Seljalandsfoss waterfall, seen from across a field. Kverkahellir is close to Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Photo: Geir Ólafsson.
Posted on 04/20/2015 1:42:26 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Archaeologist Kristján Ahronson has concluded that Kverkarhellir, a manmade cave between waterfall Seljalandsfoss and farm Seljaland in South Iceland, was partly created around 800 AD, before the settlement of Iceland, which, according to sources, began in 874...
“Kverkahellir, along with Seljalandshellir, is remarkable as it is part of a number of cave sites in southern Iceland, manngerðir hellar [‘manmade caves’], that are marked by cross sculpture.” ...
Ahronson would not state that theories that the crosses may have been made by papar, monks from the British Isles who were said to have lived in Iceland before the Norse settlers, may be true. Even though place names indicate their presence, archaeological evidence is lacking.
Þórður Tómasson, former director of the nearby Skógar Folk Museum, is calling for further research of the caves.
(Excerpt) Read more at icelandreview.com ...
Seljalandsfoss waterfall, seen from across a field. Kverkahellir is close to Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Photo: Geir Ólafsson.
Prior to the Viking settlement in the beginning of the ‘Warm Period’, Iceland was known of but considered unapproachable due to being surrounded by permanent ice fields. However it is thought that nomadic seal hunters and others could drag their skin boats over the ice to make temporary camps on the island. Given the legends of ‘Brendan the Navigator’ and the known abilities of the fishermen from the British Isles, it seems quite possible that ability and desire for remote hermitages could bring some to that remote island.
Cartoon peril!
Thanks frithguild, JoeProBono, SES1066, and Darksheare for building this thread, I was quite slow getting around to this ping.These are some oldies I found and added the other day, listed alphabetically (ignoring the indefinite article), but didn't ping. Enjoy!
Welcome!
The cave does look as if it should have a white rabbit hopping out of it.
Fetch the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch!
Well, either the killer rabbit, or the hideous black beast of aaaarrrgh
Man-made Viking-era cave discovered in Iceland
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/05/man-made-viking-era-cave-discovered-in-iceland/143731
Vikings created a massive boat in this volcanic cave to ward off the apocalypse
LiveScience | April 26, 2021 | Owen Jarus
Posted on 5/3/2021, 2:24:06 PM by SunkenCiv
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3955943/posts
Greenland Vikings ‘had Celtic blood’
cphpost.dk | Friday, March 19, 2010 | RC News
Posted on 3/23/2010, 11:28:05 PM by SunkenCiv
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2478281/posts
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