Advisory Board
Scholarly Rigour and Cultural Integrity
A panel of specialists ensuring academic depth and cultural responsibility.
Behind Old Icelandic Books is a dedicated advisory board composed of six specialists in Icelandic studies, including literary scholarship, manuscript studies, and folklore. The board operates as an independent academic body, providing expert guidance on the development of Old Icelandic Books, the presentation of its content, and how it is communicated to the public.
The board’s primary role is to assess how Old Icelandic Books can best serve the community. This includes advising on the historically grounded interpretation and presentation of rare books and manuscripts. Special emphasis is placed on ensuring that content published by Old Icelandic Books, including on social media, is presented in a way that sparks interest in Icelandic literature, the Icelandic language, and history.
Through this work, Old Icelandic Books is not merely a private collection but a cultural project. The board’s involvement ensures that rare texts are placed in context and communicated in a way that fosters interest while preserving their value for the present day.
Roberto Luigi Pagani
Scandinavian Studies · Manuscript Studies
Roberto Luigi completed a BA in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Milan in 2013 and an MA in Icelandic Medieval Studies from the University of Iceland in 2015, with additional studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Roberto has taught at the University of Iceland for several years, covering subjects including manuscript studies, Old Icelandic, and Icelandic grammar. Alongside his academic work, he has been active in promoting Icelandic cultural heritage internationally, particularly through “Un Italiano in Islanda,” the largest Italian-language resource on Iceland.
He has given lectures and made regular appearances in Italian media, served on the board of the Italian-Icelandic Chamber of Commerce, and published both academic and journalistic articles. Roberto has also published Italian translations of medieval Icelandic texts, including Kjalnesinga saga (2023), which was widely acclaimed. His other published works include the travel guide “Iceland” for National Geographic and an extensive 2024 translation of Icelandic folktales from the collection of Jon Arnason, with detailed annotations and appendices. Roberto is also a devoted enthusiast of antiquarian books and manuscripts.
Kári Pálsson
Folklore · Norse Religion · Antiquarian Studies
Kári Pálsson is a folklorist, antiquarian, and musician. He specialises in Old Icelandic literature, pre-Christian Norse religion, and Icelandic folk belief traditions. Kári completed an MA in Norse Religious Studies at the University of Iceland in 2023.
His first publication, The Galdrabók: Forbidden Icelandic Folk Magic (2024), published by Hyldyr, attracted immediate attention and has already established itself as an influential work in its field. The book includes the first-ever publication of the manuscript known as Jarðskinna, and the edition has already had a significant impact on research and public interest in the subject.
In 2025, Kári co-authored Galdrastafir: Historical Icelandic Magic Symbols with Giorgia Sottotetti.
Teresa Dröfn Freysdóttir Njarðvík
Icelandic Literature · Medieval Studies · Rímur
Teresa Dröfn Freysdóttir Njarðvík holds a BA in Literary Studies and Folklore, an MA in Medieval Studies, and a PhD in Icelandic Literature from the University of Iceland.
She currently works as a researcher at the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, where she is engaged in the project Byltingin að ofan: Alþýðuvæðing rímna 1550-1725 (Revolution from Above: The Popularisation of Rímur 1550-1725).
She has published textual editions of previously unpublished sagas and rímur, including the book Hetjur fyrri alda (2023). Teresa has also written books on Icelandic runes, including Íslenskar rúnir (2018), and has published collections of poetry.
Þorsteinn Björnsson
Icelandic Literature · Rímur · Teaching
Þorsteinn Björnsson holds a BA in Icelandic and an MA in Icelandic Literature. He has also completed a postgraduate diploma in secondary school teaching and obtained his teaching certification in 2024.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in Icelandic Literature at the University of Iceland. His doctoral research focuses on the earliest period of rímur, seeking to analyse emotions in the love verses (mansöngvar) of rímur and the representations of women within them. The project received a grant from the University of Iceland’s doctoral fund.
Þorsteinn is from Borgarfjörður and grew up at Hvanneyri, but has had one foot in Reykjavik since 2012.
Giulia Zorzan
Manuscript Studies · Codicology · Medieval History
Giulia Zorzan holds a BA in Swedish and English Languages and Literature and an MA in Germanic Philology from the University of Milan, as well as an MA in Medieval Icelandic Studies from the University of Iceland, where she is currently a PhD candidate in History.
Her doctoral project examines the use of colours in the oldest Icelandic manuscripts and fragments from a codicological perspective. The project is funded by the University of Iceland Doctoral Research Fund and the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís).
Piergiorgio Consagra
Medieval Icelandic Literature · Manuscripts · Teaching
Piergiorgio Consagra, also known as Pétur, holds a BA in Icelandic as a Second Language, an MA in Icelandic Medieval Studies, and a Teaching Diploma in Higher Education from the University of Iceland. He also holds a BA in Norwegian and German Languages and Literatures from the University of Milan.
He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Iceland, where he has worked as an adjunct lecturer in Icelandic as a Second Language. His doctoral project investigates medieval Icelandic texts known as þættir, focusing on their transmission in medieval Icelandic manuscripts, the literary sources underlying them, and the cultural milieu in which they were composed. The project has received funding from the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís).
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