Egils Saga Revealed

Dotted in and around Borgarnes, nine large cairns have been erected on some of the most significant sites from Egils Saga. The purpose of these cairns is to draw attention to the rich history of this area that until now has lain concealed by the shroud of time. In due course the intention is to expand and increase these cairns as countless sites referred to in Egils Saga remain as yet unmarked.

To celebrate the unveiling of these cairns a leaflet was published with a brief description of Egils Saga and of the events that took place at each of these sites. The text is included below.

Egils Saga – An Outline

Egil Skalla-Grimsson was the greatest poet of Iceland in heathen times. He was also a Viking and raided and pillaged widely throughout northern Europe. In his home shire he was was a chieftain and heathen priest, administering the area around Borgarnes that his pioneering father Skalla-Grimur Kveld-Ulfsson had claimed. The story commences when Skalla-Grimur and his family are forced to flee Norway as a result of a feud with King Harold Fair Hair who at that time was forcefully trying to unite all of Norway. It describes how he settles in Borgar Fiord on the south west coast of Iceland and how his son Egil is born and raised there. It also describes what a tempestuous and unmanageable child Egil was.

The central section of the Saga tells of Egil’s travels abroad with his elder brother Thorolfur and how they fought side by side in Viking raids throughout Northern Europe. They both fell in love with Asgerdur (their foster-sister), however it was Thorolfur who married her. When Thorolfur is killed fighting for King Athalsten in England, Egil then marries Asgerdur. In total Egil embarks on four major journeys abroad and each of them in their own way is noteworthy. The most remarkable passages are his dealings with the King of Norway, both as friend and foe. Perhaps the climax of the Saga is Egil’s bloody feud with King Eric Bloodaxe and Queen Gunnhildur of Norway.

The final chapters of the Saga deal with the hero’s latter years and the fate of his descendants. It describes Egil’s twilight years living with his foster-daughter Thordis in Mosfell, just to the north of Reykjavik. Egil lived his entire life as a heathen. The formal conversion of Iceland to Christianity did not occur until ten years after his death.

Egils Saga is the story of a pioneering family, settlers of Myrar area near the modern township of Borgarnes, and spans a period of approximately 150 years from 840AD to 990AD. It encompasses four generations of this family, from Kveld-Ulfur to his son Skalla-Grimur and so his son Egil and finally Egil’s son Thorsteinn. However the lead role in this magnificent saga is undoubtedly played by Egil Skalla-Grimsson. This legendary warrior poet is one of the most remarkable and imposing characters of the great settlement age of Iceland.

The Nine Cairns of Egils Saga

Cairn Number 1:

Grani’s Farm (Granastaðir)

( Located off Highway Number 1 in the centre of Borgarnes )

Egil was born and raised at Borg in Myrar, but here at Grani´s Farm is where Egil´s childhood playmate, Thordur son of Grani grew up.

When Egil was twelve and Thordur about twenty a ball game of the day (akin to ice hockey) was in progress in a small cove known as Sandvik lying directly to the south of this spot. Skalla-Grimur enjoyed this game and competed against his son and Thordur. When the boys got the better of him in the game Skalla-Grimur picked up Thordur and hurled him onto the ground with such violence that it proved instantly fatal. He then picked up Egil who potentially would have suffered the same fate had not a woman stepped in. Her name was Thorgerdur Brák, a slave of the family, who had served as a foster nurse and nanny to Egil as a child. Bravely she interjected:

“Are you now attacking your own son, Skalla-Grimur?” “Skalla-Grimur put down Egil and turned on her. She turned and ran with Skalla-Grimur hot on her heels.” (Egils Saga, Chapter 40)

Cairn Number 2:

Brákar Strait (Brákarsund)

( Located in Borgarnes by the bridge connecting the township to Brákar Isle )

This is the site of the slaying of Iceland’s first heroine. Egils Saga continues: “Skalla-Grimur put down Egil and turned on her. She turned and ran with Skalla-Grimur hot on her heels. The chase continued to the boundaries of Digranes. There she leapt from the rocks into the strait below. Picking up a huge rock Skalla-Grimur hurled it at her, hitting her between the shoulder blades. She did not resurface. This is now known as Brákar Strait” (Egils Saga, Chapter 40)

The island on the other side of the strait is also known as Brákar Isle, in honour of this brave woman. That same evening Egil extracted revenge on Thorgerdur´s murder by killing his father’s foreman, one who was most dear to Skalla-Grimur.

