Samsafn

Samsafn is an Icelandic term meaning a collection or compilation of items that have been gathered from different sources. In literary usage it is often equivalent to an anthology, a book that brings together works by one or more authors, usually organized around a theme, genre, or period. Beyond literature, the word also applies in museums, libraries, and digital archives to describe curated sets of objects, documents, or records that are assembled for study, display, or preservation rather than presented as a single original work.

Etymology and usage: The noun is formed from sam- meaning together and safn meaning collection or hoard, yielding a sense of items gathered into a single unit. The term is widely used in modern Icelandic to denote curated aggregates, whether printed, digital, or physical.

Context and purpose: A samsafn may be created to provide a comprehensive view of a topic, to preserve a body of material related to a person or event, or to showcase a selection of works within a discipline. Editors and curators typically select items, introduce or annotate them, and address rights and metadata as part of the compilation.

See also: safn (collection) and related terms for archives and libraries. In English-language contexts, samsafn is often translated as anthology or collection, depending on the nature of the assembled works.