Iceland

Fülszöveg

ICELAND
a portrait of its land and people
It will forever remain unknown who was the first man to set foot on the shores of the island now called Iceland. It is certain, however, that no human beings lived there until long after all other inhabitable areas of the earth had been occupied. The ocean which surrounds the island kept it-in isolation until advanced techniques of shipbuilding and a certain skill in navigation had been developed in neighbouring countries.
Much concerning the earliest years of human habitation in Iceland is obscured by the mists of time. But old legends and folktales do provide limited entry into this hidden world, and it is possible to reconstruct some of what must have happened during the years of discovery and the initial settlement. The beginning of this book reviews evidence for the discovery and occupation of the island by people who arrived before the Nordic Vikings. The likelihood of voyages to the country by Romans, Greeks and Irishmen is... Tovább

Fülszöveg

ICELAND
a portrait of its land and people
It will forever remain unknown who was the first man to set foot on the shores of the island now called Iceland. It is certain, however, that no human beings lived there until long after all other inhabitable areas of the earth had been occupied. The ocean which surrounds the island kept it-in isolation until advanced techniques of shipbuilding and a certain skill in navigation had been developed in neighbouring countries.
Much concerning the earliest years of human habitation in Iceland is obscured by the mists of time. But old legends and folktales do provide limited entry into this hidden world, and it is possible to reconstruct some of what must have happened during the years of discovery and the initial settlement. The beginning of this book reviews evidence for the discovery and occupation of the island by people who arrived before the Nordic Vikings. The likelihood of voyages to the country by Romans, Greeks and Irishmen is discussed, and is followed by mention of settlement by Irish anchorites. The story of the arrival of the Vikings is then told and the history of voyages westward from Iceland leading to the discovery of Greenland and America is related.
The story of how the Icelandic nation was formed through the intermingling of Nordic and Celtic peoples is told, and the young nation's development of a new society based on chieftaincy and a national assembly with legislative and judicial powers is traced. The subsequent history of the land and the nation is then described in word and picture.
The history of Iceland cannot be told unless the geology of the country is also taken into account. The story' of the creation of this island, located in a highly active volcanic area straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is told. The drifting apart of the country is explaned, and the relationship of volcanic eruptions to the continental drift theory is explained. The volcanic eruptions to date during historical times are also described.
The ensuing chapters present a survey of the various parts of the country in the form of a journey around the island. There are stops at historic and interesting places. The way people live and their surroundings are described, and attention is also given to bird and plant life. •
The wilderness and glaciers are visited, and the volcanic eruptions of the last decades are described: those of Hekla and Askja and the volcanic activity in the Krafla-caldera which began in 1975, and was accompanied by rifting events.
Icelandic stamps often have landscapes as a theme or commemorate events in the history of the land and its people. This stamp marking the eruption in Heimaey in 1973, uses a photo taken by the book's author on the slopes of Klifid on March 23, 1973. The view shows the harbour, Eldfell and Helgafell (see p. 393 and the jacket of the book).
The history of the Surtsey eruption is described from the time this famous volcanic island emerged from the ocean out of a depth of 130 metres - until the present, when vegetation is beginning to establish itself. And finally the history of the Vestmannaeyjar is recounted. The 1973 Heimaey eruption is described in text and pictures - from the morning of the first day of the event until its close. The story is told of how a flourishing town arose again from the ashes, and how it now exploits the heat still contained in the lava which almost destroyed it.
This attractively bound book consists of 428 pages, has 20 chapters and contains 650 photographs (220 in colour), drawings and maps. In addition to the main text, each photo, drawing and map is provided with a comprehensive caption. The subject is thus made accessible for anyone who wishes to be well-informed about Iceland, the country and its people.
This book is an attempt at providing an over-all view of Iceland in a clear outline form. It is meant to be an account of Iceland, explaining its history and showing the reader a portrait of its land and people - past and present.
Published by:
HJÁLMAR R. BÁRD ARSON,
121 REYKIAVÍK-1,
ICELAND. Vissza