L'educazione medievale islandese

It is very complex to talk about medieval Icelandic education. In fact, before the advent of Christianity, there is no evidence that allows us to create a clear and unproblematic picture of Icelandic training practices. Education initially took place within the domestic context and then continued thanks to the figure of the foster-parents: a tutor able to transmit knowledge outside the family environment. The transmission of knowledge took place mainly in oral form. Topics such as law, runes, poetry, history and genealogy were studied. Even subjects such as: magical lore, hannyroir (handicrafts/textile skills) and physical or martial skills are not left out. Between the ninth and tenth centuries, Icelandic education cannot be identified with what is commonly called school. The lack of a physical place, however, allowed to establish a relationship between teacher and pupil determined by the social rather than institutional component. Despite the few sources that have come down to us, to date, it is possible to outline some characteristics that are fundamental for understanding the roots of medieval Icelandic education.