Tag: vikings
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Loki in the Archaeological Record
oreamnosoddities asked: Are there any symbols used specifically for Loki with historical proof? Archaeological records are not exactly my forte, but it does not seem that there are any symbols that were explicitly used for Loki (at least out of those that have turned up in the archaeological record, that is). By that I mean that there are…
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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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Freyja in Norse Mythology and Saga Literature
Anonymous asked: I’ve had a lot of instances lately where I’ve felt a pull towards Freyja, but I don’t know a lot about her. Could you share a little bit about her to help with my research?? Unfortunately, Freyja seems to be quite allusive in our sources, especially in the Prose Edda. Her brother Freyr gets…
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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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An Exploration of the Landvættir
Anonymous asked: “I hear the term “weights” often in heathen circles. I know little more than that they are land-spirits. I would like to learn more about them and how they were honored and their place in old nordic practices. I thought you might be willing to share some of what you know, or some…
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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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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…
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Vikings in Ireland: Arrival and Initial Impact
Rising out of the sea, a storm of serpents approached Ireland in 795 CE that would cast a complex shadow across the land of Éiru (Ireland) over the following centuries. The ‘Vikings’, in their storm of fury, allegedly came to pillage and destroyed the Golden Age of ecclesiastical learning in Ireland. The Vikings, however, did not…
