We report natural remanent magnetization (NRM) directions and geomagnetic paleointensity proxies for part of the Matuyama Chron (0.9-2.2 Ma interval) from two sites located on sediment drifts in the Iceland Basin. At Ocean Drilling Program Sites 983 and 984, mean sedimentation rates in the late Matuyama Chron are 15.9 and 11.5 cm kyr À1 , respectively. For the older part of the record (>1.2 Ma), oxygen isotope data are too sparse to provide the sole basis for age model construction. The resemblance of the volume susceptibility record and a reference d 18 O record led us to match the two records to derive the age models. This match, based on Site 983/984 susceptibility, is consistent with available Site 983/984 benthic d 18 O data. Paleointensity proxies were derived from the slope of the NRM versus anhysteretic remanent magnetization plot for alternating field demagnetization in the 30-60 mT peak field range. Paleointensity lows correspond to polarity reversals at the limits of the Jaramillo, Olduvai, Cobb Mountain, and Réunion Subchrons and to seven excursions in NRM component directions. Magnetic excursions (defined here by virtual geomagnetic polar latitudes crossing the virtual geomagnetic equator) are