Ólafía Einarsdóttir

Ólafía Einarsdóttir (28 July 1924 – 19 December 2017) was an Icelandic archaeologist and historian, specialising in Icelandic chronology. She was the first Icelander to complete a degree in archaeology. After completing her PhD from Lund University in 1964, she taught at the University of Copenhagen and published many works about Icelandic sagas and Viking history.

Early life Ólafía was born in Hafnafjördur, a suburb of Reykjavík, on 28 July 1924. Her parents were Einar Þorkelsson, Secretary General of the Althing, and Ólafía Guðmundsdóttir. One of six children, her mother died in childbirth when Ólafía was five; soon after her father became blind. She was then adopted by some friends of her mother's and raised by them.

After graduation she returned to Iceland and worked at the National Museum of Iceland, excavating pagan remains at the town of Brennistaði (is) in Eiðaþinghá (is). She then moved to Sweden to study for a MA in medieval history at Lund University, which she graduated from in 1951.

In 1963 she began work as an assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen and held the position until her retirement. She was also a proponent for an earlier timing for the conversion to Christianity in Iceland. the cult of Guðmundr Arason, Archbishop Absalon, and many other subjects, including the role of women. Their son, Einar, was born in 1966. Ólafía died in Copenhagen on 19 December 2017.