Thursday, June 22, 2023

The Valþjófsstaður door

Það eru margar undur í höfuðkúpu
there are so many wonders in a cow’s head
~Icelandic expression used when something strange or amazing happens


Iceland seems to be a very popular destination these days! My MIL just took a trip there and her photo of the Valþjófsstaður door caught my eye. It was carved circa 1200 CE and tells the story of a knight who saves the life of a lion by slaying a dragon. The lion then stays with the knight until his death, whereupon it lies mourning on his grave. The lower roundel shows four interlaced dragons.

The Valþjófsstaður door
photo by Ellie Lonske

The Valþjófsstaður door
from Nordic Voyages - Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Sketches and studies, by Alexander Baumgartner

The Valþjófsstaður door, upper roundel
photo by Jakub Hałun

The Four Dragons
photo by Wolfgang Sauber


1 comment:

HWY said...

Wonderful doors and wood carvings...and they all tell a story. Lovely.