Post by einargunnar on Dec 23, 2008 13:35:50 GMT -5
Ef einhver skyldi hafa áhuga á frásögn Ohthere um Iraland þá læt ég hér á Miðjuna þennan smákafla úr 2004 bók minni. Ætlaði að gera það eftir jól enn hef tíma núna. Sumt er dálítið úrelt enda skrifað fyrir um 5 árum síðan. Meginkenningin er samt sterk. Footnotes gat ég ekki haft með því þær birtust ekki þegar Paste. Þær voru 8 talsins og skiptu ekki miklu.
Að Ísland var kallað Iraland á 9 öld í suður Englandi er ekki skrýtið ef rannsóknir Einars Pálssonar eru hafðar til hliðsjónar. Nöfn eins og Garðarshólmi og Snæland eru skráð mörg hundruð árum eftir að þau áttu að vera notuð yfir landið og voru kannski aðeins notuð í Skandinavíu. Kannski eru þessi nöfn bara þjóðsögur þess tíma. Nafnið Iraland er afturámóti samtímaheimild frá 9 öldinni. Island sem Isis land getur hafa verið notað líka, hver veit.
Ef einhver þekkjir W. C. Stokoe’s “sea-route” theory varðandi landalýsingu Ohthere þá lýsi ég því yfir að teoría hans er þvæla sem hann skyldi ekki sjálfur. Mikið af mótsögnum og mistökum. Fræðimenn margir skilja ekki hvað hann er að fara og finnst því teorían gáfuleg og styðja hana. Teorían hljóti að vera sniðug fyrst þeir skilja hana ekki. Líka ágætt tækifæri til að hafna því að Ísland hafi verið kallað Iraland. Það er þó ekki mikið minnst á þessa teoríu nú til dags.
1.12
The account of Óttarr (Ohthere) from Hålogaland in northern Norway at the court of King Alfred of Wessex in England
The chieftain Óttarr (Old English Ohthere) from the Hålogaland region in northern Norway visited the court of King Alfred of Wessex in England some time in the last quarter of the ninth century. Óttarr was a farmer and a trader and told the king of his travels. He was well informed and knowledgeable about the geography of the North Atlantic area and his account is considered very accurate and reliable.
According to his account, it is obvious that he had sailed past the Kola Peninsula in Russia and all the way into the western bay of the White Sea. He also describes his voyage south along the Norwegian coast from his home base in Hålogaland towards the southern part of Norway and from there to the Danish trading town Hedeby (Haithabu).
According to Óttarr, Iraland ‘the land of the Irish’ was the first land to starboard (to the right) on such a voyage (on þæt steorbord him bið ærest Iraland), then came the islands that lie between Iraland and Britain (& þonne ða igland þe synd betux Iralande & þissum lande), and then Britain. Óttarr used the term land (Ira-land) for the first island to starboard, as he did with Britain (þissum lande), but not the term island, which indicates that Iraland was a large island. Iceland, which is 102,820 km2 and thus considerably larger than Ireland, is to the west of the Hålogaland region, and roughly on the same latitude, i.e. it is to starboard when sailing from there south along the coast.
Óttarr states explicitly that between Iraland and Britain (betux Iralande & þissum lande) are islands, which are to starboard when sailing south along the Norwegian coast. Between Iceland and Britain are three archipelagos which are the Faeroe Islands (1,399 km2), the Shetland Islands (1,425 km2), and the Orkney Islands (973 km2). These archipelagos are to starboard when sailing south along the Norwegian coast.
All these three archipelagos were well known in the time of Óttarr, and thus the islands he refers to as to starboard when sailing south along the Norwegian coast from Hålogaland are the Faeroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, and the Orkney Islands respectively. Iceland was also known in the time of Óttarr and it seems to be obvious from his account that he, as a well-informed traveller, was aware of the location of the country and called it Iraland.
