THE 



National Geographic Magazine 



Vol. IX MARCH, 1898 No. 3 



DWELLINGS OF THE SAGA-TIME IN ICELAND, 

 GREENLAND, AND VINELAND 



By Cornelia Horsford 



The Saga-time began with the colonization of Iceland in 875 

 and lasted for about 150 years. During this time the oft-repeated 

 accounts of the discovery, colonization, and early history of Ice- 

 land, as well as that of all Scandinavia, acquired the form of 

 Sagas or narrations. Ari Thorgilsson, the historian, who was 

 born in Iceland in 1067 and died in 1148, was the first to write 

 down these events in chronological order. In each of the four 

 books attributed to this writer Greenland and Vineland are 

 briefly mentioned.* Other Sagas relate the adventures, trage- 

 dies, and family histories of the colonists, and among these are 

 the Sagas which tell about Greenland and Vineland.t 



We know that Scandinavia has been a rich field for collecting 

 relics of the stone, bronze, and early iron ages, but no ruin of a 

 dwelling dating from the Saga-time has yet been identified in Den- 

 mark, Sweden, or Norway. This may be due to the lack of dura- 

 bility in the way of building the houses and to the custom of 

 using over and over again in new buildings all „the suitable 

 material from the old walls. 



In 1888 a young Icelander named Valtyr Gudmunclsson, who 

 was studying for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Uni- 



* Islendingabok, Landnamabok, Kristni-Saga, and Konungabok. 



f Hauksbdk, Eirikg Saga Rauthi, and Flateyjarbok. Greenland and Vineland are also 

 briefly mentioned in the Fornmanna Sogur, Eyrbyggja Saga, and in three vellum manu- 

 scripts in the Arna-Magiiiean Library at Copenhagen. An account of these will be 

 found in the first chapter of "The Finding of Wineland the Good," by Arthur Middle- 

 ton Reeves. London, 1800, Henry Frowde. 



