Tools & tillage: a journal on the history of the implements of cultivation and other agricultural processes (6.1988/1991)

REVIEW

ALEXANDER FENTON: The Northern Isles:
Orkney and Shetland.
721 pp, 287 ill. John Donald. Edinburgh 1978.
One of the difficulties in writing a review of Alex-
ander Fenton’s monumental work, “The Northern
Isles”, is that its qualities make it hard to find a
usable yardstick for comparison.
Alone by its phsysical volume - more than
seven hundred pages - the book is a remarkable
achievement. The material culture of Orkney and
Shetland is presented in 70 chapters, covering
most relevant aspects in great detail from prehis-
tory almost to the present day.
For such a comprehensive work - indispensable
as a reference book for future research in its topic
- accessibility is most important. This is greatly
facilitated by the logical arrangement of the con-
tents, (as well as by comprehensive registers). Pro-
ceeding from a broad delineation of physical and
historical background, general patterns of land
use, settlements, homesteads and their attached ac-
tivities are presented before production related to
land and sea is dealt with.
Descriptions of the various topics are every-
where laudably clear and detailed, with attached
documentation such as photographs and draw-
ings, where these apply, and always with identifi-
cation of source. Alexander Fenton’s experience as
a linguist is revealed by his extensive use of notes,
that are both explanation and helpful in tracking
cultural heritage. Comparisons with features seen
elsewhere are often made, demonstrating Fenton’s
familiarity with both Faeroese and Norwegian
culture, not to mention his native Scottish. Fre-
quent recording also of the regional variations
within the Northern Isles make the notes the more
valuable.
From the wealth of material presented in “The
Northern Isles” it is difficult to single out the most

impressive. In fact, the equality of treatment is one
of the qualities of the book. Nevertheless, some
chapters may deserve special mention. Those on
the historical systems and their functioning are ad-
mirably well written - such as “Scattald and
Hagi”, “The End of Runrig” etc. But this can also
be said on chapters dealing with housebuilding,
spades used in agriculture... Interesting is certainly
also one of the bigger questions raised in the book,
namely that on the determinants for cultural de-
velopment. Why was Orkney taking another
course than Shetland? Although ecological differ-
ences play a role, Fenton points to the vicinity of
Scotland and the early introduction of Scottish
ownership and rule as an important part of the
explanation.
The catalogue-like mode of presentation is a
well chosen one, but it has, of course, also its
drawbacks. The understanding of such topics as
for instance the functional relationship between
livestock, production of manure, and maintenance
of fertility in tilled and grazed areas suffer from
being “cut-up”. Does this stem from a local lack of
interest in the notion “carrying capacity”, which is
so deeply imbedded in Faeroese thinking? Appar-
ently a parallel to the Faeroese “skipan” (number
of sheep allowable for a specific pasture) is not
found in Orkney-Shetland. This is to raise curi-
ousity, since omissions and errors are at a mini-
mum in Fenton’s book. (Happily one small error
was discovered by accident: the indication of
North in fig. 1 seems to deviate from the North).
Alexander Fenton’s book is a magnificent aid to
all those studying the material culture of the
North Atlantic marginal areas - as well as for ev-
erybody interested in Orkney-Shetland. It makes
pleasant and scholarly reading at the same time.
Sofus Christiansen