5. From the History Books

Written sources have enabled Icelanders to read about their origins and life in Iceland since the settlement. Icelandic Sagas and other historic accounts such as Sturlunga Saga, which have been preserved in manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries, are goldmines of knowledge about life and culture during the first centuries of habitation. When life became more difficult, with battles in the period of the Sturlungar and a deteriorating climate, sources became less comprehensive, making history more difficult to research. It is interesting and entertaining to dig around in written sources from various periods, learning more about Icelandic horses. The information is not always very exact, so sometimes the reader needs to use his or her imagination to fill in the gaps.