Stöng

Ruins of a real Viking Settlement-Age farm, Stöng, can be found in Þjórsárdalur valley. Some of the Vikings settled in in the valley, unaware that they were in the proximity of the notorious volcano Hekla - the Queen of Icelandic volcanoes. Mt. Hekla erupted for the first time after the Settlement of Iceland in 1104 causing the devastation of some 22 settlement farms in Þjórsárdalur valley. Several of the farms were excavated and examined, but only one remains above ground, Stöng, the others were covered over again. It is believed that people lived at Stöng almost continuously until around 1300 though. Other factors are also believed to have contributed to this place becoming desolate, other than the tephra covering the land, f.ex. cold weather. Since the eruption in Mt Hekla in 1104, the volcano has erupted in 1158, 1206, 1222, 1300, 1341, 1389, 1510, 1597, 1636, 1693, 1766, 1845, 1947, 1970, 1980, 1981, 1991 and 2000, so one can see that it is very active and "due" to erupt again.