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Near Holt in Rangįržing eystra, Sušurnes, Iceland — North Atlantic and Artic Oceans (a Nordic Island)
 

Steinahellir Cave

 
 
English section of the Steinahellir Cave Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, September 14, 2019
1. English section of the Steinahellir Cave Marker
Inscription.  

Steinahellir undir Eyjafjöllum
Steinahellir hefur veriš notašur fyrir saušfé af Steinabęndum öldum saman. Leifar fyrirhlešslu sjįst austast ķ hellinum innarlega. Įriš 1818 var hellirinn settur žingstašur Eyfellinga og gegndi hann žvķ hlutverki fram til 1905. Žingboršiš sem var ķ hellinum er nś varšveitt ķ Skógasafni. Samkvęmt Matthķasi Žóršarsyni, fyrrverandi žjóšminjaverši, voru skip einnig smķšuš ķ Steinahelli. Žó er ekki vitaš hvenęr žaš var eša hvers konar skip voru smķšuš.

Aš lķkindum er hellirinn, sem er śr móbergi, aš grunninum til nįttśrusmķš en svo hefur hann veriš dżpkašur og breikkašur. Til eru heimildir fyrir žvķ aš Brunna–Sveinbjörn hafi dżpkaš hellinn enn meira um 1890.

Svipir, vofur og įlfar hafa sést viš hellinn og er fręgasta sögnin tengd 14 manna įhöfn sem fórst viš Fjallasand. Veturinn eftir er skipiš strandaša sett upp aš Steinahelli um ķsilagšan Holtsós. Litlu sķšar rķšur Žorgils į Raušnefsstöšum hjį hellinum og mętir žar manni sem segir: „settu meš okkur lagsmašur“. Žegar Žorgils kemur nęr sér hann 13 svašalega menn standa hjį skipinu og žykist hann žekkja žar įhöfnina
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drukknušu. Žorgils foršaši sér ķ snarhasti og er žį kvešiš į eftir honum:

Ganglaust stendur gnoš ķ laut,
Gott er myrkriš rauša,
Halur fer meš fjörvi braut,
Fįr er vin žess dauša,
Fįr er vin žess dauša.


Lķklega hefur vķsan veriš ort ķ oršastaš hinna drukknušu sjómanna löngu eftir atburšinn.

Burkni vex ķ hellisžaki Steinahellis. Sögur herma aš ekki megi slķta upp burknann žvķ žį sé ólįniš vķst. Bóndi į Steinum reif žar einhverju sinni upp burkna og hrapaši kżr hans fram af hellisberginu skömmu sķšar. Önnur saga segir aš feršamašur einn hafi slitiš upp burkna óafvitandi um įlögin og misst heilsuna fįum įrum sķšar. Kenndi hann burknatķnslunni um heilsutap sitt.

Steinahellir var frišlżstur af Žór Magnśssyni, žįverandi žjóšminjaverši, įriš 1975. Steinahellir, lķkt og ašrar frišlżstar menningarminjar, er ķ umsjį Minjastofnunar Ķslands. Žil hellisins var endurgert į vegum Minjastofnunar haustiš 2015, en žil var į hellinum a.m.k. į 19. öld.

(English translation:)
Steinahellir Cave
For centuries Steinahellir cave was used by the farmers at Steinar farm to house sheep. In 1818 the cave became the area's parliamentary assembly site and remained so until 1905. According to Matthķas Žóršarson, former National Cultural Heritage Manager, ships were at one point built
The view of the entrance to the Steinahellir Cave and Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, September 14, 2019
2. The view of the entrance to the Steinahellir Cave and Marker
at Steinahellir.

The cave is believed to be a naturally occurring feature in the palagonite cliff, but was manually deepened and broadened over time. There are many stories of supernatural happenings and enchantments connected with Steinahellir cave.

Ghosts and spirits have been seen in and around the cave for centuries; the most famous is the tale of the 14 sailors who died when their ship stranded at Fjallasandur beach. The following winter the ship was moved over the ice, from Fjallasandur, via Holtsós estuary to Steinahellir. One day Žorgils from Raušnefsstašir farm was riding by and exchanged some words with a man he met by the cave. He then looked up and saw 13 'horrible men' standing on the ship. Žorgils realised that this was the dead crew from the wrecked ship and rode away in haste.

One tale warns not to pick the enchanted ferns which grow in the cave as bad luck will befall anyone who does. A farmer from Steinar once picked a fern from the cave and soon afterwards one of his cows, which was grazing in the area, fell down from the top of the cave-mouth and died. Another tale tells of a traveller who picked a fern without knowing about the enchantment, and a few years later he lost his health. Until his death he blamed his misfortune on the accidental picking of the fern in Steinahellir.

The farmer Jón Jónsson was passing Steinahellir
Inside view of the Steinahellir Cave image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, September 14, 2019
3. Inside view of the Steinahellir Cave
in 1870 when it was pitch dark. Suddenly a ghost appeared and blocked his way. Jón pulled out a pocket knife and made the blade turn backwards since ghosts turn everything around. By this the ghost yielded and Jón could continue his journey.

Steinahellir cave was listed as a protected archaeological site in 1975 and is under the management of the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland which had the wooden panel in the cave-mouth rebuilt in the fall of 2015.
 
Erected by Minjastofnun Ķslands.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1818.
 
Location. 63° 32.724′ N, 19° 43.617′ W. Marker is near Holt, Southern Peninsula Region (Sušurnes), in Rangįržing eystra. Marker is on Žjóšvegur (Route 1) 1.5 kilometers west of Leirnavegur (Route 243), on the right when traveling west. The marker is located at a small parking lot for the cave along Route 1. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Holt, Southern Peninsula Region 861, Iceland. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 1 other marker is within 6 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool (approx. 6.4 kilometers away).
 
Also see . . .  Steinahellir Cave. Fun Iceland website entry (Submitted on June 5, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
A view of the ferns inside the Steinahellir Cave image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, September 14, 2019
4. A view of the ferns inside the Steinahellir Cave
 
 
The view next to the Steinahellir Cave image. Click for full size.
Photographed By James Hulse, September 14, 2019
5. The view next to the Steinahellir Cave
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 11, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 197 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 11, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
 
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Apr. 18, 2024