7/15/25: Reykjavik's National Museum of Iceland

 

 Steven and I started our last day in Reykjavik, before returning in two weeks, at the National Museum of Iceland. Although the humble island of isolated farms had left behind few artifacts, the museum did a commendable job of showcasing the best of what had survived.

The Book of Icelanders and The Book of Settlement are historical sources that document the country's settlement, with Norse people establishing settlements circa 870. Archaeological research largely supports the written sources about the date and scope of the settlement.

There is some discussion about whether the human, bronze figure, dated to around 1000, represents one of the Norse gods, Þór, also known as Thor, or whether it represents Jesus Christ. Is he holding Þór's hammer or a Christian cross? Although the pagan worship of Norse gods was the prevalent religion from 800 to 1000, Christians had been present in Iceland from the beginning, and the two groups apparently coexisted peacefully. Steven and I visited the site on the country's southeast coast today, July 24th, where Christianity was made official in Iceland in 1000. More on that later!

The museum's collection included a few objects from the Settlement Age, such as pendants found in graves, a tiny mask, and this candle holder, as well as enormous brass dome brooches. 

Few artifacts have survived from the early days of Christianity in Iceland, possibly because it took time for the new religion to become established and for the church to acquire religious items. Some Christian items have been found in pagan graves, as they were seen as ornaments, indicating that they were ambivalent about their beliefs. This 10th-century, silver cruciform pendant was similar to ones found in southern Scandinavia, the Baltic region, and Russia.

Wooden doorposts in Iceland's medieval churches were elaborately carved; however, because timber was always in short supply in the country, the wood was often recycled and reused. 

I was impressed with the museum's collection of liturgical vestments and tapestries, which included this late 15th-century Gothic-style chasuble...

... and these early 16th-century embroidered altar frontals, as well as this altarpiece.

Another important piece in the collection was the Figure of Christ from a cross, now lost, that hung in a church in Ufsir in North Iceland. It is believed to have been made in Iceland around 1200. He is depicted bearded and wearing a loincloth, as was the norm in such images. His uplifted head, open eyes, and outstretched arms at right angles were typical of the Romanesque style. 

The exquisite wood-carved Valþjófsstaður Door from the church in eastern Iceland also dates to around 1200 and is believed to have been carved in Iceland. It is the only carved door that still exists in Iceland. The top panel illustrated the story of a knight who slew a dragon to slay a lion. Like many valuable Icelandic objects, the door was removed for safekeeping to Denmark, which controlled Iceland, until it was returned in the 1930s. 

Drinking horns were commonly used as toasts on special occasions in the Nordic world among members of the ruling class during the Middle Ages. However, it was only in Iceland that they were carved. The oldest one dates back to the first half of the 15th century. 

This horn was carved with scenes from the Old and New Testaments by Brynjólfur Jónsson, a skilled carver in Skáro, South Iceland, in 1598.

When Gudbrandur's Bible was printed in Icelandic in 1584, it was the first complete translation of the Bible into Icelandic. As a result of the Protestant Reformation, which originated in Europe and subsequently spread to Iceland, the majority of Icelanders remain Lutheran. 

Whalebone was used to make a variety of objects because it was both durable and decorative. Jónsson was also the artist behind these painstakingly carved items made from whalebone. 

Many Icelanders made a living off the sea, fishing from simple, open rowing and sailing boats in the late 19th century. The four-man fishing boat, Ingjaldur, was built in 1898, and decades later, an engine was added to enhance its utility. It was sold to the museum in 1972. 

These fierce harpoons, equipped with retractable barbs, were used in the 1800s and early 1900s to hunt sharks, as their livers were prized for the oil, which was used in lamps across Europe. 

The desk belonged to Jón Sigurðsson, considered one of Iceland's leading figures in the 19th-century fight for independence from Denmark. With more than 8,000 of his letters still in existence, his letter-writing campaign encouraged his fellow countrymen in the campaign for self-determination, a national constitution, and an end to the trade monopoly. 

This was a typical Icelandic baðstofa, or farmhouse, that was used for hundreds of years throughout the country. It had four small beds, was made either of turf or driftwood because few trees remained in Iceland after the Settlement Era. My apologies for the ghastly color of the first image.

The Blue and White was an early, unofficial Icelandic flag, first flown by a young Icelandic fisherman in 1913 from his boat in Reykjavik, until a Danish coast guard ship seized the "unauthorized" colors. After irate Icelanders demanded that the issue be resolved, the Danish king finally decided that Iceland deserved its own banner. After the blue and white flag was mistaken for Sweden's, a red cross was added to Iceland's. The country received its independence from Denmark on June 17, 1944. 

The struggle for the country's economic independence continued, as it sought control of the fishing grounds. Between 1950 and 1975, Iceland gradually expanded its fishing limits in phases to 200 nautical miles; however, British trawlers occasionally fished within the zone. These giant, trawl wire cutters were probably the only "weapon" ever invented by Iceland. They were used during the Cod Wars between Iceland and the UK (1958-1970), by the Icelandic Coast Guard to cut the trawl wires of British boats fishing in Icelandic waters. The pacifist Icelanders note that this was the only "war" in their history, and it involved no bloodshed.

I had also hoped to write about our fun time on Reykjavik's Viðey Island and the "only live lava show in the world" in this post, but it's after midnight, and Steven and I have a boat trip reserved to see a glacier in a lagoon first thing in the morning. Those will have to wait until the next post, hopefully written sometime soon from Greenland if we have wifi on the ferry. My apologies if you were hoping for more than my take on The National Museum of Iceland in this post!

Posted on July 24th, 2025, from Skálafell on Iceland's southeast coast, as we almost round out our marvelous tour of Iceland. Wishing you and your loved ones good health and happiness.