Genetic research has indicated that 70 percent of the women settlers of Iceland were of Irish or Celtic descent. Despite her Nordic name, it is not improbable that this may also have been Thorgerdur’s background.

Cairn Number 3:

Skalla-Grim’s Burial Mound (Skalla-Grímshaugur)

( Located in the park known as “Skalla-Grímsgarður” in the centre of Borgarnes )

Before setting off up the hill to the site of Borg at Myrar it is worth spending a moment in this park where the burial mound of Skalla-Grimur is visible. Where the Christian tradition is to bury the dead in sanctified soil, the heathen tradition was to lay the dead to rest in burial mounds. It was at this spot that Egil laid his father to rest in his burial mound. Skalla-Grimur died of an unknown disease in his home at Borg. (Egils Saga, Chapter 60)

In those days there was a superstition that if the dead were carried out through the door they could then return the same way as ghosts. To prevent this possibility Egil had a hole torn in the wall of the farm and it was through this that he carried his father’s body. Egil had his father’s horse, weapons and tools entombed with him.

When Egil later lost his teenage son Bödvar, he had the mound reopened and laid his son beside his grandfather. (Egils Saga, Chapter 80). He subsequently penned his most famous poem “Lament for My Sons” (Sonnartorrek) in memory of the two sons he had lost.

Cairn Number 4:

Borg at Myrar (Borg á Mýrum)

( Located by the church off Highway 54, just outside of Borgarnes )

It was here that Skalla-Grimur received a sign from his father to build his pioneer farmhouse. The cairn is actually located on the rocky outcrop behind the church and the farm site. “Borg” is the Icelandic word originally used for rocky outcrops or cliffs such as these, and it is from these cliffs that the names for the farm, the town, the region and even the fiord below have been derived.

A path to the cairn lies to the west of the church. This is the birthplace of Egil Skalla-Grimsson. Egil´s father, Skalla-Grimur and his grandfather, Kveld-Ulfur set out together from Norway to settle in Iceland, each on their own ship. Kveld-Ulfur was advanced in years and passed away during the voyage. (Egils Saga, Chapter 27). Before he died he had a coffin built and commanded that on his death his coffin should be thrown overboard and wheresoever it landed would be the site for settlement. His orders were followed and the coffin ran aground just below this site.

In the 13 th century the famous Icelandic writer , Snorri Sturluson, lived in Borg at Myrar.

Cairn Number 5:

Bog Iron Peninsula (Rauðanes)

( Located off Highway 54, and then to the end of Highway 532 )

This is the site where Skalla-Grimur built his smithy. In Egils Saga Skalla-Grimur’s skill as a craftsmen was noted. He smelted iron from bog iron found in these peat bogs. “Skalla-Grímur was a great ironsmith and smelted a great deal of bog iron during winter. He built his smithy down by the sea some distance from Borg at a place known as Raufarnes.” (Egils Saga, Chapter 30).

Skalla-Grimur could find no stone large and flat enough to serve as an anvil. Thus he rowed out to islands in Mid Fiord and dived there to find a suitable stone. “The stone lies there yet, surrounded by slag, gouged with marks from hammering iron and differing from surrounding stones being rounded through wave action. It is of such proportions that four men can scarcely lift it.” Right beside the cairn are the remnants of a structure in the middle of which lies a stone which locals believe could be Skalla-Grim´s smithy stone referred to in the Saga.

Cairn Number 6:

Ani Slopes (Ánabrekka)

( Located off Highway 54, along Highway 533 and then to the end of Highway 534 )

Ani was the pioneer of this area and one of the crew of Skalla-Grimur’s ship. In fact there are nine crewmen mentioned by name in the Saga who accompanied Skalla-Grimur to Harold Fair Hair when he insulted the king. They all fled with him to Iceland and many farms in the region still bear their names e.g. Grani’sFarm (Granastaðir), Grimolfur’s Farm (Grímólfsstaðir) etc.

