The Ragna team have been exploring the #OrkneyingaSaga places of Egilsay and Wyre today!
March 31, 2025 at 7:56 PM
The Ragna team have been exploring the #OrkneyingaSaga places of Egilsay and Wyre today!
Some interesting bishops in #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney #OrkneyingaSaga
byskup (sb. m.): 468 cits, e.g. bishop, ecclesiastical leader (in the Christian Church) ‘manadagh þa lofar biskup monnum at skafa firir naut sin oc heim reiða ef aðr …’ (FrostKr in AM 60 4°) onp.ku.dk/o12751
January 18, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Some interesting bishops in #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney #OrkneyingaSaga
Spent a lovely windswept day delivering the Ragna's Islands Project #NorthRonaldsay booklets (saga-stories, poetry and place-names) to islanders. It is wonderful to be here again! #Orkney #OrkneyingaSaga #Placenames
September 20, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Spent a lovely windswept day delivering the Ragna's Islands Project #NorthRonaldsay booklets (saga-stories, poetry and place-names) to islanders. It is wonderful to be here again! #Orkney #OrkneyingaSaga #Placenames
The Ragna's Islands Project has come to an end... but it lives on!... in these beautiful booklets (one for Fair Isle, one for North Ronaldsay, & one for Papay)... which judithjesch.bsky.social unboxed today! #Orkney #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga
September 15, 2025 at 4:43 PM
The Ragna's Islands Project has come to an end... but it lives on!... in these beautiful booklets (one for Fair Isle, one for North Ronaldsay, & one for Papay)... which judithjesch.bsky.social unboxed today! #Orkney #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga
Also in ch. 88 of #Orkneyingasaga in which the 'Saraceni' are said to be Máumet's heretics ('villumenn').
In king Sverre of Norway's propagandistic screed against the bishops, written in Old Norse around 1200, Mohammed (maumett) is described as a heretic bishop who has spread his heresy across half the world.
April 21, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Also in ch. 88 of #Orkneyingasaga in which the 'Saraceni' are said to be Máumet's heretics ('villumenn').
Spending time in Caithness prowling round #OrkneyingaSaga #PlaceNames! Today: Ham (hǫfn 'harbour, safe haven'), Halkirk (hár & kirkja 'church'), Scrabster (perhaps pers name Skári & bólstaðr ‘dwelling, farm’) but we did drive thru Forss (fors ‘waterfall’) & Murkle (myrkr 'muddy’ & hóll ‘hill’) too!
October 1, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Spending time in Caithness prowling round #OrkneyingaSaga #PlaceNames! Today: Ham (hǫfn 'harbour, safe haven'), Halkirk (hár & kirkja 'church'), Scrabster (perhaps pers name Skári & bólstaðr ‘dwelling, farm’) but we did drive thru Forss (fors ‘waterfall’) & Murkle (myrkr 'muddy’ & hóll ‘hill’) too!
Bjarni Kolbeinsson, son of Kolbeinn Heap of Wyre, is called a 'skald' (poet) in ch. of 84 the Saga of the Earls of Orkney #OrkneyingaSaga. It doesn't quote any of his poetry, but his rollicking Jómsvíkingadrápa survives elsewhere. 🧵1/4
August 28, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Bjarni Kolbeinsson, son of Kolbeinn Heap of Wyre, is called a 'skald' (poet) in ch. of 84 the Saga of the Earls of Orkney #OrkneyingaSaga. It doesn't quote any of his poetry, but his rollicking Jómsvíkingadrápa survives elsewhere. 🧵1/4
This stanza from a poem in praise of Norwegian king (later saint) Óláfr Haraldsson is widely cited in ON texts, including ch. 19 of the Saga of the Earls of #Orkney / #Orkneyingasaga. 1/2
Gegn, (eru þér at þegnum)
þjóðskjǫldunga góðra
haldið hæft á veldi
(Hjaltlendingar kenndir).
