Iceland's principal research institute for the preservation and study of medieval manuscripts, housing one of the world's most significant collections of Norse and Latin texts from the medieval period.
About This Site
The Arni Magnusson Institute for Icelandic Studies in Reykjavik is the custodian of Iceland's medieval manuscript heritage. Named after the 17th-century Icelandic scholar Arni Magnusson, who spent decades collecting manuscripts across Scandinavia, the institute preserves and studies one of the world's most important collections of Norse sagas, historical chronicles, and Latin texts dating from the 11th through 14th centuries. Iceland's monastic tradition, which included more than 15 active houses between the 11th and 14th centuries, produced and preserved manuscripts that document Norse exploration, navigation, and settlement across the North Atlantic.
Connection to Oak Island
In Season 11, Rick Lagina, Doug Crowell, Alex Lagina, Peter Fornetti, and the research team visited the institute as part of an extended European research trip. Curator Professor Gunnlaugsson presented a manuscript written in Latin and Norse that named four specific stars, one of which was Arcturus, a reference star for the geometric alignment of Nolan's Cross on Oak Island. Emiliano Sacchetti noted that the Cistercian scriptorium at Morimondo in Italy had produced over 100 manuscripts during the 13th century and that this monastic literary tradition eventually reached Iceland through its network of religious houses. During the examination, Doug Crowell identified the ribbon-like symbol from the Lot 8 copper piece appearing multiple times within the manuscript text, strengthening the case for a connection between medieval European manuscript traditions and symbolic artifacts found on Oak Island.
Fieldwork Notes
Visited during Season 11 by Rick Lagina, Doug Crowell, Alex Lagina, Peter Fornetti, and Emiliano Sacchetti. The team examined medieval manuscripts with curator Professor Gunnlaugsson, focusing on astronomical references and symbolic markings that corresponded to features and artifacts found on Oak Island.