Ani’s son Önundur lived at Ani Slopes while Egil was chieftain at Borg. Around the time Egil lost his wife and went to live at Mosfell with his foster daughter, Önundur’s son, Steinar took over the reins of Ani Slopes. At the same time Egil´s son Thorstein took over the running of Borg and Steinar persistenly infringed on Thorstein’s land. Eventually Thorstein retaliated and killed a couple of Steinar’s slaves. As narrated in the closing chapters of Egils Saga this land dispute was a lengthy affair and was not resolved until Steinar was forced to leave the area.

Cairn Number 7:

Swan Peninsula (Álftanes)

( Located off Highway 54, along Highway 533 and then to the end of Highway 534 )

Skalla-Grimur was a successful farmer and extended his lands beyond Borg. Swan Peninsula was a rich hunting ground. Here both seal and whale could be harpooned, the eggs of sea birds were plentiful and driftwood provided raw material for boat building. Unused to humans the wildlife was easily approached. When Egil´s maternal grandfather Yngvar immigrated to Iceland, Skalla-Grimur offered him Swan Peninsula.

When Egil was three years old the household of Borg was invited to a feast at Yngvar’s farm at Swan Peninsula. (Egils Saga Chapter 31) Egil was not permitted to accompany them as his father said he was difficult enough under normal circumstances let alone when he could get access to alcohol. Egil resented this greatly and when the party had left he caught a farm horse and rode alone to Swan Peninsula. Admiring his initiative, his grandfather Yngvar received him warmly and it was at this party that Egil composed his first poem.

Cairn Number 8:

Krum´s Bog (Krumskelda)

( Located about halfway to Krumshólar along Highway 530, off Highway 1 )

Skalla-Grimur was reputedly very thrifty and Egil was quite tight with money also. King Athalsten of England had presented Egil with a large sum of silver to give to his father in Iceland. Egil neglected to pass this treasure on as requested and Skalla-Grimur knew of this and resented it. The night before Skalla-Grimur died, Egil was not at home. Skalla-Grimur had a horse saddled. “When the household slept, he rode into the night. As he left he held between his knees a sizeable chest and on his arm a large copper kettle. Many subsequently contend that he left either one or both of these in Krum´s Bog and then covered them with a flat stone of considerable proportions.” (Egils Saga Chapter 60 )

It was probably the old man’s intention not to let Egil get his hands on the treasure he had carefully accumulated during the course of his life. One of the pits in this area is known locally as Skalla-Grimur’s Pit, although there is no mention of it in Egils Saga.

Locals contend that it was in this pit that Skalla-Grimur concealed his treasure. Skalla-Grimur’s Pit lies approximately 700m due west of this cairn.

Cairn Number 9:

White River Plains (Hvítarvellir)

( Located at Hvítar Bridge off Higway 1 and along Highway 53. The plains lie to the south of the bridge. )

In ancient times this was the site of a great trading market each summer. Boats from Norway sailed in and merchants then set up tents and traded with the locals. This market is mentioned in several of the Icelandic Sagas.

When Egil’s son Bödvar was about 14 years old he was returning to Borg with a load of merchandise from these markets when the boat and all its crew were lost in the waters at the mouth of White River. Egil felt the loss of his son deeply and as a result penned his most famous poem “Lament for My Sons” (Sonnartorrek – Egils Saga Chapter 80).

Many years previously Egil killed a person for the first time on these same plains. He was seven years old. In those days these plains were used for a ball game (akin to ice hockey) during the winters. Egil lost a game to an eleven year old boy by the name of Grimur. Egil’s friend Thordur from the farm next door gave Egil an axe and with this he struck Grimur with such force that it “at once pierced his brain” (Egils Saga Chapter 40) (Ironically it was Thordur who was slain by Egil’s father about five years later under similar circumstances.)

How did Egil’s parents react to the news that their seven year old had just killed someone? When Egil came home his father had little to say but his mother declared that Egil had the makings of a Viking and that when of age he should be given a long ship. Egil then spoke this verse:

“My mother said
That I should get
A ship and pretty oars
Leave with Vikings
Stand in the fore
Stear a precious ship
Go to shore
Kill many men”