The Njál's Saga Tapestry is a monumental work of art that stretches an impressive 90 meters in length, located in the town of Hvolsvöllur, southern Iceland. Inspired by the famed Bayeux Tapestry that documents the Norman Invasion of England, this tapestry illustrates scenes from the Icelandic saga Brennu-Njáls Saga (The Saga of Burnt Njál), one of the most renowned and significant sagas of the Icelandic literary tradition. The saga, set in the 10th and 11th centuries, recounts the tragic story of Njáll Þorgeirsson, his family, and friends, embroiled in complex blood feuds, legal battles, and a gripping tale of loyalty, betrayal, and revenge.
The tapestry, completed in 2020, was a community-driven project, designed as a way for locals and visitors alike to engage with one of Iceland’s most important cultural texts. While the tapestry was being made, visitors were able to participate in the creation of the tapestry by stitching parts of the design, which follows a timeline of major events from the saga. Each section is carefully embroidered to depict key moments, from the peaceful beginnings of the characters’ lives to the eventual violence and destruction, culminating in the burning of Njáll and his family in their home.
Renowned artist and writer Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir (pictured) designed the images for the tapestry. Her website contains many photos of the project at different stages of development.
Kristín (left) joined the tapestry team founders Gunnhildur Edda Kristjánsdottir (middle), a librarian, and secondary school history and language instructor Christina M. Bengtsson (right) to initiate and shepherd this project to the end.
To understand the tapestry (partially pictured below) it is important to develop a thorough understanding of Njál's saga. In this article, we cover major themes of the saga to help prepare your own for reading the saga. (Yes, we want you to read it too!). The best English language translation is by Robert Cook and is part of the Penguin Classics book division. You can also learn Icelandic by reading Njál's Saga on the foreign language app LingQ. Quite appropriately, LingQ has already adopted the tapestry images for its app.
Hallgerður and Bergþóra: Clashing Personalities
Let's begin with the feud between Hallgerður Höskuldsdóttir and Bergþóra Skarphéðinsdóttir, Njál’s wife. This is one of the most famous and bitter subplots in Brennu-Njáls saga. It revolves around the escalating animosity between these two strong-willed women and plays a key role in deepening the conflicts between their husbands' families.
Hallgerður and Bergþóra are portrayed as polar opposites in character. Hallgerður, the wife of Gunnar Hámundarson, is described as beautiful, proud, and manipulative, with a sharp tongue and a penchant for causing trouble. She is also infamous for her past: in earlier sections of the saga, it is revealed that she had her previous two husbands killed, a fact that foreshadows her more destructive tendencies.
In contrast, Bergþóra is depicted as a loyal and fierce wife who supports her husband Njál in all his legal dealings and conflicts. She is also proud, strong, and unyielding but shares her husband’s sense of justice and desire for honor. While Bergþóra is more pragmatic, Hallgerður’s vengeful and selfish nature often fuels unnecessary conflict.
The Origins of the Feud
The feud between Hallgerður and Bergþóra begins with a seemingly minor insult. One day, while the women are sitting together at the household of Njál and Bergþóra, Bergþóra asks Hallgerður to give her seat to an honored female guest. Hallgerður, not one to take such requests lightly, refused, and from this point on, the hostility between the two women escalates dramatically.
The Killings Begin
Their feud manifests in a series of retaliatory killings. Bergþóra, feeling insulted, orders one of her servants, a man named Svart, to kill one of Hallgerður’s slaves, Kol. In response, Hallgerður orders another of her men to kill Svart. This marks the beginning of a tit-for-tat series of murders, where the women continually have each other’s servants killed, creating an ever-deepening cycle of violence and tension.
Each time a murder takes place, the husbands of the women—Njál and Gunnar—are forced to pay compensation in the form of wergild (a form of monetary and legal restitution) to settle the matter. Despite the escalating deaths, Gunnar and Njál remain determined to preserve their friendship, making regular payments to resolve the killings often by simply transferring the same payment back and forth. Both men are frustrated by their wives’ behavior and the constant provocation.
Escalation and Involvement of Family Members
As the feud continues, the killings become more personal. Both women involve their family members and friends in the cycle of revenge. Hallgerður’s desire to assert dominance over Bergþóra is driven by her pride and need to defend her reputation, while Bergþóra’s actions are motivated by a sense of justice and the need to maintain her household’s honor.
Njál and Gunnar pledge that nothing will come between them as friends and that they will always resolve their differences with fairness and understanding. A shift in the plot occurs when there is a famine and Gunnar asks a man named Otkel if he can buy grain since he had given all of his to poor neighbors and friends. Otkel refused to sell the grain. This deeply angered Hallgerður, and she turned her anger away from Bergþóra and toward Otkel and his allies.
Consequences of the Feud
The feud between Hallgerður and Bergþóra contributes significantly to the overall violence and tragedy of the saga. Though it begins as a personal conflict between two women, it portends the great tragedy of the deaths of Gunnar, Njál, and many other characters. These two men, despite their best efforts, cannot contain the violence in the saga.
The Friendship of Njál and Gunnar
Let's discuss the two main characters that have already been mentioned: Njál Þorgeirsson, a wise and peace-loving lawyer, and his close friend, Gunnar Hámundarson, a mighty and honorable warrior. Despite their very different skills, they share a strong bond of friendship. Gunnar is a well-respected hero, admired for his strength and sense of justice.
