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May
20
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Rhubarb Stew
Watch an audio slideshow of how traditional Icelandic rhubarb stew is made. Rhubarb is one of the few vegetables that grows effortlessly in Iceland and for that reason it used to be a highly-valued addition to the traditional diet of fish and lamb.
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09.09.2012 | 00:01
Origins of Criminal Profiling in Viking Sagas?
Viking-Age Icelanders may have been the first to adopt criminal profiling, according to an expert.
Viking ship with the Westman Islands in the background. Photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
Dr. Tarrin Wills from the University of Aberdeen says that the Icelandic Sagas contain detailed descriptions of individuals most people would choose to avoid, according to The Press Association.
According to the Dr. Wills' study, the sagas focus on aspects of physical appearance, such as a wide forehead and face, bushy beard, broad shoulders and receding hairline, which are now known to be associated with high levels of testosterone and aggression. Dr. Wills says the descriptions of wild and violent Vikings returning from raids served as warnings of to the rest of society.
The study, published in the journal Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, states that typical causes of conflict among Vikings included stealing neighbors' land, arguing about horses and creating insulting poems.
"This was a particular problem in Iceland because Icelanders, like the rest of Scandinavia, had a very sophisticated legal system but no central government, no way of enforcing the law," Wills writes.
"Iceland at the time of the Vikings was akin to the Wild West - an open territory with lots of young men where each person was trying to acquire enough land for himself, a wife and family. As a result it was extremely competitive and often violent," he continues.
Dr. Wills says Icelanders may have been the first to use criminal profiling. "I've yet to encounter any similar kind of descriptions in the early literature that I've read. And they certainly had what seems to be an evidence-based approach that was very close to our modern scientific knowledge of the relationship between physiology and behaviour."
ZR
Viking ship with the Westman Islands in the background. Photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
Dr. Tarrin Wills from the University of Aberdeen says that the Icelandic Sagas contain detailed descriptions of individuals most people would choose to avoid, according to The Press Association.
According to the Dr. Wills' study, the sagas focus on aspects of physical appearance, such as a wide forehead and face, bushy beard, broad shoulders and receding hairline, which are now known to be associated with high levels of testosterone and aggression. Dr. Wills says the descriptions of wild and violent Vikings returning from raids served as warnings of to the rest of society.
The study, published in the journal Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, states that typical causes of conflict among Vikings included stealing neighbors' land, arguing about horses and creating insulting poems.
"This was a particular problem in Iceland because Icelanders, like the rest of Scandinavia, had a very sophisticated legal system but no central government, no way of enforcing the law," Wills writes.
"Iceland at the time of the Vikings was akin to the Wild West - an open territory with lots of young men where each person was trying to acquire enough land for himself, a wife and family. As a result it was extremely competitive and often violent," he continues.
Dr. Wills says Icelanders may have been the first to use criminal profiling. "I've yet to encounter any similar kind of descriptions in the early literature that I've read. And they certainly had what seems to be an evidence-based approach that was very close to our modern scientific knowledge of the relationship between physiology and behaviour."
ZR
The exchange of power in Iceland took place yesterday when the government of Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson formally took over from that of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and ministers exchange keys.
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Mountaineer Leifur Örn Svavarsson became the first Icelander to reach the peak of Everest, the world’s highest mountain, by the North Face from Tibet just before sunrise yesterday morning.
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May
23
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Photos: Iceland’s New Government
Iceland’s new government formally took power today following a state council meeting at Bessastaðir, the presidential residence.
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One of the last tasks of Steingrímur J. Sigfússon while in office as minister of industries and innovation was to issue a regulation on Monday extending the reserve for whales in Faxaflói bay, off Reykjavík in Southwest Iceland. The regulation took affect at midnight.
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May
21
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Oldest Icelander to Conquer Everest
May
21
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Iceland’s Highest Peak Popular
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The 2013 April-May issue of Iceland Review & Atlantica has been released. Packed with informative and entertaining stories, highlights include an interview with outgoing Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and the people who know her best, a photo essay of ice caves in Europe’s largest glacier and a colorful feature on life in the West Fjords.
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REVIEWS
May
15
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Shorts & Docs Galore
The 11th Reykjavík Shorts & Docs. Catch it while it lasts!
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May
20
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Inspired by Ísafjörður
Artist couple Nína Ivanova and Ómar Smári Kristinsson explain why they decided to settle in the West Fjords’ capital.
May
20
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Reykjavík Queer Choir Spring Concert
Reykjavík Queer Choir’s annual spring concert takes place on Friday, May 24.
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