Engi varð á jǫrðu
ógnbráðr, áðr þér nôðum,
austr, sás eyjum vestan,
ynglingr, und sik þryngvi.
Ótt Hfl 20
þjóðskjǫldunga góðra
haldið hæft á veldi
(Hjaltlendingar kenndir).
Engi varð á jǫrðu
ógnbráðr, áðr þér nôðum,
austr, sás eyjum vestan,
ynglingr, und sik þryngvi.
Ótt Hfl 20
December 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
This stanza from a poem in praise of Norwegian king (later saint) Óláfr Haraldsson is widely cited in ON texts, including ch. 19 of the Saga of the Earls of #Orkney / #Orkneyingasaga. 1/2
Today... just a little diversion from #OrkneyingaSaga places and their names...
October 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Today... just a little diversion from #OrkneyingaSaga places and their names...
One of the #Ragna team is off this week after the fab project workshop in #Kirkwall, looking at the #PlaceNames of #Rousay! AKA Hrolfsey in #OrkneyingaSaga - ON Hrólfs-ey ‘Hrólfr’s island’. Here's Saviskaill, ON sœvar-skáli, 'sea-skaill' i.e 'hall or house by the sea' (Marwick).
April 6, 2025 at 6:58 PM
One of the #Ragna team is off this week after the fab project workshop in #Kirkwall, looking at the #PlaceNames of #Rousay! AKA Hrolfsey in #OrkneyingaSaga - ON Hrólfs-ey ‘Hrólfr’s island’. Here's Saviskaill, ON sœvar-skáli, 'sea-skaill' i.e 'hall or house by the sea' (Marwick).
In ch. 7 of #Orkneyingasaga #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney Torf-Einarr is 'einsýnn ok þó manna skyggnstr' 'one-eyed and yet very keen-sighted', giving him a slightly #Odinic touch.
einsýnn (adj.): 21 cits, e.g. one-eyed // enøjet ‘gamall ok eldiligr ein syn’ (ÓT in Holm perg 18 4°) onp.ku.dk/o17197 #OldNorse
April 30, 2026 at 8:18 AM
In ch. 7 of #Orkneyingasaga #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney Torf-Einarr is 'einsýnn ok þó manna skyggnstr' 'one-eyed and yet very keen-sighted', giving him a slightly #Odinic touch.
The word 'teigr' appears in a place-name in ch. 9 of the Saga of the Earls of Orkney #Orkneyingasaga. Hávarðsteigar, somewhere near #Stenness in #Orkney, was where Earl Hávarðr 'the Harvest-blessed' and 'a good chieftain' was killed by his nephew Einarr at the instigation of his wife Ragnhildr. 🧵1/4
August 29, 2025 at 7:22 AM
The word 'teigr' appears in a place-name in ch. 9 of the Saga of the Earls of Orkney #Orkneyingasaga. Hávarðsteigar, somewhere near #Stenness in #Orkney, was where Earl Hávarðr 'the Harvest-blessed' and 'a good chieftain' was killed by his nephew Einarr at the instigation of his wife Ragnhildr. 🧵1/4
Left Hrólfsey for Þingavöll early this morning, before making our way to Kirkuvágr & thence to Hafnarvágr for the stretch across the Péttlandsfjörðr to Þórsá in Katanes.
The last of the Ragna place-names team have left the Orkneyjar... for now... #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga #Orkney
The last of the Ragna place-names team have left the Orkneyjar... for now... #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga #Orkney
April 12, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Left Hrólfsey for Þingavöll early this morning, before making our way to Kirkuvágr & thence to Hafnarvágr for the stretch across the Péttlandsfjörðr to Þórsá in Katanes.
The last of the Ragna place-names team have left the Orkneyjar... for now... #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga #Orkney
The last of the Ragna place-names team have left the Orkneyjar... for now... #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga #Orkney
Swona gets several mentions in #Orkneyingasaga #TheSagaoftheEarlsofOrkney, see also uonenglish.substack.com/p/swona-a-pi...
