--- title: The Settlement of Iceland author: Max Naylor source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9847/the-settlement-of-iceland/ format: machine-readable-alternate updated: 1970-01-01 --- # The Settlement of Iceland _Authored by Max Naylor_ ## Image File [![The Settlement of Iceland](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/9847.png)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/9847.png) ## Image Caption Map depicting (to the best of the author's imagination following the accounts) the possible exploration journeys of three of the earliest [Vikings](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vikings/) to come to Iceland, whose stories are considered semi-legendary. According to the Landnámabók, the first settler of Iceland was Naddodd the [Viking](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vikings/) (c. 830 CE) who established a settlement on the east coast at the site of present-day Reyðarfjörður but left within a year to return to Norway. He was followed by Gardar the Swede (also known as Garðarr Svavarsson, c. 860’s CE) who circumnavigated the landmass and determined it was an island, as well as establishing a small settlement, this one on the shore of the bay of Skjálfandi (modern-day town of Húsavík) in the north. The third and best-known Scandinavian explorer to Iceland was Flóki Vilgerðarson (also known as Hrafna-Flóki, c. 868 CE). Unlike the first two, Flóki set out deliberately to reach the island and establish a settlement there, at Borgarfjord (Borgarfjörður, at which the modern town of Borgarnes is located) on the west coast. ## Cite This Work ### APA Naylor, M. (2019, January 10). The Settlement of Iceland. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Naylor, Max. "The Settlement of Iceland." *World History Encyclopedia*, January 10, 2019. . ### MLA Naylor, Max. "The Settlement of Iceland." *World History Encyclopedia*, 10 Jan 2019, . ## License & Copyright [Original image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Settlement_of_Iceland.svg) by [**Max Naylor**](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Settlement_of_Iceland.svg). Submitted by [Emma Groeneveld](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/emmagroeneveld1/ "User Page: Emma Groeneveld"), published on 10 January 2019. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Public Domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain). This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.