ALMANNEGIAA. 
8 7 
to extend, in uninterrupted lines, the whole 
width of the plain, and were terminated on one 
side by the lake Thingevalle. Immediately be- 
low us was the river Oxeraa, and, just on the 
other side, in the midst of this most extraor¬ 
dinary country, are situated the church and 
parsonage of Thingevalle The verdure upon 
these buildings, and the unusual fertility of the 
small patch of ground which immediately sur¬ 
rounded them, together with the numerous herds 
* This place takes its name from the word Althing , or the 
seat of the court of justice, which was once there, but was be¬ 
fore that time, according to Povelsen and Olafsen, at Kialar- 
noes, and is now at Reikevig. The Oxeraa divided the Althing 
into two parts: the consistory, which was upon the eastern 
bank, was held every year in the church of Thingevalle, but 
only for the bishoprick of Skalholt; for the northern bishop- 
rick, the consistory was held at Kugemire, in the canton of 
Skagafiordur. Upon the western bank of the river was situ¬ 
ated the building, made use of for the session of the inferior 
court, called Lavretten. The Lavretten was held in the open 
air till 1690, when a building was constructed similar to the 
rest belonging to the Althing, that is to say, with walls of 
lava, and a roof covered with rafters and laths, ornamented 
on the outside with wadmal. Thorleosholm , a little island 
in the river Oxeraa, was the place of punishment for the 
criminals.—See Povelsen and Olafsen . § 905.— Tingwall is 
the name of a place in the Shetland Islands, where formerly 
the chief court of justice was held.—See Mr. Neill's interest¬ 
ing Account of the Orkney and Shetland Isles , and Jpdmon - 
stone's Zetland Islands. 
