Searching for Origins: Indo-European Words and Nordic Representations

Indo-European words which indicate 'origins' evoke stasis of kinesis, call attention to the starting point or to the movement they engender, focus on the beginning or on the outcome. The double interpretation of the concept of origin can be retraced in the Nordic myth of the creation of cosmos, which narrates how the primeval void called ginnungagap was filled. Old Norse cosmogony defines a model of origins which has constantly been associated with representations of Iceland. The unceasing outburst of primary elements has left deep marks and scars on Icelandic landscapes, and has prevented human beings from prevailing over, and moulding, nature's primary manifestations. The interest for Iceland has thriven on the observation of caves, abysses and volcanoes, thus fostering speculations on what can be defined as primeval. The connection between the Icelandic landscape and the search for origins is further examined in relation to Voyage au centre de la Terre (1864) by Jules Verne and to contemporary artistic representations.