The Norse settlement of Shetland and Faroe, c.800-c.1500: a comparative study

[摘要] This thesis provides detailed studies of settlement on four Faroese islandsand in four districts of Shetland in order to isolate and explaindifferences and similarities between the two island groups. These studiesexamine topography, place-names, relationships with previous settlements,church distribution, settlement expansion, inter-relationship of settlementsand land assessments.The range of sources and methods are set out in the Introduction. The firstRegional Study presents two districts of Western Norway, Fjaler and Gaular,which are discussed to illustrate some of the major trends of settlement inthe homeland. Detailed studies are then made of settlements on the fourFaroese islands of Fugloy, Streymoy, Sandoy and Suduroy and in the fourShetland districts of Fetlar, Delting, Walls and Sandness, and Tingwall. Asection arranged thematically follows, bringing together results from theRegional Studies and referring more generally to the whole of Shetland andFaroe. This section examines three themes: firstly, the relationshipbetween the Norse settlers and pre-Norse populations; secondly, thedevelopment of the Scattalds and bygdir; -and thirdly, naming patterns.Despite very great differences in the extent of settlement prior to thearrival of the Norse in Faroe and Shetland, primary settlement patterns areessentially similar. The Scattalds and bygdir represent comparablesettlement districts and reflect similar agricultural requirements andresponses to the landscape while primary settlement sites in both islandgroups generally feature good harbours and extensive cultivable land withtopographical names descriptive of their coastal location.Secondary settlement expansion takes different forms in Faroe and Shetland,however, and this is reflected in nomenclature, in particular the absence ofthe habitative elements stadir, bolstadr and setr from Faroe. It isconcluded that the absence or presence of habitative place-name elements isdependent on the nature of settlement expansion.

[发布机构] University:University of St Andrews;Department:History (School of)

[效力级别] Faroe (Scotland)--History

[关键词] Shetland (Scotland)--History;Faroe (Scotland)--History;Highlands (Scotland)--History