Wrestling is a sport universal to human beings the world over, and Iceland has a version of its own. Icelandic wrestling, called “glíma” here, has come a long way from its Viking origins. Back in the olden days, the coup de grace was to drop your opponent onto a metre-high obelisk called a “slaying stone” in the hopes of fracturing his spine. Today, glíma is a bit more civilised, and a lot more graceful. At times it can look like a dance, as it’s more about balance than it is about brute strength. Although being strong does help.

Check out these photos of the art of glíma in action. Happy Tuesday!