Part #2

Note upon The High Seat Pillars, öndvegis sula.

        The derivation of this word is from sula = a post or pillar, and from önd-vegi, which is the common form. The derivation of the word is not quite settled yet. But the most probable derivation is from önd = porch, doorway, and vegr way. Önd-vegis sæti is probably the original expression: the seat that faced the way along which arrivals to the hall made their progress up to the chief's presence. It is a noteworthy fact, that no pillars or high seat posts are mentioned dedicated to any other god but Thor. In the main, the pillars were emblems of tribal chieftainship, in its two principal aspects: martial leadership and priestly authority.
        Literally an opposite seat, or high seat; so called because two seats were placed opposite to one another. In ancient timbered halls the benches were placed long ways, running along the walls of the halls, with the two seats of honour in the middle, facing one another; the northern bench facing the sun, was called öndvegi it ærdra: the higher or first high seat; the opposite or sourthern bench being it uædra the lower or second high seat. The two high seats were the most honoured places in the Hall, and a chief guest used to be placed in the southern high seat. In England the master and mistress sitting opposite to each other at each end of the table may be a remnant of this old Scandinavian custom. The sides of the high seats were ornamented with uprights (öndvegis sula), carved with figures, almost invariably a head of Thor. These posts were regarded with religious reverence; many of the settlers of Iceland took those high seats with them, as in the case of Ingolf, before mentioned, and Thorolf, as mentioned in the preceeding chapter. When near Iceland they threw them overboard to drift ashore, and where they found them there they took up their abode. When a man of rank died, the son, after all rights performed, solemnly seated himself in his father's seat, as a token of succession, and there is a case in which the sons sat not in the father's seat till they had avenged his death. In the Heimskringla it is said that in Norway, in Sweden, and in Denmark that the King's High Seat was in the middle of the long bench at feasts, with the Queen on the left hand and that this was called the King's High Seat (Konungs öndvegi).

The Holy Hill or Helga Fell on Snæfellness. The earthly Paradise of Thorolf and his descendants who settled around Broadfirth (Breiðafjörd).

        The sacred character of the mountain where Thorolf first landed, and its connection with the religious belief of the Norseman is well marked by a passage in this chapter. "Thorolf settled land from Staffriver inward to Thorsriver, and called all that part Thorsness. He had so great reverence for that fell which stands upon the ness and which is called Helga Fell = The Holy Fell, that he ordained that thither should no man unwashen look, and there was so great a place hallowedness = sanctuary that nothing should be destroyed upon the mountain, either of cattle or people, unless it should go away of its own accord." The Holy Fell therefore, where Thor's Pillar or High Seat came ashore, was consecrated as a place of sanctuary or refuge. Moreover it was the entrance to Valhalla or the Northern Hades. "It was the belief of Thorolf and his descendants that they should die into the mountain," i.e., that they should dwell within the mountain after their death.
        It is an advantage to rightly understanding this passage that the Eyrbyggja Saga in its first twelve chapters deals almost exclusively with Thorolf, his landing, his form of religious worship and his descendants. It seems to be a perfectly independent testimony to the history of Thorolf and his Settlement. The Landnama's account certainly has not been derived from it, neither has it, so far as I am able to judge, been taken from the Landnama. Chapter XI of the Erybyggja Saga, when describing the death of Thorstein, the son of Thorolf Mostbeard, the original settler, gives a graphic account of what is meant by die into the mountain, which is as follows: "That same harvest Thorstein went out to Hoskuld's Island to lay in stores of fish, and it chanced that one evening in that harvest that a shepherd of Thorstein went to look after his flock to the north of the Holy Fell. He observed that the fell opened out towards the north end, and within the fell (Helgafell) he saw mighty fires and could hear a great noise there, and the clanging of drinking horns. And he listened to hear if he could catch any distinct words, and he heard that they were greeting Thorstein and his seafaring companions, and bidding him sit in the high seat over against his father (Thorolf Mostbeard). This forewarning the shepherd told to Thora, the wife of Thorstein, in the evening. She spake little about it, but said that it might be the foreboding (46) of heavier tidings. The morning after men came out from Hoskuld's Island and told these tidings that Thorstein Codbiter had been drowned while fishing, and men regarded this as a great disaster."

Note on Thorolf's Temple at Templestead.

