{"id":1248,"date":"2024-09-26T14:39:48","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T14:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volcanoatv.is\/en\/?page_id=1248"},"modified":"2024-10-16T10:18:02","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T10:18:02","slug":"a-guide-to-the-history-of-the-westman-islands","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/volcanoatv.is\/en\/westman-islands\/a-guide-to-the-history-of-the-westman-islands","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to the History of the Westman Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The Westman Islands \u2013 or Vestmannaeyjar to locals \u2013 form a volcanic archipelago located off Iceland\u2019s scenic south coast. They\u2019re one of the most interesting parts of the country, with a long and rich history. If you\u2019re planning to visit, then understanding a little of their backstory will give you context to appreciate what you are seeing and doing. We\u2019ve prepared a brief guide to the history of the Westman Islands to get you started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The geological history of the Westman Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Westman Islands are one of the youngest areas of Iceland as they form part of an active submarine volcanic system. Most of the islands that form this archipelago are only between 10000 and 20000 years old. The youngest was created in living memory: Surtsey was formed between 1963 and 1966 as the result of a volcanic eruption that built new land from the ocean floor upwards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even more recently, volcanic activity has increased the area of Heimaey. In 1973 the largest island in the group (and the only one on which people live permanently) grew by 2.3 km\u00b2, a significant area for an island this size. New land was created by lava flows in the eastern part of the island after the six month eruption that also increased the height of the Eldfell volcanic cone. <\/p>\n\n\n
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Settlement of the islands \u2013 and a name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Like Iceland as a whole, the Westman Islands\u2019 settled history dates back to the 9th<\/sup> century. Common wisdom holds that a Norseman named Ing\u00f3lfur Arnarson spent the winter of 873AD at a cape called Ing\u00f3lfsh\u00f6f\u00f0i, further east than the Westman Islands. As the weather improved, he continued along the south coast and founded the place we know as Reykjavik a year later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not long afterwards, he found himself in the Westman Islands to avenge the death of Hj\u00f6rleifur Hr\u00f3\u00f0marsson; sources variously call him Ing\u00f3lfur\u2019s brother-in-law, foster brother or blood brother \u2013 whichever is correct they had a close bond. Hj\u00f6rleifur was living at Hj\u00f6rleifsh\u00f6f\u00f0i as the end of the 9th century neared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hj\u00f6rleifur owned Irish slaves, who rebelled and killed him. They fled to the island, but Ing\u00f3lfur followed them, took his revenge and murdered them. Their leader, named Duf\u00feakur, threw himself off a cliff so that Ing\u00f3lfur wouldn\u2019t catch him; today, that place is called Duf\u00feekja. And the islands as a whole? At the time, the Irish were referred to as the \u201cwest men\u201d. It\u2019s thought that this event is why we know the volcanic archipelago as the Westman Islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first settlers in the Westman Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We think that Herj\u00f3lfur B\u00e1r\u00f0ason was probably the first person to call the Westman Islands home. He lived here from around 900 or 920 AD and farmed the land. Records suggest that this was the only place on the island at that time where there was a reliable source of water. But later, a landslide wiped out his house and no evidence remains of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early life <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In those early days, the archipelago\u2019s resources would have made the Westman Islands an enticing prospect. Islanders could be self-sufficient here and didn\u2019t need to rely on goods from the mainland. The ocean surrounding these rocky volcanic islands was rich in marine life and there would have been an abundance of fish. Any surplus could be traded for other items, such as grain and tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The eggs of nesting seabirds were collected by islanders on ropes and the birds themselves were hunted; back then each were a vital source of nutrients though now of course these practices are both illegal. Down and feathers would have been used to make warm clothing and to provide insulation against the harsh winter weather. That\u2019s not to say life would have been easy back then. Turf houses helped to keep out the rain and wind, but made damp and uncomfortable homes. <\/p>\n\n\n
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Dangerous episodes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are also some documented events during the course of the Westman Islands\u2019 history which show that from time to time, danger came calling. The most notorious of these was what\u2019s now referred to as the Turkish abductions. It\u2019s sometimes hard for us to imagine that although most people lived a simple life, there were still those who ventured a lot further afield. While some of those adventurous types had good motives, others were not so trustworthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The Turkish abductions<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In 1627, Iceland was the victim of several pirate incursions and one of those raids targeted the Westman Islands. The corsairs came from Algiers, now the capital of modern-day Algeria, but in those days the place had close ties to the Ottoman Empire which explains the Turkish connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowing that the local population could probably defend the harbour of Heimaey, these pirates chose to land instead on its south shore. They took the Westman Islanders by surprise and though some were able to escape and hide, many others were rounded up and carried off to North Africa where they were sold as slaves. Some never returned and it is an upsetting chapter in the archipelago\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The eruption of 1973<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
More than three centuries later, the Westman Islanders faced danger of a very different kind. While Surtsey\u2019s creation harmed no one, the presence of a volcano right beside the archipelago\u2019s main settlement was a more worrying threat. In 1973, an eruption kicked off which would change the landscape of Heimaey forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That January night, the weather had been stormy, so all the boats were in the harbour. Helgafell, the volcanic cone on Heimaey, had been dormant for 5900 years and as such had troubled no one. A series of small earthquakes should have acted as a warning but didn\u2019t, as monitoring was not the more precise science it is today. The volcano woke up, and a mile-long fissure opened close to the town spewing ash and lava.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those boats were quite literally life-savers. In just a few short hours, residents were evacuated to safety; though some of them lost their homes, no lives were lost. Brave volunteers and scientists remained to carry out a perilous but ultimately successful operation to pipe and pump water on the lava and save the harbour \u2013 the main source of income and thus vital of people were to be able to return. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Today\u2019s Westman Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
These two very different incidents, coupled with people\u2019s ability to settle here in the first place, demonstrate the resilience of the Westman Islanders. These events would have been as terrifying as they were unexpected, yet those who lived here weathered the storm and returned to their everyday lives once the threat had passed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the 21st<\/sup> century, the islands are well connected to the mainland and residents live comfortably, albeit amid extraordinary surroundings. Today, as you sip your coffee, reflect on how island life on modern day Vestmannaeyjar is a world away from that of the past. It makes a fascinating back story, nevertheless, and one which our guides will be more than happy to flesh out for those interested in learning more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you explore the island by ATV on one of our tours, why not choose one with a focus on pirates or volcanic scenery? Understanding a little of the archipelago\u2019s history will add an extra dimension to your enjoyment of the place while you\u2019re having loads of fun riding around.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Westman Islands \u2013 or Vestmannaeyjar to locals \u2013 form a volcanic archipelago located off Iceland\u2019s scenic south coast. They\u2019re…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1251,"parent":1081,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1248","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n
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