Iceland's national home and the discourse of civilisation

This chapter focuses on the turf house, the most prevalent archaeological structure encountered during archaeological excavations. These earthen buildings dominate the archaeological record, having served as the primary form of construction in Iceland for over a millennium, until the shift to modern housing long after the onset of modernity and urbanisation. While the evolution of turf architecture is largely linked to the challenging climatic and environmental constraints, and a lack of alternative building materials, these modest structures have historically been viewed as symbols of primitiveness, poverty, and the inability of Icelanders to form an independent national state. The chapter explores how the turf house became entangled in the rhetoric of civilisation from the medieval period to the nineteenth century. It traces the evolution of perceptions of Icelanders’ living conditions, often described as rudimentary and unsanitary, which led to associations with immorality and barbarism. By examining this complex relationship between architecture, environment, and socio-cultural identity, the chapter illustrates how the turf house became a focal point in the narrative of Icelandic civilisation and its perceived shortcomings.