        "There he built a Temple and a mighty house it was. Within the door of the Temple stood the pillars of the High Seat (High Seat Posts), and nails were therein; they were called the Gods nails. But off the innermost house there was another house, of that position whereof now is the choir of the Church, and there stood a stall in the midst of the floor of the fashion of an altar, whereon lay a ring without a join which weighed twenty ounces, and on this men were bound to sware all oaths taken at the court; and that ring must the Chief have on his arm at all man-motes. Upon this stall stood the blood-bowl, which was sprinkled from the bowl that blood which was called "Hlaut" which was the blood which flowed from those beasts which had been offered in sacrifice to the gods, and around the stall were the gods arranged in the Holy Place.
        All men in the district were bound to pay toll to that temple, and were bound to follow as liegemen the Temple Priest in all his goings. And the Chief, i.e., Temple Priest, was bound to uphold the Temple and keep it in repair, and also to provide therein the sacrificial festivals. ---- Eyrbyggja Saga, Chapter IV.

Note on the Stone of Thor, Blot-steinn or Stone of Sacrifice. From Henderson's Travels in Iceland.

        "It was some time before we could find the place. A little to the south of the cottage we fell in with an immense number of small square heights, which were evidently the ruins of the booths used by this people at the Public Assembly. We here instituted a strict search after the Blot-stein or Stone of Sacrifice, otherwise called the Stone of Thor, on which human victims were immolated to Thor; but sought it in vain in the immediate vicinity of the Booths, none of the stones in that quarter answering to the description which had been given of it. At last we discovered a large stone in the middle of a morass at some distance, which, though rough and unshapen, was determined to be the identical "Stone of Fear" "by the horrid circle of Brumo" in the centre of which it is situate. The stones which form the circular ring appear also to be of a considerable size; but as they are now almost entirely covered by the morass, it is impossible to ascertain their depth, except by digging. The circle itself is about 12 yards in diameter, and the stones are situated at short distances from each other. The blot-steinn is of an oblong shape, with a sharp summit, on which the backs of the victims were broken that were offered as expiating sacrifices in order to appease the wrath of the offended Diety, and purge the community from the obnoxiousness of guilt. Within the circle called in Iceland domhringr, sat the judges before whom the accused, with their advocates and witnesses were convened, while the spectators crowded around the outside of the range in order to hear the trial. The remains of these forensic and sacrificial circles are still found in great abundance throughout Scandinavia, and it is more than probable that many of the circles of stones discovered in different parts of Great Britian, especially Scotland, were used for similar purposes, and owe their existence to the Picts, or the intercourse which, in ancient times, was maintained between the northern nations and the coasts of our Islands."

Settlement of Geirrod and Ulfar. Hospitality of Geirrid his sister. Duel at the Holmgang between Thorolf and Ulfar. Death of Ulfar. Settlements in the Eyri. Origin of the community whose history is related in the Eyrbyggja Saga.