Gunnar’s success in various feats and battles earns him widespread fame, but this also causes envy among others, especially those of lesser standing. Meanwhile, Njál is known for his wisdom, foresight, and legal acumen, but lacks the ability to defend himself physically, depending on his intellect and friends.
The two are great friends and overcome much adversity through their carefully thought-out joint plans and proposals. As mentioned above, Gunnar's wife (Hallgerður), is a difficult lady and she repeatedly incites violence that puts Gunnar in danger. Njáls wife also contributes to these violent episodes but to a lesser degree.
The reader gets the feeling that Njál and Gunnar feel a sense of alienation from the community, a community that both admires them but also seems to envy and resent them for their superior character and skill.
The two men also seem alienated from their wives who orchestrate violent retribution for slights and insults. Gunnar and Njál get on well and have a strong emotional bond as friends. Both men are depicted as better than others but this is not what drives their friendship. Rather, it appears that the two men have a mutual longing for reasonable solutions and peace in their community.
The Feud with the Sigfussons
One of the major conflicts of the saga is Gunnar’s entanglement in blood feuds with the Sigfussons and other chieftains. Gunnar's wife, Hallgerður, plays a significant role in fueling these feuds, which, as I mentioned above, started when a man named Otkel would not sell wheat to her husband. At one point, Hallgerður defies Gunnar, leading to a bitter confrontation. Despite Gunnar’s attempts to settle disputes peacefully, the feuds escalate and the Sigfussons are involved.
Eventually, Gunnar is outlawed for killing several men during these feuds, and though he has the opportunity to flee, he refuses to leave his homeland. His enemies ultimately ambush him, leading to his tragic death, which is considered one of the central events of the saga.
Gunnar had an arrangement to leave Iceland but failed to do so. In one of the most touching scenes, as Gunnar and his brother rode to the harbor to sail off to Norway to avoid outlawry, Gunnar’s horse slipped while fording a river. Springing off the horse, Gunnar looked back at his farm and said, “Lovely is the hillside – never has it seemed so lovely to me as now, with its pale fields and mown meadows, and I will ride back home and not leave.”
The reader can feel the exhaustion of Gunnar, always paying compensation, facing legal challenges from foes, or engaging in battles against enemies often when he is outnumbered. It feels almost as though Gunnar has never enjoyed a moment of his life. This irrational act of staying in Iceland is perhaps an act of protest. He just wants to live on his farm in peace. He has never been given this opportunity, even for a short while.
The Rise of Feud and Revenge
After Gunnar’s death, the focus shifts toward Njál’s family. Njál’s sons become involved in the ongoing cycle of blood feuds. These include many legal disputes, which Njál tries to resolve within the framework of Iceland’s legal system, but Njál's efforts often prove futile as emotions and vengeance drive the actions of the parties involved.
A significant subplot is the marriage of Njál’s son, Höskuldr, to Hildigunn, a proud and strong-willed woman. Höskuldr is beloved by Njál, and his unjust murder sparks another major round of vengeance. Njál, though a man of law, is ultimately drawn into the blood feuds he had long tried to avoid.
The Burning of Njál
The culmination of the saga is the burning of Njál and his family inside their home. Flosi, a prominent chieftain, leads the burning as revenge for the death of Höskuldr, whom he had fostered. Njál, his wife Bergþóra, and their sons are trapped inside the house and choose to die together. This horrific act of violence is the climax of the saga and marks a major turning point.
Hallgerður’s earlier actions, particularly her earlier refusal to provide Gunnar with strands of her hair to restring his bow during his final battle, contribute to Gunnar’s downfall. In contrast, Bergþóra’s loyalty to her husband and family is demonstrated when she chooses to stay with Njál in the burning house, accepting death alongside him.
The Aftermath and Christian Influence
After Njál’s death, the saga shifts to the quest for justice. Many of the survivors, particularly Njál’s foster son Kári, seek revenge on Flosi and those responsible for the burning. Eventually, after a series of confrontations, a reconciliation is reached through legal settlements, and peace is restored.
While the death of Gunnar has decidedly pagan themes and influences, the death of Njalá ushers in the Christian era. The latter part of the saga also reflects the growing influence of Christianity in Iceland. Njál is depicted as having a prophetic vision of Christianity’s arrival, and the saga ends with the idea that the law and faith can coexist, suggesting a shift from the old ways of revenge-driven feuds to a more Christian society based on forgiveness and order.
So that gives you a primer on the saga and the tapestry images. What makes the Njál's Saga Tapestry so unique is not only its scale but the way it connects modern Icelanders with their medieval heritage. By combining a traditional craft with a national story, the tapestry serves as a living artwork that has grown over time, inviting people to contribute to the ongoing creation. It is both a celebration of the rich narrative tradition of Iceland and a testament to the enduring power of storytelling through visual arts.
Visiting the Tapestry and Tapestry Kits
For visitors to Hvolsvöllur, the tapestry is a vibrant and interactive way to experience the drama, emotion, and history of the Njál saga firsthand. As always, if you are of Icelandic heritage you can explore your relationship to the characters in the saga through the Icelandic Roots Database.
Icelandic Roots members will be given the opportunity to purchase Njal’s Saga tapestry kits. If you are interested, be sure to watch for a special offer in next week’s Samkoma newsletter. This will be a limited time offer to members only.
If completing a tapestry kit interests you but you are not yet a member of Icelandic Roots, please view the Icelandic Roots Membership options here. We are sure you will find one that best suit your needs.