flóki

Flóki Vilgerðarson, commonly known as Hrafna-Flóki (Raven Flóki), is a figure in Norse sagas associated with the early exploration and settlement of Iceland. He is mentioned in medieval Icelandic sources such as the Landnámabók and is often placed in the late 9th century, during the initial period of Icelandic colonization. The name Hrafna-Flóki refers to a raven-based method attributed to him in the legends.

According to traditional accounts, Flóki sailed from Norway with a group of followers to Iceland. He is said to have used ravens to help locate land during the voyage, an element that earned him the epithet Raven Flóki. After spending a winter on the island, he and his party faced severe hardship and food shortages. Some versions say he eventually left Iceland to return to Norway, while others suggest he stayed briefly before departing with news of the land.

A key aspect of the legend is that Flóki named the island Ísland (Ice Land) upon his observations of ice in the fjords, a detail that has influenced later naming of Iceland. The reliability of these episodes is debated, and the accounts are part of a broader literary tradition rather than undisputed historical record.

Legacy: Flóki is one of the figures associated with Iceland’s initial Norse exploration and the accompanying oral tradition that shaped the recognition of Iceland as a land for settlement. The primary written sources were composed centuries after the events they describe, so historians treat the details as legendary rather than unequivocally historical.