Ari Þorgilsson (1068-1148) states in Íslendingabók (the Book of the Icelanders), that Irish Christians were residing in Iceland when the Scandinavians arrived. According to Ari, the Irish went away and left their valuables (books, church bells, and crosiers) when the Scandinavians arrived because they did not wish to share the island with the pagans. Ari’s account of the Irish leaving the country, and moreover, without their valuables, is both mysterious and dubious. The writings of the Irish monk Dicuil around 825 (De mensura orbis terrae) also indicates Irish presence in Iceland before the settlement period (c.870-930). In light of this and the newest genetic research on the origin of the Icelanders, it is understandable that Óttarr used the name Iraland ‘the land of the Irish’ for Iceland. This demonstrates how well informed he was. The names used for Ireland in the time of Óttarr were Hibernia and Scotland.
Many scholars have leaned towards accepting farfetched explanations of this part of his account which state that Iraland was Ireland, instead of acknowledging that the most viable hypothesis is that the name Óttarr used for Iceland was Iraland. They have considered it plausible to conclude that to Óttarr, the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands (and thus presumably the Faeroe Islands also) lie between Britain and Ireland.
It must be noted that Óttarr is not describing the geographical position of countries and islands when sailing between Hålogaland and Britain as he states explicitly that he sailed from Hålogaland south along the Norwegian coast towards Sciringesheal, which was a trading town situated somewhere in the southern part of Norway. Furthermore, it must be noted that Óttarr states explicitly that on his voyage he had Norway to port (to the left) all the way (ealne weg on þæt bæcbord Norðweg). Even so, many scholars have considered it plausible to conclude that to Óttarr on such a voyage, Ireland was first to starboard, then the North Atlantic islands (presumably the Faeroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, and the Orkney Islands respectively), and then Britain.
The magnetic compass was not in use until the twelfth century so Óttarr had to use other methods for orientation and probably used a so-called sun compass. “The only direction that is fixed, regardless of latitude and of season, is the direction when the sun is at the highest point (zenith) of its daily trajectory at noon: this direction we call South.” The cardinal directions are exactly the same today as 1100 years ago. Thus, due south to Óttarr was the same direction as today and this is obvious from his account. It is clear that he used approximations when describing the directions (as people do today), which is not indicative of, as some consider, that the geographical north-east or east direction was the geographical north direction to Óttarr.
Furthermore, it may be possible that the accuracy of the Viking Age sun compass was close to ± 5°. Thus Óttarr probably had few problems in orienting himself on his voyages, as seems to be clear from his account, and could estimate the exact cardinal directions relatively accurately.
Björn Þorsteinsson, in his article named Íraland=Ísland?, reached the conclusion that the land Óttarr called Iraland could only have been Iceland. I consider that his hypothesis is the only viable one.
Að Ísland var kallað Iraland á 9 öld í suður Englandi er ekki skrýtið ef rannsóknir Einars Pálssonar eru hafðar til hliðsjónar. Nöfn eins og Garðarshólmi og Snæland eru skráð mörg hundruð árum eftir að þau áttu að vera notuð yfir landið og voru kannski aðeins notuð í Skandinavíu. Kannski eru þessi nöfn bara þjóðsögur þess tíma. Nafnið Iraland er afturámóti samtímaheimild frá 9 öldinni. Island sem Isis land getur hafa verið notað líka, hver veit.
Ef einhver þekkjir W. C. Stokoe’s “sea-route” theory varðandi landalýsingu Ohthere þá lýsi ég því yfir að teoría hans er þvæla sem hann skyldi ekki sjálfur. Mikið af mótsögnum og mistökum. Fræðimenn margir skilja ekki hvað hann er að fara og finnst því teorían gáfuleg og styðja hana. Teorían hljóti að vera sniðug fyrst þeir skilja hana ekki. Líka ágætt tækifæri til að hafna því að Ísland hafi verið kallað Iraland. Það er þó ekki mikið minnst á þessa teoríu nú til dags.
1.12
The account of Óttarr (Ohthere) from Hålogaland in northern Norway at the court of King Alfred of Wessex in England
The chieftain Óttarr (Old English Ohthere) from the Hålogaland region in northern Norway visited the court of King Alfred of Wessex in England some time in the last quarter of the ninth century. Óttarr was a farmer and a trader and told the king of his travels. He was well informed and knowledgeable about the geography of the North Atlantic area and his account is considered very accurate and reliable.
According to his account, it is obvious that he had sailed past the Kola Peninsula in Russia and all the way into the western bay of the White Sea. He also describes his voyage south along the Norwegian coast from his home base in Hålogaland towards the southern part of Norway and from there to the Danish trading town Hedeby (Haithabu).