Chapter XIII. There was a man named Geirrod who went to Iceland, and with him went Finngeirr, son of Thorstein Snow Shoes (öndurs), and Ulfar Kappi (or the champion); they went from Halogaland to Iceland. Geirrod settled land in from the Thor's river to Langdale river. He dwelt at Eyri. Geirrod gave to his shipmate Ulfar land upon each side of Ulfar's mountain, until this side of the mountain. Geirrod gave Finngeirr land up to about Alptafjörd (Swan's Firth): he dwelt in the place which is now called Karstead. Finngeirr was the father of Thorfinn, father of Thorbrand, in Alptafirth, who married Thorbjorgu, the daughter of Thorfinn, the son of Selthor. The sister of Geirrod was named Geirrid, who had been married to Bjorn, the son of Bolverk, blindingatronju = blinding snout. Their son was named Thorolf. They (to wit, Geirrid and Thorolf) went to Iceland after the death of Bjorn, and they were for the first winter in Eyri.
        In the spring Geirrod gave his sister a homestead at Borgdale, when Thorolf went abroad upon a plundering expedition. Geirrid spared not meat to men. She caused them to make her scale right across the highway, and she sat upon a stool and invited in guests, and within a table stood already ready and meat upon it.
        Thorolf came to Iceland after the death of Geirrid. He challenged Ulfar for his land and proposed the contest of the Holmgang. Ulfar was then old and childless; he fell in the Holm and Thorolf was wounded in the leg, and walked lame ever after; hence he was nicknamed maimed-foot.
        After Ulfar, Thorolf took some of his land, and some of it took Thorfinn in Swanfirth; Thorfinn established on his share of the land his freed-men Ulvar and Orlyg. Geirrod in Eyri was the father of Thorgeir Kenty (=Staple) who moved the homestead from the Eyri (47) up to the fell; he was the father of Thord, the father of Atli.
        Thorolf Maimed-foot was the father of Arnkel the godi, and of Geirrid, who had for wife Thorolf in Mafvahlid. The sons of Thorbrand in Swanfirth were Thorolf Kimbi and Thorod, Snorri, Thorfinn, Illugi, Thormod; they quarrelled with Arnkel about the inheritance of their freedmen, and were abroad with Snorri the Godi at the slaying of him at Orlygstead. After that Thorleif Kimbi went; then Arnbjorn, son of Asbrand, from Broadwick, struck him with a porridge ladle or porridge stick (= thivel). Kimbi took it in jest. Thord Blig reproached him with this at the Thorsness thing, when he sued for the hand of Helga, his sister; then Kimbi caused Blig to be smitten with a sand sod. From this arose the quarrel between the Eyrbyggjar and the sons of Thorbrand and Snorri the godi. They fought in Swanfirth and upon Vigrafirth.
        There was a man named Thorberg; he went from Stelifirth, in Norway, to Iceland, and settled both (48) the Langdales, and dwelt in the outer; his son was Aslakr, who had for wife Arnleif, daughter of Thord the Yeller; their children were these: Illugi the Mighty, and Gunnhild, whom Breid married first, and afterwards Halldor, of Holmlatr. Illugi the Mighty married Gudleif, daughter of Ketil Smithy Log = anvil stock; their sons were Eyjolf and Endridi, Koll and Gellir; their daughters were: Herthrud, whom Thorgrim, the son of Vermund, had for wife; and Gudrid, whom Bergthor, the son of Thormod, the son of Thorlak, married first, and afterwards Jorund, in Skorradale, further, Jodis, who married Mar, the son of Illugi, the son of Ari, and Arnleif, who married Koll, the son of Thord Blig. From Illugi are the Langdalers come. Stein the Much-Sailing, the son of Vigbjod, the brother of Thorir Harvest-Mirk, settled Shawstrand, till it marched or met with the settlement of Thorberg, and up to the Salmon river; he dwelt at Breidabolstead. His son was Thorhadd, in Hitriverdale, and Thorgest, who married Arnora, the daughter of Thord the Yeller; their sons were: Stein the Lawspeaker and Asmund, and Haflidi and Thorhadd.

Discovery A.D. 982, and settlement, A. D. 986, of Greenland by Eirek the Red.

