Rituals, Performatives, and Political Order in Northern Europe, c. 650–1350 (original) (raw)
Related papers
Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore, 2013
The aim of this article is to discuss traces of ritualised actions in archaeological material. The basis for the discussion is the archaeological site Lindängelund, near Malmö, in southern Sweden, where recent excavations have revealed a large settlement complex dating from Neolithic, Iron Age and Early Medieval Times. I focus here on the period 150 BC-AD 300, in which traces of ritualised actions stand out in the archaeological record, represented by wooden poles/artefacts, assemblages of animal bones, sherds of pottery vessels, etc. It is suggested that a small wetland area with wells/waterholes containing ritual waste, lying next to the Iron Age village, was used as a ceremonial place for ritual feasting. Later on in the same period, as traces of ritualisation decline in the archaeological record at the central place, similar deposits of ritual waste have been found in private wells on big farm sites. This shift in the ritualisation strategies is suggested to reflect a strengthening social competition between the leading families in the village.
Ritual Structures in South Scandinavian Prehistory
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2008
An increasing number of buildings are coming to light on prehistoric sites in Scandinavia that seem to be related to ritual, cult, or religious activities. This paper documents examples of such buildings from the Mesolithic to the Viking Period. The Late Meolithic cemetery at Skateholm provides evidence for structures associated with materials only otherwise found in grave contexts. Certain aspects of Early Neolithic long barrows and palisaded enclosures may infer ritual practices not directly of a funerary nature. The later Neolithic was marked in the cultural groupings of various regions by the construction of palisaded enclosures, wooden structures associated with graves, or pile dwellings, each often associated with a rich finds assemblage and frequent evidence for burning. These structures and their contents show obvious distinctions from the contemporary domestic settlement and burial sites with which they were associated. Bronze Age examples include rectangular stone walled and D- and C-shaped wooden structures placed beside burial areas and facing cairns. The latter forms continue into the Iron Age, for which few other clear examples of ritual structures are apparent, in spite of historical references. Those that have been identified seem to be associated with important central places. The site of Uppåkra, in southernmost Sweden, has produced an unusual small building set beside a hall around and within which were deposited hundreds of weapons and gold and glass objects. This relationship bears a striking resemblance to the description of the hall of Wodan at Valhalla in Norse mythology.
Mette B. Bruun, University if Copenhage n Eyolf 0strem, University ef Copenha gen Previou sly published volumes in this series are listed at the back of the book Volume ? RITUALS, PERFORMATIVES, AND POLITICAL ORDER IN NORTHERN EUROPE, c. BREPOLS British Library Catalog uing in Publicat ion Data A catalogu e record for this book is availab le from the British Lib rary. © 2015, Brepo ls Publish ers n.v., Tur nhout, Belgiu m All rights reserve d. No part of this publica tion may be reprodu ced, stored in a retrieva l system , or trans mitted, in any form or by any means, electro nic, mechani cal, photoc opying, recordi ng, or other wise, without the prior perm ission of the publishe r. D/20 15/00 95/21 6 ISBN: 978-2-50 3-554 72-3 e-IS BN: 978-2-5 03-555 09-6 Printed in the EU on acid-fre e paper
2017
This article discusses the centralisation of religious ritual practices in Scandinavia in the second half of the first millennium. This is explored through detailed investigation of the courtyard sites at Skei and Heggstad, Inner Trøndelag, Norway, set in relation to Mære, a nearby pre-Christian cult site, as well as early 11th century county churches established by the king. This study establishes that the number of houses in the courtyard sites correspond with the number of local administrative district within the shires (fylkir) of Verdal and Sparbyggja. This raises the question whether these sites were ‘shire level’ cult sites, subordinate to Mære, which served all four fylkir of Inner Trøndelag. Both Skei and Heggstad are surrounded by several large burial mounds, and exhibit traces of feasting. It is concluded that the courtyard sites were places where local politics were acted out, together with cultic and religious matters, as politics, religion and law were closely interwoven, and ancestor worship was also important. The last Earl of Lade was exiled from Trøndelag and Norway in ca. 1015 and the town of Nidaros was becoming increasingly important. During this period the king may have taken control of Mære, and other centres associated with the earldom and elites of Trøndelag. The two courtyard sites of Skei and Heggstad fell into disuse in this turbulent period. It is proposed that the pre-Christian cultic and legal system driven by the regional elite was transformed into a royal, Christian, system supporting larger polities and emerging kingship.
World Archaeology, 2018
The question of the co-location of different kinds of assembly, such as Old Norse things, churches, games and markets, is a familiar debate in archaeology and history. A close connection between thing and church sites is recognised in Scandinavia suggesting that law and religion were closely connected. While the location of different assemblies seems to have been determined by logistical practicalities and the choice of certain kinds of topographic feature, power relations may also have played a crucial part in dictating their setting. After the eleventh/twelfth centuries in Norway, royal regulation of things and markets increased. The locations of many types of gathering remained consistent, however, but the thing system in particular seems to have offered a mechanism for consolidating royal power.