Wealth and Power
What excavations have told us about the inhabitants of Borg during the Iron Age:
They were rich,
We can deduce as much from the size of the farm.
They were powerful,
as is symbolised by the locality of the chieftain's dwelling, raised above the surrounding countryside.
They were well travelled,
as demonstrated by the goods imported from Western Europe.
Nevertheless, the chieftain's family chose to leave their farm towards the end of the 10th century. Was it the great changes at the time that induced them to leave for Iceland, along with many others? Perhaps one of the last chieftains at Borg was Olaf Tvennunbrunni, one of the first Icelandic settlers. With his wife, Áshild, he colonised South West Iceland around 900 AD.
The Lady of the House
A woman was valued and respected, in many ways as equally as a man. She might own her own land, and with very few exceptions, she would inherit on an equal footing with a man. She had the right to raise issues at the Thing , and she was personally answerable to the law. A woman was financially independent and owned her own dowry, the bridal gift from her future spouse, and what she inherited from her family. This also applied in the case of divorce.
Divorce might occur if one of the parties declared divorce in the presence of witnesses, or if the wife took her belongings and returned to her father`s or brother`s home. She was divorced when a combination of legislative assembly and a court of law had made a statement to that effect in the presence of witnesses, at home by her bed or by the entrance door to the house.
To symbolise her authority and power, she would wear the keys to chests, cupboards and storerooms on her belt. In certain situations she would take over the functions of her husband. Basically, it was the woman who governed the farm.
