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North Atlantic sea-creatures in the King's Mirror (Konungs Skuggsjá)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Ian Whitaker
Ian Whitaker
Affiliation:
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, CanadaV5A 1S6
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Abstract

The 12th century Norwegian text Konungs Skuggsjá (King's Mirror), a didactic work prepared by one or several authors, probably for the education of a king's sons, provides some of the earliest known descriptions of sea-creatures (legendary and real) inhabiting northern Atlantic waters. Most of the descriptions give sufficient detail to allow identification with species common in the area today. This article (the second of two articles on Konungs Skuggsjá; see Polar Record, (1985), 23(141): 615–27), presents translated sections of the original text, and possible identifications of 26 species with discussion, notes and comments.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 23 , Issue 142 , January 1986 , pp. 3 - 13
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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