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Þorbjǫrn svarti ‘the Black’ (Þsvart) was one of the skalds residing with Jarl Rǫgnvaldr Kali Kolsson (Rv) in Orkney, and he accompanied Rǫgnvaldr on the crusade to the Holy Land (1151-3; see ÍF 34, 204). Þorbjǫrn died of an illness in Acre (1152) and was likely buried there (ÍF 34, 230-1; Oddi Lv 4-5). Nothing else is known about Þorbjǫrn, and his ethnicity is also unknown—Finnur Jónsson tentatively calls him Orcadian (LH 1894-1901, II, 44-5; Skj), while Finnbogi Guðmundsson (ÍF 34, 204 n. 3) thinks he may have been an Icelander. Only one lv. by Þorbjǫrn survives (Þsvart Lv).