Reykjavik Day 3 - The National Museum

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Susan and I were fortunate to find ourselves with a third day in Reykjavik. Our flight home was not until 8:10 p.m. and our airport transfer not until 4:40 p.m. We planned to use the time by visiting the National Museum of Iceland.

Breakfast in the Vox restaurant of the hotel was unhurried, There did not appear to be the large incoming and conference crowds of the previous Sunday. Four other members of our tour were also still here and we breakfasted with them. Two individuals were going to remain in Reykjavik another two days.

We took a taxi to the museum and arrived shortly after opening. The museum is adjacent to the campus of the University of Iceland and across the street from the National Library. Principally the museum tells the story of inhabited Iceland. As such, it very neatly picks up where the Perlan and its telling of the natural history of Iceland leaves off. There were no indigenous peoples when explorers from Norway arrived about 870 and soon settled the island. This period is known as the Settlement Age. Iceland adopted Christianity in place of the Old Norse Religion in 1000. (Sagas attest to the date.) Catholicism was then observed in Iceland until the Reformation established Lutheranism in the 16th century. Decorative arts and objects of material culture from these eras form the greater part of the permanent exhibit Making of a Nation - Heritage and History in Iceland. The is little period clothing shown, principally a Skautbúningur woman's costume from 1860. More items of material culture are displayed from the late 19th and 20th centuries.

We enjoyed a pleasant lunch at the museum's café. After returning to the hotel, we waited in the lobby for our ride to the airport. Globus had arranged a taxi for us. It arrived a bit early, which was nice and off we went to Keflavik Airport. There were two long queues waiting to check in for Icelandic's evening flights to North America. One was for flights to the USA (which required Coivd test results) and one for Canada (which did not require a test). The check-in positions were late in opening, but we still had time to visit the duty-free before proceeding to the gate. Our flight to Washington Dulles was delayed a few minutes waiting for connecting passengers from Zurich. Icelandic continues to provide a discount gateway to Europe.

Postscript.

After returning from our trip to Iceland, we watched the two seasons of the Icelandic detective show Trapped. Having visited Iceland added to our enjoyment of the series. I read Njáls saga, a tale of honor and revenge set against the annual meeting of the Alþingi and the coming of Christianity to Iceland.

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Photos

National Museum of Iceland
Þjóðminjasafn Íslands - National Museum of Iceland. Suðurgata 41.
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Settlement Age
Combs and necklaces from the Settlement Age. National Museum of Iceland.
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Bronze Pins
Bronze Ring Pins used as clothing fasteners. Settlement Age. National Museum of Iceland.
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Spades
Spades used for digging. Settlement Age.
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Brooches
Women's brooches were used to fasten tunics at the shoulder. National Museum of Iceland.
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Bronze Figure
Bronze Figure dating to 1000. It may represent Thor (Þhor) or or may represent Jesus. He is holding what may be Thor's hammer or a Christian cross. Or, it may be representative of both. Iceland converted to Christianity about the year 1000.
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Weapons
Swords from the Viking era and a shield.
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Weapons
Shield and spear head from the Viking era.
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Bishop's Crosier
Bishop's Crosier made of walrus tusk, ca. 1200.
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Church Bell
Romanesque style church bell from Háls, Iceland, ca. 1200.
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Madonna of Sídmúli
Carved basalt figure of Mary, Mater Dolorosa.
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Christ the King
Crucifix carved in birchwood in Romanesque style, ca. 1200.
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Church Doorpost
Carved doorpost from Laufás Church. The were likely part of a stave church that stood between 126 and 1631.
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Drinking Horns
Decorated drinking horns from the 15-17th centuries.
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Saddle Ornament
Saddle ornament 17th-18th century.
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Guðbrandur's Bible
Guðbrandsbiblía - Guðbrandur's Bible. The first Bible printed in Icelandic, Hólar, 1584.
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Bridal Bench
Bridal Bench from Skarð. The couple would sit on the bench during the wedding ceremony. ca. 1600.
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Memorial Plaque to Dean Þorsteinn Ketilsson
Memorial Plaque to Dean Þorsteinn Ketilsson, Hrafnagil, 1754.
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Chair of Lawman Ari Jónsson
Birch chair of Lawman Ari Jónsson. Made by Benedikt Narfason ca. 1550. A lögmann is a lawyer.
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Pulpit from Saurbæjarkirkja in Raðasandur
Pulpits became important church fixtures under Lutheranism. Wooden pulpit carved by Jón Greipsson in 1617.
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Skautbúningur
Skautbúningur costume from 1860. The Icelandic women's national costume was developed by Sigurður Guðmundsson in 1859 as an improvement on the faldbúningur.
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