According to Óttarr, Iraland ‘the land of the Irish’ was the first land to starboard (to the right) on such a voyage (on þæt steorbord him bið ærest Iraland), then came the islands that lie between Iraland and Britain (& þonne ða igland þe synd betux Iralande & þissum lande), and then Britain. Óttarr used the term land (Ira-land) for the first island to starboard, as he did with Britain (þissum lande), but not the term island, which indicates that Iraland was a large island. Iceland, which is 102,820 km2 and thus considerably larger than Ireland, is to the west of the Hålogaland region, and roughly on the same latitude, i.e. it is to starboard when sailing from there south along the coast.
Óttarr states explicitly that between Iraland and Britain (betux Iralande & þissum lande) are islands, which are to starboard when sailing south along the Norwegian coast. Between Iceland and Britain are three archipelagos which are the Faeroe Islands (1,399 km2), the Shetland Islands (1,425 km2), and the Orkney Islands (973 km2). These archipelagos are to starboard when sailing south along the Norwegian coast.
All these three archipelagos were well known in the time of Óttarr, and thus the islands he refers to as to starboard when sailing south along the Norwegian coast from Hålogaland are the Faeroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, and the Orkney Islands respectively. Iceland was also known in the time of Óttarr and it seems to be obvious from his account that he, as a well-informed traveller, was aware of the location of the country and called it Iraland.
Ari Þorgilsson (1068-1148) states in Íslendingabók (the Book of the Icelanders), that Irish Christians were residing in Iceland when the Scandinavians arrived. According to Ari, the Irish went away and left their valuables (books, church bells, and crosiers) when the Scandinavians arrived because they did not wish to share the island with the pagans. Ari’s account of the Irish leaving the country, and moreover, without their valuables, is both mysterious and dubious. The writings of the Irish monk Dicuil around 825 (De mensura orbis terrae) also indicates Irish presence in Iceland before the settlement period (c.870-930). In light of this and the newest genetic research on the origin of the Icelanders, it is understandable that Óttarr used the name Iraland ‘the land of the Irish’ for Iceland. This demonstrates how well informed he was. The names used for Ireland in the time of Óttarr were Hibernia and Scotland.
Many scholars have leaned towards accepting farfetched explanations of this part of his account which state that Iraland was Ireland, instead of acknowledging that the most viable hypothesis is that the name Óttarr used for Iceland was Iraland. They have considered it plausible to conclude that to Óttarr, the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands (and thus presumably the Faeroe Islands also) lie between Britain and Ireland.
It must be noted that Óttarr is not describing the geographical position of countries and islands when sailing between Hålogaland and Britain as he states explicitly that he sailed from Hålogaland south along the Norwegian coast towards Sciringesheal, which was a trading town situated somewhere in the southern part of Norway. Furthermore, it must be noted that Óttarr states explicitly that on his voyage he had Norway to port (to the left) all the way (ealne weg on þæt bæcbord Norðweg). Even so, many scholars have considered it plausible to conclude that to Óttarr on such a voyage, Ireland was first to starboard, then the North Atlantic islands (presumably the Faeroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, and the Orkney Islands respectively), and then Britain.
The magnetic compass was not in use until the twelfth century so Óttarr had to use other methods for orientation and probably used a so-called sun compass. “The only direction that is fixed, regardless of latitude and of season, is the direction when the sun is at the highest point (zenith) of its daily trajectory at noon: this direction we call South.” The cardinal directions are exactly the same today as 1100 years ago. Thus, due south to Óttarr was the same direction as today and this is obvious from his account. It is clear that he used approximations when describing the directions (as people do today), which is not indicative of, as some consider, that the geographical north-east or east direction was the geographical north direction to Óttarr.
Furthermore, it may be possible that the accuracy of the Viking Age sun compass was close to ± 5°. Thus Óttarr probably had few problems in orienting himself on his voyages, as seems to be clear from his account, and could estimate the exact cardinal directions relatively accurately.
Björn Þorsteinsson, in his article named Íraland=Ísland?, reached the conclusion that the land Óttarr called Iraland could only have been Iceland. I consider that his hypothesis is the only viable one.