Old Norse philology
The research group investigates Old Norse (particularly Old Icelandic and Old Norwegian) language, literature and culture through manuscripts, textual transmission and historical linguistics, aiming to advance knowledge of Old Norse medieval texts and their long-term cultural significance.
The group approaches Old Norse philology as an integrated field combining textual scholarship, new philology, linguistic analysis, cultural history and digital methods. Core expertise includes saga literature, Eddic and Skaldic poetry, manuscript studies and scholarly editing. The group also works with dissemination through translations.
Old Norse texts provide unique insight into medieval literature and worldviews and the processes through which texts are transmitted, reshaped and reinterpreted
Research focus
The research group works within Old Norse philology, with a primary focus on Icelandic medieval literature and its linguistic and cultural contexts. Central areas include manuscript studies and textual transmission, addressing variation, editorial practices, medieval textual culture, and the relationship between oral and written traditions.
Research covers sagas, Eddic and skaldic poetry, translated literature, mythology and religious and Church history, as well as historiography. Linguistic research addresses language history, grammatical change and regional variation in Old Icelandic and Old Norwegian.
A key focus lies in scholarly editing, encompassing both printed and digital editions. Members also contribute to Old Norse lexicography, semantic analysis and concept history. Within a focus on reception studies members explore how Old Norse literature has been translated, interpreted and reused from the Middle Ages to the present.
The research group is closely connected to the Arnamagnæan Manuscript Collection and participates in national and international collaborations in Old Norse and medieval studies. Collective research activities include critical text editions, manuscript research and lexicographical projects.
Recent publications such as Breta saga (Museum Tusculanum Press, 2025) and Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar (2025) exemplify the group’s strong profile in editorial scholarship.
The group maintains active international networks with research environments in the Nordic countries, the UK and continental Europe, contributing to conferences, workshops and doctoral training.
The research group functions as an open scholarly forum for researchers, PhD students, and visiting scholars with an interest in Old Norse philology. The group holds regular seminars, reading groups, and workshops in which ongoing research is discussed across specializations and methodological traditions.
Emphasis is placed on the connection between research and teaching, as well as on the dissemination of Old Norse cultural heritage to both students and the general public. The group actively contributes to maintaining and further developing Old Norse philology as a central field of research at the University of Copenhagen.
Researchers
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellyton, Pernille Benedicte Weng | PhD Fellow | +4535324972 | |
| Jensson, Gottskálk | Associate Professor | +4535328473 | |
| Lassen, Annette | Professor | +4535328491 | |
| Myrvoll, Klaus Johan | Associate Professor | +4535326867 |
Researchers continued
- Aldís Sigurðardóttir
- Simonetta Battista
- Sheryl McDonald
- Johnny F. Lindholm
- Pétur Húni Björnsson
- Þorbjörg Helgadóttir
- Þórdís Edda Jóhannesdóttir.
Research group leader
Affiliated researchers
- Tarrin Jon Wills
- Alex Speed Kjeldsen
- Rikke Steenholt Olesen
- Pernille Hermann (associate professor, Aarhus University)