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Lecture 2: Iceland and the Vikings Craig Benjamin, GVSU. WCC Spring 2020 Our Four-Lecture Program Lect 1: Big History of the North Atlantic, North Sea and Scotland Lect 2: Iceland and the Vikings Lect 3: Big History of the Faroe and Shetland Islands Lect 4: A Little Big History of Denmark and the end of the Vikings Lecture Two: Iceland • In geological terms, Iceland is a young island, erupting out of the sea less than 20 MYA • For most of its history Iceland uninhabited by humans • Changed in 874 CE when Viking explorers from Norway and Britain discovered and quickly settled the island • Lecture unfolds the history of Iceland from its geological origins through to the twenty-first century, including its complex relations with neighboring Scandinavian nations • Also introduces the Icelandic ports and their landscapes that we will visit over the next four days of the cruise A: LBH of Iceland B: Rethinking the Vikings C. Our Icelandic Ports Part A: Little Big History of Iceland Geothermal map of Iceland. High- temperature fields inside the active volcanic zone are shown as red circles, and hot and warm springs as yellow circles https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benedikt_Steingrimsson/publ ication/228473661/figure/fig2/AS:302023254790158@1449019363 916/Geothermal-map-of-Iceland • Iceland is literally a country in the making • Geological forces are working constantly – geysers gush, mudpots gloop, volcanoes erupt, tectonic forces are constantly on the move • At the same time Arctic gales sweep across the island, the seas rush into deep fjords, and glaciers grind their way across the island • It is hard to visit Iceland and not be deeply moved by the forces of nature at work • Located in North Atlantic close to Arctic Circle, between Greenland and Norway • Area is 40,000 sq. miles (same as Portugal, Kentucky, Virginia) • 18th largest island in the world • Coastline is 3000 miles long • Iceland maintains a contentious 200-mile exclusive economic zone Location and Dimensions http://ultimatehistoryproject.com/uploads/3/5/0/1/ 35012707/7968430.png?478 Formation of Iceland • One of the youngest landmasses on planet, so inevitably home to some of the world’s most active volcanoes • Formed because of a major volcanic fissure in the Mid Atlantic Ridge (that separates American and Eurasian tectonic plates) • Fissure known as the Iceland Plume • This hotspot probably caused the formation of Iceland, which first started emerging from the sea 16-18 MYA • Iceland still growing at rate of 5cms pa today as new land is created Tectonic plate separation in Thingvellir where tectonic New land is formed here every year! plates meet (wikimediacommons) Bridge between American and Eurasian Tectonic Plates! https://c7.alamy.com/comp/H20B58/iceland-reykjanes- bridge-between-continents-mid-atlantic-ridge-H20B58.jpg Thingvellir Fissure and Landscape Pic. C. Benjamin Strolling between two tectonic plates North America on left – Eurasia on right Pic. C. Benjamin • As well as major NS tectonic MAR, Iceland also has two parallel rift zones • These connect to the active Western Volcanic zone (WVRZ) and Eastern Volcanic Zone (EVRZ) • Connection between these two Zones is made by the Iceland Seismic Zone, an area of high earthquake activity Tectonic Structure https://notendur.hi.is/mcc1/tectonics.html • Eruption of Laki volcano (crater below) in 1783 was devastating • Killed over 6 million people globally; one of deadliest eruptions in history • Spewing of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere led to a drop in global temperatures, resulting in crop failures in Europe and droughts in India • Resulting famines killed 25% of human population! Volcanic Eruption By Chmee2/Valtameri - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, of 1783 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8113124 • 1963-67 new island of Surtsey appeared out of the sea as a result of an undersea eruption • 2010 Eylafjallakokull eruption caused massive disruption to European air travel (pictured) • 2011 Grimsvotn volcano erupted • Aug 2014-Feb 2015 Huluhraun eruption produced a massive lava field (86 sq. kms) Recent Eruptions By Boaworm - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10056072 Plenty of geothermal activity at Geysir National Park Pic. C. Benjamin Pic. C. Benjamin Topography http://s.embark.org/0.9.0/media/820x400/Iceland/images/hvannadalshnukur- Iceland’s highest mountain: Hvannadaslshnjkuriceland.jpg 2,119 mtrs (6852 ft) • 11% of Iceland is covered in glaciers (12,000 sq kms in area) • Vatnajokull (below) is largest glacier in Europe • Many glaciers overlay active volcanoes so always danger of meltwater floods known as jokulhlaups • All glaciers are in retreat; Vatnajokull has lost 10% of volume Huge (but