.
3. Historia Norvegiae. Monumenta Historica Nor-
vegiae. Ed. Gustav Storm. Kristiania 1880, p. 92.
Cf. G. J. Marcus: The Conquest of the North At-
lantic. 1980, pp. 7-32. Cf. Chr. Matras, note 49,
and A. W. Brøgger, notes 20-22.
4. Heinrich Zimmer: Uber die friihesten Beriihrun-
gen der Iren mit den Nordgermanen. Sitzungs-
berichte der Koniglich Preussen Akademie der
Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1891, pp. 279-317.
5. Quoted from Gísli Sigurdsson: Gaelic Influence in
Iceland. Historical and Literary Contact. A. Sur-
vey of Research. Reykjavík 1988, p. 15.
6. Ibid.
7. Zimmer, p. 298.
8. Zimmer, pp. 280-282.
9. Hans J. Debes: Føroya søga I. Tórshavn 1990, pp.
55-113.
10. Bede: A. History of the English Church and
People. Penguin Classics 1968, pp. 299-303, 326-
327.
Donald Attwater: The Penguin Dictionary of
Saints, 1965, pp. 30-31, 73. Denis O’Donoghue, P.
P. Arnfelt: St. Brendan the Voyager in Story and
Legend. Dublin 1893, pp. 125-128. Nora Chad-
wick: The Celts. Penguin/Pelican, 1987, pp. 278-
283.
11. Zimmer, p. 290.
12. Ramón de Berraondo: MOTIVOS VASCOS. Los
pescadores ante la historia. EUSKALERIAREN
ALDEN. REVISTA DE CULTURA VASCA.
Ano XI. Núm. 211, pp. 241-248. Cf. Aitor Yraola:
Um baskneska fiskimenn á Norður-Atlandshafi.
SAGA. Tímarit sógufelags XXI 1983, pp. 27-38.
13. Ólafur Halldórsson: Færeyinga saga. Reykjavík.
Introduction with English summary.
- Um landnám Gríms Kambans í Føroyum.
Fróðskaparrit 10. bók, 1961, pp. 47-52.
14. fslendingabók, p. 5; Landnámabók pp. 31-34. fs-
lenzk fornrit I. Reykjavík 1986.
15. Chr. Matras: Færøerne. NORDISK KULTUR V.
STEDSNAVN. Stockholm, Oslo, København
1939, pp. 53-59.
16. Ólafur Halldórsson: Færeyinga saga. Introduction.
Summary.
17. Hans J. Debes: Føroya søga I. Tórshavn 1990, pp.
55-113.