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Icelanders in the Viking Age

Icelanders in the

Viking Age

The People of the Sagas

W ILLIAM R. S HORT

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Jefferson, North Carolina, and London

Frontispiece: Grettis saga tells the story of Grettir sterki (the strong),

a powerful ﬁghter who battled and triumphed over berserks, ghosts,

grave-dwellers, and Vikings, as well as over many ordinary men.

Towards the end of his life, Grettir and his brother Illugi lived in exile

on the island of Drangey. With its sheer cliffs rising some 650 feet (200

meters) out of the deep waters of Skagafjörsr, the brothers were safe

from any attack, as long as they pulled the ladder up each night. One

night, while Illugi tended his injured brother, their servant Glaumr

fell asleep after forgetting this important duty. óorbjörn öngull (hook)

and his men easily climbed to the top of the island and killed both

Grettir and Illugi (author photograph).

L IBRARY OF C ONGRESS C ATALOGUING - IN -P UBLICATION D ATA

Short, William R.

Icelanders in the Viking age : the people of the sagas /

William R. Short.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-7864-4727-5

softcover : 50# alkaline paper

¡. Vikings— Iceland — History. 2. Vikings— Iceland — Social

life and customs. 3. Vikings— Iceland — Material culture.

4. Iceland — History — To ¡262. 5. Iceland — Social life and

customs. I. Title.

DL334.N65S56 20¡0

949.¡2'0¡— dc22

2009053299

British Library cataloguing data are available

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form

or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying

or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the publisher.

On the cover: Woman in Saga Age Icelandic dress (Photograph by

Andrew Frolows, Australian National Maritime Museum)

Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Box 6¡¡, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640

www.mcfarlandpub.com

William R. Short - Icelanders in the Viking Age, The People of the Sagas (2010).pdf