Chapter XIV. Thorvald, the son of Asvald, the son of Ulf, the son of Ox-Thorir, and Eirek the Red, his son, went from Jadar (49) for the sake of manslaughters, and settled land on the Hornstrands, and built at Drangar, where Thorvald died. Eirek married, when there, Thjodhild, the daughter of Jorund, the son of Atli, and of Thorbjorg knarrarbringu = the ship's breast, whom at this time Thorbjorn of Hauksdale had for wife; Eirek then went from the north and cleared land (50) in Hawkdale, he dwelt at Eirekstead, near Vatnshorn. There the thralls of Eirek let fall a rock-slip upon the dwelling of Valthjof, at Valthjofstead, but Eyjolf Saur, his kinsman, slew the thralls at Skeidsbrekka, up from Vatnshorn. For that sake Eirek slew Eyjolf Saur; he also slew Holmgang-Hrafn at Leik-Scales. Geirstein and Odd, at Jorvi, the kinsmen of Eyjolf, took up the blood-suit after him; then was Eirek exiled from Hawkdale; he then settled Brokey and Oxey, and dwelt at Tradir, in the Southey, the first winter. Then he left seat-beams of his house with Thorgest; afterwards Eirek went to Oxey, and dwelt at Eirekstead; then he claimed his seat-beams, and could not obtain them; Eirek took the seat-beams from Breidabolstead, and Thorgest went after him; they fought a short distance from the fence at Drangar, there fell two sons of Thorgest, and some other men besides; thereupon both sides sat at home, amidst an armed company. Styrr sided with Eirek, and Eyjolf from Sviney, and the sons of Thorbrand from Swanfirth, and Thorbjorn, the son of Vifil; and with Thorgest sided the sons of Thord the Yeller, and Thorgeir from Hitriverdale, Aslak from Langdale, and Illugi, his son. Eirek and his party were outlawed at the Thorsness Thing. Then he fitted out a ship in Eireksvag, but Eyjolf hid him in Dimunvag, while Thorgest and his party were seeking him about the islands. Thorbjorn and Eyjolf and Styr followed Eirek out beyond the islands; he told them that he purposed to seek that land which Gunnbjorn, the son of Ulf Crow, saw when being driven west, beyond Iceland (by a storm), he found there Gunnbjorn's skerries. Eirek said that if he discovered land he would afterwards re-visit his friends. Eirek sailed from off Snæfellness, and he came out at Midjokul, at the place which is now called Blueserk; he went thence to the south, along the land, to see if that it could be settled. He was the first winter in Eirek's Island, nigh to the middle of the western settlement, and the next spring he went to Eireks-firth, and took there for himself a dwelling. He went that summer into the western wastes, and wide about there he assigned names to places. He was the next winter at Eireksholmes, near to Hvarfsgnipa. But the third summer he went north as far as Snæfell, and came to Hrafnsfirth. Then he felt sure he had got round the extremity of Eireksfirth; he sailed from thence back, and was the third winter in Eirek's Island, at the opening of Eireksfirth. Later in the summer, he went to Iceland, and came to Broadfirth; he was for that winter at Holmlatr with Ingolf. In spring Thorgest and Eirek engaged in battle, and Eirek had the worst of it; after that they were reconciled. That summer Eirek went to settle that land which he had found, and which he called Greenland, (51) for he said that many men would desire to visit it if he gave the land a good name.

Notes:
46. What was known as a foreboding or forewarning of death is well known amongst the old local superstitions of Cumberland. [Back]
47. Eyrr or Eyri was a gravelly bank as either of the banks of a river or also used of small tongues of land running into the sea. The Eyrr-byggjar were the buildings upon the Eyrrar gravelly beach, and the Eyrbyggja Saga, literally the Saga of the Eyrri builders, was the history of those men who had builded or settled there. [Back]
48. Hvarntveggja Langdale = both the Langdales, i.e., the outer and the inner. Compare the Langdale in Westmorland, implying two dales: Little Langdale and Great Langdale. [Back]
49. Jardarr, the local name of a district in Norway, literally "The Borderland." [Back]
50. The Norse word is ruddi = to clear, and this word is still used with the same meaning of clearing a wood in Lakeland. [Back]
51. Greenland, an extensive region stretching, so far as we know, from 59 45º to 83 ½º north lat., and from 17º to 73º west long.; its north-western extremity, however, being not yet accurately defined. It is an island of almost continental size, surrounded by smaller islands. Its area may be estimated at 512,000 or at 320,000 square miles, according as it takes in or leaves out islands and fjords running inland which average 60 miles in length. It was first discovered, as noted above, by Eirek the Red, one of the earliest settlers of Iceland, after having been before sighted by Gunnbjorn. After having explored it, Eirek founded there in the year 986 two colonies --- Osterbygd and Westerbygd = Eastern and Western Settlements. The colonies afterwards came under the dominion of Norway, but were neglected and suffered from disaster and privation. Finally the Westerbygd was attacked and destroyed by the Eskimo intruders from the north, some years after 1340. Subsequently the connection with Europe gradually grew less and less, until, according to obscure accounts, it wholly ceased after 1448, and Greenland almost passed into oblivion. When discovered in 1585 the Eskimo were its only inhabitants. Corroborating, however, the above passage in the Landnama, remarkable ruins of undoubted Scandinavian origin were early discovered on two points of the west coast, one in the present district of Julianehaub, between 60 and 61º north lat., and the other in Godthaab, between 64 and 65º. In each case the ruins lay scattered over an area of some hundred square miles, occupying small, flat and fertile spots round the heads of the fjords. The southern group contains about 100 such spots, each with ruins of from two or three up to thirty houses; the northern group is much poorer. For latest information see Nansen's account of his expedition across Greenland in 1888. [Back]