History lesson

Call me weak, or lazy, or a fair weather tourist, but in the continued drizzle this morning, I decided a museum visit was in order.

Iceland has been settled since about 870, mostly by Vikings and some Celtic, with some earlier visits from Ireland. Prior to about 1000 most occupants were pagan and worshipped several gods, including Thor (Por). After that time, the entire country converted to Christianity (voted in by the Althingi).

I thought of Lola when I saw the aims below-not quite as good as a mummy. This was recovered from a pagan grave. Apparently they changed the way they buried people on conversion to Christianity, including no longer including tools for the afterlife in the grave.

This is one form of housing used during one period. There are four beds, and these typically held two people.

There was quite a bit in the museum on the awful consequences of various volcanic eruptions, including one that poisoned the soil for years and caused the deaths of thousands.

I'm not doing the history of Iceland justice of course. For instance, did you know that Eric the Red, who had been exiled, settled Greenland? And a merchant named Bjarni Herjolfsson who was sailing for Greenland got blown off course and saw land, which Leifur the Lucky (I don't make these names up) went to explore in the year 1000. He discovered a land of mild climate with self sown wheat and grapes. He was the first European to set foot on the North American continent. Other family settled there for a time but eventually went back to Greenland.  Columbus visited Iceland in 1477 and is believed to have heard rumors of this far off land. Interesting stuff, assuming it's accurate.

I thought a few of you would appreciate this more recent addition to the museum: