Ancestor Worship and the Elite in Late Iron Age Scandinavia by Laidoner Triin;

Author:Laidoner, Triin;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Routledge

Notes

1 A useful discussion of the background and purpose of this source can be found in Palmer (2004) and Mellor (2008).

2 The message of the gods declared the following: Si itaque nos vobis propitious habere vultis, sacrificial omissa augete et vota maiora persolvite. Alterius quoque dei culturam, qui contrarian obis docet, ne apud vos recipiatis et eius servicio ne intendatis. Porro, si etiam plures deos habere desiderates, et nos vobis non sufficimus, Ericum quondam regem vestrum nos unanimes in collegiums nostrum asciscimus, ut sit unus de numero deorum (If you desire to enjoy our goodwill, offer the sacrifices that have been omitted and pay greater vows. And do not receive the worship of any other god, who teaches that which is opposed to our teaching, nor pay any attention to his service. Furthermore, if you desire to have more gods and we do not suffice, we will agree to summon your former King Eric to join us so that he may be one of the gods) (VA ch. 26, ed. p. 56; tr. pp. 89–90).

3 Adam of Bremen refers to Vita Ansgarii in his description of the Swedes: Colunt et deos ex hominibus factos, quos pro ingentibus factis immortalitante donant, sicut in Vita sancti Anscarii leguntur Hericum regem fecisse (The people also worship heroes made gods, whom they endow with immortality because of their remarkable exploits, as one reads in the Vita of Saint Ansgar they did in the case of king Eric) (GH IV, ch. 26, ed. p. 175; tr. p. 207).

4 Sundqvist (2002: 155–156) draws attention to the fact that three out of the four Birka rulers mentioned by Rimbert have alliterative names and that a similar structure is seen on the Sparlösa runestone (c. 800).

5 Children’s characteristics and responses may be observed before naming to determine which of the ancestors has been reborn (Mancini Billson & Mancini 2007: 86), names can be changed if children fall ill (this being a sign that a wrong name had been chosen and that a specific ancestor wishes to be reborn) (Kildal, cited in Reuterskiöld 1910: 93–94; Bäckman & Hultkrantz 1978: 62, notes 55, 103), and children can be given names only after the mother dreams of a specific ancestor or if a religious leader carries out an act of prophecy that reveals which of the dead relatives wants to be reborn (Karjalainen 1918: 39, 45–46; DuBois 1999: 75).

6 Njáls saga states simply that one-fourth of a child’s personage is made of the qualities and characteristics of foster parents. The modern Icelandic proverb adds that one-quarter of a person is the father, and another quarter the mother, one-quarter of a man are those who bring you up, and one-quarter is the name (Jónas Jónasson 1961: 264; Sölvi Sveinsson 1995).

7 The last recorded instance of the journey is from the 15th century: Privilegia vero ecelesiarum cathedralium & statua provincialia generose confirmavit & sigillavit in equitatu, qui dicitur Eriksgata. […] Rex Christoferus Sveciæ & Daciæ equitatum fecit, qui dicitur Eriksgata, fecundum lum leges

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.