Tag: viking
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Spears, Groves, and Hanged Men: A Discussion of Historical Sacrifices to Odin
Anonymous asked: “Greetings brother, what do you know about sacrifices for odin? Are there sources directing to That?” There are indeed many sources that speak of sacrifices to Odin. In fact, I would argue that his sacrifices are the most famous, at least among the Norse gods. I will tell you what I know, but…
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Thoughts on Old Norse Words Ergi/Argr
Anonymous asked: thank you so much for the help! Do you think one can identify as ergi/argr as a gender? I know you said it was used as an insult but to reclaim it and use it as your own. Anyway I would love to hear more about your thoughts and views on things, if…
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Vikings in Wales
AS WALES FOUGHT to defend themselves against Anglo-Saxon incursions from the East, a threat existing since the fall of the Roman Empire, the Vikings raided their coasts from the West. Although the Vikings infiltrated Wales between the ninth and eleventh centuries, they were never as great of a threat to Welsh sovereignty as the Anglo-Saxons were.…
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Old Norse Poetry for Confidence
Anonymous asked: Everyday presents a challenge for me. My biggest problem with these challenges is facing them with confidence. I have unreal anxiety levels, and I blew a chance to become greater at my job because i froze in front of the audience that would designate me competent enough to be an inspector. I know i…
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Vikings in Scotland: the Power of Orkney
In the previous lesson, we briefly explored the history of Scotland leading up to Viking involvement, which included a small introduction to the Picts and the Dál Riata, the Irishmen who settled parts of Scotland as early as 500 CE. Now we will enter into the realm of Viking involvement, with particular emphasis on the relatively…
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Vikings in Scotland: Picts and the Dál Riata
If you thought we had finally gotten away from crazy Irish people, you were sadly mistaken. Yet, although the Irish did nose their way into Scotland, there were indeed other people that were there before them, and they were called the Picts. Thus, we once again have the makings for a wonderfully chaotic concoction of identities…
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Old Norse Orthography
Anonymous asked: How far should we go to preserve old Norse Orthography? Most parallel translations use standardised letters but are we losing anything in not keeping all the quirks of the original? This is a beautiful question, so thank you for asking it. I find this to be a very interesting aspect of translation to discuss,…
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Vikings in Ireland: Fighting for Kingship with Brian Boru
BY THE TENTH CENTURY CE, the situation in Ireland had grown in complexity as ‘Viking’ identity hazed into further obscurity while the original settlers of Dublin began to integrate with the Irish. Furthermore, powerful Viking chieftains from abroad sought political dominance over a town that was gradually becoming a kingdom of its very own: Dublin. Yet,…
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Old Norse Prayers, Magic, and Spirits
ensom-heks-deactivated20170316 asked: Dear Fjorn, I don’t know if you have some information about witchcraft but do you have a prayer to the Gods for cleansing a room? if so I’m thrilled to hear about that. Sincerely, Ensome heks I see that you are a wanderer like me, perhaps, because you are a newcomer in a complex…
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Primary Sources for Odin’s Wandering Beyond Norse Mythology
du-ich-jeder-deactivated2017071 asked: Greetings friend,it is told That odin wanders among us. Do you have some source(s) That descripes those interactions? I know all the ones from the poetic and snorri edda, yet i am not satisfied. I love your blog and respect your knowledge a lot:) It has indeed been told that Óðinn wanders far in…
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Mermaids, Sirens, and Sea-Dwellers in Norse Mythology
manic-entity asked: Do you know of any kinds of mermaids or sirens or other sea dwellers in Norse myth? (If there’s two things I love, it’s mermaids and Norse myth) Off the top of my head, I cannot think of specific mermaids in Norse mythology. I can, however, recall that there is a Danish fairytale from…
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Vikings in Ireland: Dublin, Conflict, and Integration
Although it may seem rather strange, raiding does not suitably describe the history of a ‘Viking Age’ Ireland, but rather it has been their settlements and their then emerging new role within Irish society that has brought forth the most curiosity. In fact, it is perhaps their behavior in Ireland that beckons us to question…
