Manuscripts Moved to Edda

On Monday, November 11, the first medieval manuscripts were transferred from the campus building Árnagarður to a new secure storage facility in Edda. These manuscripts had been stored in a specialized vault in Árnagarður for nearly 55 years, since the early 1970s. While some manuscripts had been on display in previous years in Árnagarður, exhibitions were discontinued more than two decades ago due to inadequate facilities and security concerns. From 2002 to 2013, manuscripts were exhibited instead at the Culture House on Hverfisgata, but that space was closed for safety reasons.

Initially, only 20 manuscripts were moved to Edda, intended for display in the new exhibition The World in Words, which opened on November 16. Among those on display are treasures like the Codex Regius of the Poetic Edda and Flateyjarbók. For more details, visit the exhibition website.

In attendance during the manuscript transfer were Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs, and members of the media.

A person wearing gloves puts boxes wrapped in plastic on a cart. — The crates containing the manuscripts during transport thoroughly sealed in plastic.

SSJ

Two women push a cart, on it are boxes wrapped in plastic. A few people stand around and look on. — Guðrún Nordal, Director of the Árni Magnússon Institute, and Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs, push the manuscripts out of Árnagarður.

SSJ

Two women push a cart with boxes wrapped in plastic and speak to reporters with cameras and microphones. Beside the women is a police officer. — A police officer accompanies the manuscripts to the transport vehicle.

SSJ

A police car drives into a parking garage. A black van follows. — A police escort ensures safe transport of the manuscripts between buildings.

SSJ

A man and a woman inspect a sizable, old manuscript that rests on a black pillow on top of a desk.. Behind them a woman talks and gesticulates with her hands. Further away, people stand in front of book cases and look on. — Notable manuscripts on display for the first time in Edda

SSJ

Two women stand in front of desks on which two manuscripts rest. In front of them are people from the media with cameras and microphones. — Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir and Guðrún Nordal address the media.

SSJ

A womand stands in front of a manuscripts and speaks into a blue microphone held by a woman from the media. Beside the media woman is a camera and a cameraman. — Guðrún Nordal speaks with the media.

SSJ

A woman points at a manuscript and speaks to a reporter who stands next to her. To the left, in the foreground, we see a cameraman pointing his camera at the pair. — Guðrún Nordal speaks with the media.

SSJ

Manuscripts rest on a table, on black pillows. A woman in a pink sweater stands at the largest manuscript, another woman in a blazer stands next to her and smiles at her. A few people look on from the background, standing in front of bookshelves.. — Guðrún Nordal, Director of the Árni Magnússon Institute, and Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs.

SSJ

News

Manuscripts Moved to Edda