Now a national park, Thingvellir, the site of the Althing, is run by the priest who leads the church on the riverbank. (RACHEL BUCHMAN)

Iceland's smallness explains Terry Lacy's statement in her Ring of Seasons, "I soon came to realize that genealogy and language are the two factors, more than any others, that have defined Icelandic ethnicity and nationhood from the earliest years of settlement." With such a small, unchanged population, everyone shares common ancestors, and everyone knows at least some members of other people's families. The unique horse is also appreciated because of its pure genes. The Icelanders' high degree of literacy has allowed them to document genealogical records, which, in fact, is what the sagas are. Icelanders draw so much from the same pool that they have, in recent years, become the subject of considerable genetic testing.
       
This homogeneity allows them to maintain an almost classless society. The country has the feel of a big small town or an extended family reunion. According to Lacy, in such a small country, people must display good humor, but if something bothers them, they cannot let it fester for fear of a blowup. Instead, like close families, they must vent their feelings so they can shake hands and move on.