shrinking) Glaciers! https://d3hne3c382ip58.cloudfront.net/files/uploads/bookmundi/resized/cms featured/the-vatnajokull-glacier-in-iceland-1500454494-785X440.jpg Gullfoss Glacier behind Mountains Pic. C. Benjamin Magnificent Gullfoss Pic. C. Benjamin • Iceland is the least populated country in Europe • 80% of country is uninhabitable (glaciers, mountains, geysers, waterfalls, Climate black sand beaches etc) • Climate surprisingly mild because of Gulf Stream (but also affected by East Greenland polar current flowing SE around north and east coasts) • Summer temps in Reykjavik average 51-76 degrees F; winter 32-50 F https://www.mountainguides.is/blog/iceland’s-climate-moves-with-the-gulf-stream-flow/ Iceland Vegetation • There are a number of small trees on Iceland (ash, aspen, birch and willow) but no forests • Major types of vegetation are grasses, mosses and small shrubs, including heather, willow and dwarf birch • Naturalists have identified 340 different species of flowers, but these are very sparse Top: Lupine, introduced in 1945 Middle: Norwegian Angelica Bottom: Moss Campion (spring flower) http://exviking.net/iceland/vegetation.htm • Arctic Fox chief indigenous animal of Iceland • Reindeer introduced 18th C • Initially abundant, then almost extinct, now protected mostly in the NE highlands Iceland Fauna Arctic Fox Center, Isafjordur Pic. P. Benjamin Iceland Waters • Seas around Iceland abound in marine species – whales, dolphins, seals, wide variety of fish, even leatherback turtles • Cod, haddock and herring abundant, also sole, shark, halibut • Salmon and trout abound in rivers and lakes http://www.whalesafari.is/blog/2015/8/24/noise-in-the-ocean Iceland Birds • Almost 90 different species of breeding birds have been identified, mostly aquatic • Most common birds are eider duck (raised commercially for their down) and ptarmigan • Estimated 8 million puffins live on Iceland! • Swan, eagle, falcon, and gannet are all rare and protected • Iceland has no reptiles or frogs, and very few insects https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/13609/t/100345.aspx Part B: Vikings Revisited Hinguar and Hubba setting out to avenge their father Lothbrok wikimediacommons.com • Term Viking first appears in Old English in 9th Century • Used just three times in an Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; each time it means ‘robbers’ • Vikings also called by other names – pagans, heathens, guill (foreigners), Northmani, Dani, pirates What did they call themselves? • Vikings did not self-identify according to national or state polities • Instead referred to themselves as ‘Followers of Olaf’ or ‘Followers of Cnut’, although they all spoke the same language • Later called themselves Dane (those of Southern Scandinavian origin) or Norse (those of Northern Scandinavian origin) Snow cover across Scandinavia, By Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at as imaged by MODIS on board NASA GSFC - Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), NASA's Terra satellite in 2002 • Reappears in 11th C Old Norse Chronicles – vikingar used to emphasize the ferocity of Cnut’s troops • But same term also appears on 11th C runes to describe respectable sons who went raiding overseas • By 13th C it was used in Icelandic Sagas to describe pirates • Came into common usage in Western European sources in the Middle Ages • Recorded in modern English for the first time in 1807; then used by Sir Walter Scott in his 1828 novel ‘The Pirates’ Evolution of Term Viking One of the few surviving manuscript leaves from the Heimskringla Sagas written by Snorn By National and University Library of Iceland - http://handrit.is/en/manuscript/view/is/LbsFragm-0082, Public Domain, Sturluson c. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26932702 1260 • No agreement amongst linguists on etymology: • Perhaps derived from a common Germanic verb meaning ‘to leave, withdraw, depart’? • Or from Old Icelandic vik (bay or creek)? • Refers to a group from region of Viken near Oslo (below) who started raiding England to escape Danish hegemony? • Or from Norse vika (oarsman); Old English vikya (to turn aside); or wic (armed camp? Etymology? By Erik A. Drabløs - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=828522 • Again, little agreement here • Start can no longer be dated to raid on Lindisfarne in 793 because there is now evidence of earlier contact, including older Irish and English artifacts found in Norwegian graves • Swedes had also been raiding in the Baltic much earlier • And in southern Scandinavia many developments often associated with Age of Vikings had appeared during early 8th C – market trade, increased manufacturing, towns, overseas contacts Chronology? By Pinpin - own work made with inkscape from Image:Vikings-Voyages.png and Image:Worldmap wdb combined.svg, CC BY-SA
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