Egil's Bones
Posted on 08/18/2005 3:07:15 PM PDT by blam
08/09/2005 | 13:05
Grave of Egil Skalla-Grímsson found?
Icelandic State Radio reports that the possible grave site of Egil Skalla-Grímsson, one of Iceland's most famous vikings, has been found under the altar of a church from the settlement period. No bones were found at the burial site.
Jessie Byock, archeology professor at the University of California in Los Angeles who is in charge of the excavation, emphasizes that the work being done in Mosfellsdal is not directed at finding the grave site of Egil Skalla-Grímsson. The excavation has taken many years and the church at Hrísbrú is the seventh dig site.
The purpose of the dig is to map the settlement in Mosfellsdal as it was in the time of the Vikings and understand how people lived. Professor Byock told television station Stod 2 that if they also find the burial site for Egil Skalla-Grímsson he will be very happy; it is known that Egill was buried in the area.
In the Icelandic Saga, Egil's Saga, Egil is said to have been buried underneath a church that his foster daughter Thórdís had built, but his bones were subsequently moved to a site near Mosafellsdal. The grave under the church is over two meters long, and Egil is described as having been a tall and powerfully built man.
Professor Byock says the excavation team has gained insight into the Viking Age settlement in Mosfellsdal The excavation has unveiled information on the health conditions of the people - cancer and tuberculosis were prevalent - as well as other aspects of the cultural make up.
Born around 910 A.D., Egil early showed considerable promise; he got drunk at three and killed at six. But he also revealed a more cerebral and softer side by commemorating his first slaying with a poem, paying tribute to his mother and presciently predicting his own glorious career as a viking.
During his long life, Egil not only killed but also gouged eyes out of some of his enemies and vomited over others.When his brother Thorolf died as they were fighting for King Athelstan at the battle of Vin Moor (also known as the battle of Brunnanburh) during the Scots invasion of England in 937, Egil went berserk and chased the enemy until there was no one left to kill. Only the English King's gift of two chests full of silver soothed his murderous mood.
A long running feud with Erik Bloodaxe, King of Norway, reached a climax when Egil became Erik's captive at York. Overnight he paid tribute to Erik in a poem, "Head-Ransom", and the King could only release him the next day.
Later in life, Egil fell in to a deep suicidal depression after loosing two sons. At the instigation of his daughter, instead of taking his life he eulogized them in a poem, "Lament of my sons", recovering his spirits along the way.
In old age Egil lost his sight and lived with his foster daughter and her husband at Mosfell. Shortly before his death, he asked if he could join them for the annual session of parliament at Thingvellir. When they inquired why, he replied that he intended to scatter the English silver around when parliament was in full session, hoping to instigate a fight. "It will be a big surprise to me if people agree to divide the silver evenly," he said. But his hosts were less keen on the plan, and Egil had to stay home. While everyone was away at parliament, he took his two chests of silver, a horse and two slaves and "for a short trip" he claimed. The next day, Egil and the horse were found wandering in the fields, but neither the chests of silver nor the slaves have been seen since.
I thought he was driving carriages around Central Park? Or was that the Citi Bank card commercial.....
Egil's Bones An Icelandic saga tells of a Viking who had unusual, menacing features, including a skull that could resist blows from an ax.
Egil, the son of Skalla-Grim...
The saga of Egil Skallagrimsson is one of the greatest tales in Icelandic literature. In the city of York (then "Yarvik") Bloodaxe had determined to execute Skallagrimmson the next morning. But Skallagrimsson stayed up all night composing and commiting to memory "The Head Ransom" a poem offered--literally--as a ransom for Skallgrimsson's own head. It was considered a poetic tour de force, although I am sure you had to "be there" to really appreciate it.
The vikings were tough hombres. Gouging out an opponent's eyes is bad enough, but for real impact they devised the "blood eagle," whereby they would hack open the backs of their vanquished foes and pull their lungs through the openings to evoke the appearance of wings. This was intended to terrorize the local populations that they wished to conquer, and tended ot have that very effect.
In Yorkshire today you can see clear evidence (faces and hair) of the Viking influence in the gene pool of the local population.
One group of vikings went west and settled Iceland. Another group went east and settled along the great rivers of Russia.
LOL. In 919AD I don't think our forebears were any different from this guy.
" Some people believe that he had a disease of the brain that made him so crazy violent."
Perhaps he just found an early addtion of a Qur'an.
Wonder if they were as hugh as he was.
Friend of yours? My condolences.
Jeeeze, that's nottin. I heerd a'guys who was drunk afore noon, and wast dun kilt less'n an hour later.
I enjoyed the article. Then, on a whole different level, I enjoyed the comments.
I read this to mean he was dead at age six. "He got drunk at three and killed at six." Talk about a poorly cast sentence...
I like Vikings.
Kirk Douglas was always my favorite Jewish Viking.
Fascinating article at that link, thanks for the post
Wow, again!
They will do no better than their teachers are capable of, it seems to me.
A guy who looked like that would give me a heck of a scare.
LOL. Can't argue with that!
Oh, that's no fun!
But, seriously, here's a short article on DNA testing of Scots showing their Viking heritage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/bloodofthevikings/genetics_results_02.shtml
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