August 31, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Swona gets several mentions in #Orkneyingasaga #TheSagaoftheEarlsofOrkney, see also uonenglish.substack.com/p/swona-a-pi...
One of Rǫgnvaldr Kolsson's ships was named Fífa, see ch. 85 of #Orkneyingasaga #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney and his lausavísa 8: skaldic.ku.dk/q?p=skp/skal... #arrows #ships
February 19, 2026 at 8:29 AM
One of Rǫgnvaldr Kolsson's ships was named Fífa, see ch. 85 of #Orkneyingasaga #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney and his lausavísa 8: skaldic.ku.dk/q?p=skp/skal... #arrows #ships
Two VERY cool sonnets based on #Orkneyingasaga
Litt småsjuk, men fekk lese ut Orknøyingasoga og skrive tvo sonettar.
April 20, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Two VERY cool sonnets based on #Orkneyingasaga
Looking forward to getting together with Charlotte Eichler to share some old and new poetry with interested folk. Hybrid event in Leeds on 9th December. #Poetry #Saga #OrkneyingaSaga @ragnasislands.bsky.social ahc.leeds.ac.uk/medieval/eve...
Research Seminar: Twisted Ribbons of Song: The Saga of the Earls of Orkney and poetry from or inspired by northern Scotland
Judith Jesch and Charlotte Eichler present a seminar for the Institute for Medieval Studies.
ahc.leeds.ac.uk
November 11, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Looking forward to getting together with Charlotte Eichler to share some old and new poetry with interested folk. Hybrid event in Leeds on 9th December. #Poetry #Saga #OrkneyingaSaga @ragnasislands.bsky.social ahc.leeds.ac.uk/medieval/eve...
And if you still haven't had your fill of #Orkneyingasaga #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney (who has?), I'm doing a webinar on 4th March: www.mymagazinesub.co.uk/history-scot... (see also Niall Sharples on #Vikings in the #Hebrides on Thursday)
History Scotland Online Lectures | Exclusive history talks and webinars - My Magazine Subscriptions
History Scotland run regular online lectures on a host of subjects. Presented by historians, curators and authors, the popular webinars include a presentation and the chance to ask questions. Be sure ...
www.mymagazinesub.co.uk
February 17, 2026 at 1:39 PM
And if you still haven't had your fill of #Orkneyingasaga #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney (who has?), I'm doing a webinar on 4th March: www.mymagazinesub.co.uk/history-scot... (see also Niall Sharples on #Vikings in the #Hebrides on Thursday)
The three big books on the table are GKS 1015 fol., Tormod Torfæus' translation of #Flateyjarbók into Danish. Interesting to see that he chickened out of translating the #skaldic stanzas - the photo here is from ch. 20 of #Orkneyingasaga
January 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The three big books on the table are GKS 1015 fol., Tormod Torfæus' translation of #Flateyjarbók into Danish. Interesting to see that he chickened out of translating the #skaldic stanzas - the photo here is from ch. 20 of #Orkneyingasaga
Spent the morning in the fab @orkneylibrary.bsky.social #archives today... yes... thinking about #PlaceNames... here are a couple of rather nice spellings of two places that occur in #OrkneyingaSaga: Rapness and Orphir
March 28, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Spent the morning in the fab @orkneylibrary.bsky.social #archives today... yes... thinking about #PlaceNames... here are a couple of rather nice spellings of two places that occur in #OrkneyingaSaga: Rapness and Orphir
And of course both Rousay (Hrólfsey) and Gairsay (Gáreksey) occur several times in #OrkneyingaSaga... nice to see the skáli name too!
Another fruitful day in the #Archives… this time in Edinburgh. Particularly like this little entry in a 1694-1696 document for #Gairsay & #Rousay. #PlaceNames underlined for convenience. Nice to see two spellings of Saviskaill just a few lines apart! Transcript in the Alt Text should you want it!
