Viking Animals – The Secret of the Settlement

The Reykjavík City Museum is proud to present Viking Animals – the secret of the settlement, a very visual and family friendly exhibition.

This exhibition opened at the Settlement Exhibition in Reykjavik on 18th May 2017. The exhibition reveals the importance of animals in the early settlement of Iceland through archaeological evidence. It engages visitors with the exciting insights into early Icelandic society through animals in Viking Age Iceland.

The arctic fox was the only land mammal living in Iceland when the first settlers from northern Europe arrived. The settlers had to bring all their animals with them in order to survive. These animals dramatically changed the landscape and environment into the country we know today.

Most of the archaeological evidence for domestic animals in the settlement of Iceland comes from their bones. Archaeologists have found bones from cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horse, chickens, dogs, and cat. When you visit the exhibition you will learn more about the archaeological data, and the existing later medieval documents. There is a focus on weaving, horse riding and Old Norse mythology. The exhibition is ‘hands-on’ and there will be opportunities to feel the difference between different types of wool, and identify real animal bones!

To learn more please visit the exhibitions website – https://vikinganimals.wordpress.com/

Exhibition Author: Dr. Lara Melissa Hogg

Exhibition Design: Ingibjörg Jara Sigurðardóttir