Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe
Fragments of ancient belief mingle with folklore and Christian dogma until the original tenets are lost in the myths and psychologies of the intervening years. Hilda Ellis Davidson illustrates how pagan beliefs have been represented and misinterpreted by the Christian tradition, and throws light on the nature of pre-Christian beliefs and how they have been preserved. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe stresses both the possibilities and the difficulties of investigating the lost religious...
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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.
List of FiguresIntroduction11Help from Archaeology11Sacred space12The burial at Vix14The ship-burial at Sutton Hoo17The ball at Yeavering22The Strettweg Wagon24The Gundestrup Cauldron25The memorial stones of Gotland31The contribution of archaeology352Glimpses of the Gods37Early amulets37Stones from the Roman provinces45Myths and monuments50Naming after the gods54Divine names and titles593The Gods in the Myths64Sources of the myths64The divine world67Myths of the divine community71Myths of Odin76Myths of Thor79Myths of Loki84Other deities in the myths854The Cults of the Northern Gods87Communal worship88Cults of the battle-gods95The cult of Odin98The cult of Thor101The cult of Freyr1035Goddesses and Guardian Spirits107The cult of the Great Goddess108The local goddesses113Guardian spirits117The cult of the dead1226Contacts with the Otherworld127The early centuries128Funeral symbolism134Communication with the Otherworld136Holy places138Fitting the pieces together1427The Interpreters144The medieval Christian viewpoint144The first collectors145The solar myths146Ritual and myth149The structure of myth152The approach of Dumezil153Outside influences155Conclusion160Bibliography163Index172
