Browse Items (39 total)

  • Tags: Place Names

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This is a photo of a building named Jötunheimar in Heimaey, the only permanently inhabited island in the Westman Islands. Jötunheimar refers to the 'Giant Land' of Norse mythology. However, we are not sure where this building got its name, or what…

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Many place names in Iceland reference the earliest Norse settlers, such as this example of Ingólfshvoll (Ingólfr's Hill), referring to the first permanent settler, Ingólfr Arnarson whose name appears in several place names in the vicinity of…

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In addition to many streets bearing Norse names, some buildings also have Norse roots. This example of a house named 'Seagate' (or sea street) may reference a road that has changed its name.

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The Calf of Man is an Island lying off the south coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from Old Norse kalfr, meaning both a calf and (as in this case) a small island lying off a larger one.

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Photo of Kitterland, a small island in the sound between the main Island of Man and the Calf of Man. The second element of the name probably derives from Norse eyland: the first element is unclear. There are several stories linking the island both…

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Surtsey is an island that was formed during an eruption in 1963-67. It was named Surtsey (Surt's Island) after the fire giant (or jötunn) Surtr, who will engulf the world with his flaming sword at Ragnarök.

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This is the entrance of Kirkwall Airport, Orkney. The placename Grimsetter is written in the runes "krimsitir" in the younger futhark. The new building was opened in 2002 and I have been told that M. P. Barnes advised on the correct use of the runes.

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Detail from a map in the Calf Sound Cafe & Visitor Centre, detailing several Norse names, including Kitterland, the Calf, and the Cletts, deriving from the Norse word klettr meaning 'rock'.

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Fishamble street is one of the oldest streets in Dublin, and dates back to the Viking longphort, which was established as a permanent settlement by 841. Fishamble street was in the eastern side of the settlement, with Winetavern Street marking the…

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Dalkey island, on the southern point of Dublin Bay, carries a Norse name (dálkr-ey, dress-pin island) which was a corruption of the Irish name Delginis, or 'thorn island'). It played a role in the Dublin slave trade in the tenth century, and an…

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Many of the streets in this central area of Reykjavík are named after the Norse Gods. The first street to be named was Óðinsgata in the early twentieth century.

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A map of the Viking world as named by (or as known to) the Norse peoples. Whilst the names are not entirely accurate (and include a few not recorded in Norse sources), it does illustrate the extent of Norse activity.

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A map of some of the Danish place names with connections to the Norse gods,on display in an exhibition on legacy at Kongernes Jelling (Royal Jelling) Experience Centre.See theirwebsitefor more information.

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Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin is a new product due to be launched in August 2016 and produced by Orkney Distilling Limited. It is branded using the Old Norse name for Kirkwall (Kirkjuvagr or 'Church Inlet') and the website explains that "Kirkjuvagr Gin…

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Smoo Cave in Durness in the north of Scotland. Archaeological investigation has identified Neolithic, Norse and Iron Age artefacts. 'Smoo' is thought to derive from Old Norse 'smuga' (a small hole, narrow cleft).

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A leaflet produced by Shetland Amenity Trust, giving information about Shetland's Norse place names

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A handy guide to Norse place name elements, produced by the Shetland Place Names Project, and available to download on the Shetland Amenity Trust Website.

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The Hjaltland Research Network ran a project to map Viking Age Shetland by digitising and mapping the datasets from different disciplines. It sought to answer the following questions:
– what happened to the pre-Viking population,
– …

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A map that has been tagged with historical events and mentions, including events from the sagas

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Photo of the street sign 'Olaf's Wynd' in Kirkwall, Orkney. Wynd is a placename element from the Norse verb venda, meaning 'to turn' or 'to wind'. St Olaf refers to the Norwegian king Ólafr Haraldsson, who reigned from 1015 to 1028 and was…
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