The Orkneying Saga is one of the oldest existing written documents to record the early history and settlement of the Orkney and Shetland Islands. The account is written within two hundred years of some of the events discussed, but it stretches far back into unwritten history. In fact the opening sequence of the saga concerns the mythological origins of the earliest ancestors in the region. These legendary figures give way successively to vague folk heroes and at last to historical figures which can be verified in other texts.
While this book has long since been discredited as an accurate reflection of history, it does prove a valuable resource concerning Norwegian and Swedish cultural history. The attitudes of the rulers depicted reflect a strong bent toward autonomy and vivacity. Leaders like Asleifsson draw the people toward war and conquest, constantly pursuing defense and attack on nearby regions and sea-bound peoples like the Vikings. On the other hand rulers like Earl Rognvald devote their lives to religious and service, often pursuing artistic and cultural enrichment for themselves and their people.
The account is rife with battles, deaths, and betrayals, but there are also several touching births, unions, and celebrations to balance out the people's lives. Although historical figures, the earls are often presented more as fictional characters. The author is prone to enhancing the story to add narrative value. Nevertheless these choices reflect political ideas of the time and offer further insight into the culture of these regions.
