Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1999, Síða 145

UM ELSTA FØROYSKA JARÐARBÝTIÐ
149
markatal, is a problematic unit. It is not
known for sure when it was introduced or
emerged, but perhaps in the period 1000-
1200. The question has been dealt with by
several authors, among whom are Degn
(1930), Bjørk (1957), Zachariassen (1959),
Brandt (1973) and Thorsteinsson (1991).
Danielsen (1993) has an altemative view,
as he proposes that the markatal was part of
a strictly organised landnám, but his thesis
as an historical document is in many ways
untrustworthy.
The registered markatal of the villages
has to some degree changed by mistakes in
the registers, by re-evaluation, as a result of
divisions, and for other reasons. In spite of
these changes, the markatal should be eval-
uated as an indication of the main divisions.
The total markatal at the comprehensive
“taxation” in 1873 was 2374, not including
the decimals. The islands or sýslur had the
following markatal:
Suðuroy 367 M
Sandoy 277 M
Vágar 220 M
Streymoy 584 M
Eysturoy 501M
Norðoyar 425 M
It is not possible to divide the islands into
two sections with an equal number of
markatal on this basis. If we try to divide
along the boundary river, Skeiðsá, however,
so that the area “south of Hórisgøtu” be-
comes part of a southem chiefdom, then the
calculation looks like this:
Southem part (367+277+220+282)= 1146Mark
Northem part (425+501+302) = 1228 Mark
This calculation comes rather near to an
equal division. One must remember, how-
ever, that the first taxation (the original
markatal evaluation) was possibly done in
middle of the llth century by Leif Ossur-
son, as proposed by Winther (1875: 522).
Other Sources on Two Chiefdoms
Winther (1875: 86) refers to old legends,
stating that the division line was in Koll-
fjarðadalur along the rivers and lakes there.
This viewpoint raises a problem, as the old
parishes, as well as the markatal villages of
both Kollafjørður and Kvívík then will be
divided. Normally, Kollafjørður is per-
ceived as one village, including the areas
on the southem side: Oyrareingir and
Signabøur. If we follow Winther’s propos-
al, and revise the calculation above and add
these two farms as well as the farm,
Heygur, that has its outfield on the southern
side, then:
Southem section (1228+41 )= 1187 Mark
Northem section (1146-41)= 1187 Mark
This amazing result is almost too good to
be true. Perhaps it indicates, however, that
in the chiefdom period there was a foremn-
ner for the markatal: a standard farm and
simple divisions of this area as a sort of tax-
ation unit.
The Isoglosses and Linguistic Boundary
Weyhe (1996b) has written a very interest-
ing essay on isoglosses or linguistic bound-
aries in the Faeroe Islands. In an interview,
he told me that some of the most important
isoglosses crossed Streymoy just in the
study-area, so that southem and northem
Streymoy is still today divided according to