New Britain herald., 1930-03-05
.GANGS IN ICELAND
 WAY BACK IN 1000
N0rseInen Revealed as PredeCes. SOrS Of Modern GunIlen

Washington, D. C., March 5.-A Vikings house that was burned Sl3 years ago in Iceland has been re- constructed.
 Viking hospitality will be extend cd in this hall 10 the visitors and representatives from many nations who journey to Iceland this spring to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the worlds oldest, continuous, democratic legislature, the Icelandic Althing.
 "The new house duplicates, as nearly as possible. the historic home of one of Iceland's greatest lawyers, ' says a bulletin from the Washing ton, D. C. headquarters of the Na- tional Geographic Society.
 A Viking Blackstone "Nial was a lawyer learned in the voluminous and technical law ol Viking Iceland before William tho Conqueror brought the English jury system to England on the end of q Norman spear.
 Iceland has rebuilt Njal's home because the fame of his legal skill together with the story of his death amid melodramatic scenes, has been preserved in one of the most cherish ed of 1celand's sagas The Story of Burnt Njal.' Tho saga same into be- ing Il years after Jeff Ericsons s journey from Greenland 10 Amcri- can shores, which was in the year 1000. A. p.
 "Njals reconstructed house is cs- pccnally interesting to Americans { because it is similar 10 tho hous, ireputcd to have been the first built i hy white men in America. Thorimn i E<arlsclin, the colonist, who followed 1 Jeff E,ricson is believed 10 have built a Viking house somewhere on the shores now known as New England or Nova Scotia. Njal's rebuilt house has floor plan not unlike that Of : Lcifs own homo, the ruins of which
 may still be seen ill Iceland. Iccland'S Row Houses "The appearance Of many Viking | houses rcscmblcd a street of mod crn row houses in eastern United States and soaboard cities. The tri- angular Viking gable ends ranging in q line suggested q series of cot taGcs shoulder 10 shoulder, but each 1 Viking gable roof usually sheltered 1 u single room, The whole spraWliue Viking house of many gables was connected by narrow hall that 1 linked the rooms in the same way that covered passages link up tn. many buildings Of d New lDeland | farmhouse.
 Turf often roofr1 the Viking house and in spring he lived be. meath n carpet of wild flowers. Leading meu Of the island, Sucl US Njal, usually had one hish-roofcd
 large hall in thcir houses. This hal had three divisions lengthwisc; 6 nave and two low side aislcs scpar. ated by low stone walls. The high roof of the nave was supported by two lines of wooden pillars brought over stormy seas from Norway ir the small Viking ships. This hall was a sleeping, eating aud living roou for the chief and his rctainers. Some Of these halls, which served as eat ing, living and sleeping rooms, wcr, very large. ono in Iceland was eUl feet long and CO feet wide.
 Booths For Sleeping Quarters
 Down tho center of the hall was one long fireplace. The smoke from the fire found it's way out through holes out high up in the roof, Ronrh- cs for th" family, servants and re- tam"re ran along each side of the long Grplacc In tho lou-roofcd alsl"s parallel to th" long axis Of tlD