Why is the discovery of a sixteenth-century monastery on a remote island surprising?

• A. Few European pilgrims would have been able to reach the site.
• B. An eremitical motive would have been unlikely at that period.
• C. The influence of Olav Trygvasson did not spread to Sweden.
• D. Monks would have been unlikely to learn of such an island.

Answer: (A)

The discovery of a sixteenth-century monastery on a remote island is surprising primarily because few European pilgrims would have been able to reach the site. This indicates that, under normal circumstances, the location would be quite isolated from the main routes of pilgrimage and trade that were prevalent during that time. The era of the sixteenth century was marked by extensive exploration and travel; however, reaching remote places would still have posed significant challenges due to geographic and navigational limitations of the time. Therefore, finding a monastery in such an isolated location suggests that there was a wider network or motivation at play which allowed for such a religious establishment to exist away from the more accessible areas where one might typically expect to find monasteries. The presence of a monastery in this context contradicts assumptions about accessibility and the spread of religious practices during the period, making it a remarkable find.