The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe"Fragments of ancient belief have been incorporated into folklore and Christian dogma with the result that its original tenets have merged with the myths and psychologies of the intervening years. Hilda Ellis Davidson sifts through centuries of cultural and religious influences to locate evidence of these "lost" pagan beliefs. Davidson illustrates how northern pagan religions have been represented and misinterpreted by the Christian tradition and throws light on the nature of such beliefs and how they have been preserved. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe stresses both the possibilities and the difficulties of investigating pre-Christian faiths and emphasizes the need to separate speculation from scientific proof. This book will be a useful tool for students with a serious interest in archaeology as it illustrates with examples how objectivity is not necessarily the driving force in forming our supposedly scientific view of the past. It will also appeal to the general reader who wants to understand the true nature of Northern European pagan belief as opposed to the oversimplified view popularized by the media. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe argues for intellectual rigorousness rather than romanticization of the past, and challenges the reader to rethink accepted interpretations"--Publisher description. |
Contents
List of Figures | 1 |
HELP FROM ARCHAEOLOGY | 11 |
The shipburial at Sutton | 17 |
The Strettweg Wagon | 24 |
The memorial stones of Gotland | 31 |
GLIMPSES OF THE GODS | 37 |
Naming after the gods | 54 |
3 | 64 |
Other editions - View all
The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe Dr Hilda Ellis Davidson,Hilda Ellis Davidson Limited preview - 2002 |
Common terms and phrases
Æsir Anglo-Saxon animals appears Asgard associated battle beliefs boar bracteates burial carved cauldron Celtic and Germanic Celts centre century ceremonies Christian church cremation cult Davidson dead death deities Denmark Dísir divine world earlier Edda Europe example Eyrbyggja Saga feast female figures Flateyjarbók Freyja Freyr funeral Gaul giant goddess gods Gotland graves Grímnismál Gundestrup Cauldron Gylfaginning hall Hávamál hero horns horse Hrungnir Iceland important indicate influence Irish kennings king land-spirits Landnámabók legends linked literature Loki motifs mound mythology myths names Njord Norse northern Norway Odin Odin's Otherworld pagan picture place-names plates poem poetry poets possible pre-Christian period references religious represented rich ritual Roman ruler sacred sacrifice Saxo Saxo Grammaticus Scandinavian seems serpent ship shrine skaldic Skírnismál Snorri spirits stones suggested supernatural surviving Sutton Hoo Sweden symbol tale temple Thor Thor's tradition underworld Vanir various Viking Age wagon warrior women worshipped written sources Ynglinga Saga
Popular passages
Page 169 - The Cult of Brigid: A Study of Pagan-Christian Syncretism in Ireland, in Mother Worship, JJ Preston ed., pp.75-94.