![Original manuscript document reading:
[Margin]
Gairsey & Eg
ilshay heretors
[Main Text]
Hendrie Corssie in Gooe cottar
Heugh coupar in Vacquoye cottar
himself and his wyfe
Thomas Craigie In Sabaskaill
himself and his wyfe two
men s(e)rvants & two woamen
servants
James Brand in Felquoye
and his wife
Thomas Bewes in Hawatua’
cottar to Savaskaill and his
wyfe](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dznhj3q3zumqawrrehi2cmkv/bafkreibgplz7lsncayultyjrajn5czyo5rs3hf5f3o2xkp4fij4tisdi64)
April 14, 2025 at 6:20 PM
And of course both Rousay (Hrólfsey) and Gairsay (Gáreksey) occur several times in #OrkneyingaSaga... nice to see the skáli name too!
Some interesting ways of referring to women here. I'm not sure about 'girl' for 'svarri', though. At least in prose it has different connotations. In ch. 91 of #Orkneyingasaga the widow Margrét is a 'svarri': @onp.ku.dk suggests 'arrogant, haughty woman', which I used in my translation. 1/2
The caring Naumur‹goddesses› of the fire of the sea [GOLD › WOMEN] come home from the shielings, all sleek-haired; the appearance of the ladies is fine. Now I renounce my responsibility, though the Syn‹goddess› of the ale-bench [WOMAN] is somewhat ruffled; let every man take his girl.
March 18, 2026 at 9:49 AM
Some interesting ways of referring to women here. I'm not sure about 'girl' for 'svarri', though. At least in prose it has different connotations. In ch. 91 of #Orkneyingasaga the widow Margrét is a 'svarri': @onp.ku.dk suggests 'arrogant, haughty woman', which I used in my translation. 1/2
Getting my copy of the new translation of #OrkneyingaSaga this week too birlinn.co.uk/product/the-... Not a bad combo for anyone interested in #Orkney in the #Norse period... #ShouldYouBeAtALossForChristmasPresentIdeas...
The Saga of the Earls of Orkney | Birlinn Ltd - Independent Scottish Publisher - buy books online
This fascinating history of the Earldom of Orkney, which was established in the Viking Age, records the adventures, feuds and battles of powerful Norsemen during its first three centuries. The medieva...
birlinn.co.uk
December 8, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Getting my copy of the new translation of #OrkneyingaSaga this week too birlinn.co.uk/product/the-... Not a bad combo for anyone interested in #Orkney in the #Norse period... #ShouldYouBeAtALossForChristmasPresentIdeas...
This stanza provokes a celebrated retort by Ragna, 'It has now come to this, as is said, that few are so intelligent that they can see everything as it is, because this is from a stallion not a mare.' See ch. 81 of #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney #Orkneyingasaga and uonenglish.substack.com/p/who-is-rag...
January 23, 2026 at 9:54 AM
This stanza provokes a celebrated retort by Ragna, 'It has now come to this, as is said, that few are so intelligent that they can see everything as it is, because this is from a stallion not a mare.' See ch. 81 of #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney #Orkneyingasaga and uonenglish.substack.com/p/who-is-rag...
Our latest blog on the #OrkneyingaSaga #PlaceName Geitaberg is out! #Orkney blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/ragnasisland...
Gaitnip: a case of ‘synonym substitution’ - Ragna's Islands: A New Saga
Geitaberg now Gaitnip (St. Ola) occurs once in the Saga of the Earls of Orkney where we hear in chapter 76 that ‘Borgarr, the son of Jaddvǫr Erlendsdóttir, who lived at Gaitnip… had seen the cargo-ship as it sailed from the south and back south’, with Sveinn Ásleifarson aboard. Sveinn had come ‘to meet Earl ...
blogs.nottingham.ac.uk
May 9, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Our latest blog on the #OrkneyingaSaga #PlaceName Geitaberg is out! #Orkney blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/ragnasisland...