Temples And Images Of Ancient Scandinavians

In common with other peoples, the ancient Scandinavians erected special buildings in which to worship their gods, and in which their images were placed. These temples (called hof, goda-hof, goda-hus, and blot-hus) must not be thought of as in any way comparable to those erected by the more cultured Aryan races, such as the Greeks and Romans. It is true that Adam of Bremen describes that at Upsala in Sweden, which he calls nobilissimum templum, as being 'all of gold,' while a note to the passage says that it was surrounded by 'a Golden Chain hanging on the pinnacles of the building, and seen glittering afar by those who approach the place'; but it is very doubtful how far this description is trustworthy. In any case the Upsala temple would naturally be much superior to those in less central localities; from other indications it appears to have been specially well endowed with landed and other property. Unfortunately there is no evidence from which any general idea of the heathen temples in Sweden and Denmark can be obtained. In Norway they were, like the ordinary houses, constructed of timber, and in many cases were probably of small size and insignificant appearance. Mention has already been made of the temple of Thor in the island of Mostr, which Thorolf took down and carried off to Iceland when he went to settle there. The same thing is told of Thorhadd, who was priest of Maerin in Thrandheim; he also took down the temple, and carried with him the temple-mould and the chief pillars. Some of the building, no doubt, may have been more imposing, and even to some extent furnished with costly ornaments. When Olaf Tryggvason gave orders to burn down Earl Hakon's temple at Hladir, 'he made them take all the treasure and ornaments out of the temple and off the images of the gods.' A large gold ring was also removed from the temple door, but it afterwards proved to be only brass internally. It may also be noted that various accounts of temples speak of them as being lighted by glass windows 'so that there was no shadow anywhere in them.' Beside the great temple at Upsala there was a sacred grove, and the evidence of place-names shows that similar groves existed elsewhere in Sweden and Denmark: as regards Norway and Iceland there is no positive Information on this head.

The temple being a holy place, there were naturally certain restrictions attached to it, of which a prominent one was that no weapons were to be taken inside it. This is clearly Illustrated by an incident in Vatnsd?la Saga, where Ingimund enters the temple first, and Hrafn the Norwegian follows him, wearing his sword. Then Ingimund turned to him, and said, 'It is not the custom to carry weapons in the temple, and you will come under the wrath of the gods unless you make amends for it.' Then Olaf Tryggvason entered the temple of Maerin in Thrandheim, he carried a gold-mounted staff, but his own men and those belonging to the district were weaponless.

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The Walking Dead Draugr And Aptrgangr In Old Norse Literature

Book: The Walking Dead Draugr And Aptrgangr In Old Norse Literature by Anonymous

For the Vikings, the concept of the afterlife was often much more immediate than glorious skaldic tales of Valholl or the Christian's Heaven: once the dead body was placed within the grave, it was believed to become "animated with a strange life and power" (Hilda Ellis-Davidson. The Road to Hel. Westport CT, Greenwood P., 1943. p. 96). The dead person continued a sort of pseudo-life within the grave, not as a spirit or ghost, but as an actual undead corpse similar in many respects to the "nosferatu" or central European vampire (Ellis-Davidspn, Road to Hel, p. 92).

Much like the ancient Greeks, the Vikings had neither a positive or negative view of the afterlife. They believed for the most part, the dead, if they had lived an unexceptional life, would travel to a place called "Hel" (which is where the modern word "hell" comes from) which lies far to the north and under ground. It was a thought of as being a cold and damp place where the spirits of the dead continued in a dreamlike form of existence. It was not particularly happy, but it was not torturous and was viewed as a long sleep. There were other ideas of an afterlife that were believed as well. There was another realm beneath Hel, where people who had lived bad lives were gnawed upon by a serpent called "Nidhoggr". They slept in a hall that was made of snakes and dripped poison. This place, called "Nastrond", was located on the shore of an ice cold subterranean sea. Those who lived exceptional lives in a positive way could expect to travel to "Asgard", the home of the Gods. They would spend the afterlife in happiness. The exact dwelling that was given to these people depended upon their lives. For example: hero's who died in battle would go to "Vahalla" the "Hall of the slain", and live with Odin the king of the Gods. Here they spent all day fighting each other, only to rise from the battlefield in the evening healed of their wounds and then spent the rest of the night feasting. The main theme of the afterlife seems to have been repetition. It was not however, believed to be eternal. They believed that the world of both the living and dead, gods and monsters would one day be destroyed and the universe would begin anew.

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Odinism What Is It The Odinic Rite

Book: Odinism What Is It The Odinic Rite by Troth Aor

Odinism is the indigenous religious faith of the Scandinavian, British and other peoples of Northern Europe; it is an amalgam of attitudes, ideas and behavior, both a personal faith and a communal way of life. In its beginnings Odinism is probably as old as our race. Historically it may be divided into three periods: Before the coming of Christianity Its gradual merging with Christianity and the ensuing Period of Dual Faith, and Its efforts in the present century to free itself of Christian influences and to reassert its ancient independence.

How have the tenets of Odinism been preserved? Is there an Odinist holy book? The ancient oral traditions of Odinism were during the Middle Ages embodied in writings, the Odinist books of wisdom, the principle of which are the Eddas. The poetic Elder Edda presents the Odinist cosmogony, the mythological lays and the heroic lays, including the story of Sigurd and Brynhild which were in later times molded into the Lay of the Nibelungs. The Younger Edda is a prose synopsis of the Odinist faith.

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Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn

Book: Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn by Stephen Flowers

Since 1972, Edred Thorsson has been dedicated to the esoteric and esoteric study of the Indo-European, Celtic and Teutonic traditions. He studied Old Irish, Middle Welsh and Indo-European religion and culture at major universities in Germany and in the United States.

The Fraternitas Saturni is a Thelemite order which has shaped the modern occult scene in Germany since its foundation in 1928. This volume presents the history and doctrines of that order. Appendices include the texts of many actual rites performed by the FS as well as historical documents relating to Aleister Crowley's relations with the FS. This order is especially well-known for its use of sexual magic. This book was originally published in the early 1990s by Llewellyn under the title Fire and Ice. xii

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Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn

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Alfta Dictionary Of Northern Lore

Book: Alfta Dictionary Of Northern Lore by Alfta Odinnsen

Northern Lore was basically an oral tradition and never written down during pagan times. It was only later written down by Christian scholars in an attempt to preserve something of their native culture. But by then, much of the oral lore was lost. Even today, we recognize that what we work with is only a small portion of the myths and lore that was once studied by the pagan scholars of Northern Europe. Thus, people who still used Runes during Christian times, had forgotten the other eight, missing Runes.

National Socialism did incorporated some elements Germanic paganism into its ideology, and used Runes extensively in its symbolic displays. But National Socialism used the Armanen Runes, which was a 20the century construct by German occultists based on the 18 standards of the Havamal (The Sayings of Har). The Havamel, along with the rest of Norse Lore, was written down from the oral tradition, by Christian scholars centuries after Northern Europe had converted to Christianity, and thus, most of the Northern Lore has been lost. This is why there are only 18 Runic spells recited in the Havamal, instead of twenty-four of the Elder Futhark. In the twentieth century, German occultists attempt to create a modern-day Runic system based on these eighteen verses, and thus created a corrupt spiritual system

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The Religion Of The Teutons

Book: The Religion Of The Teutons by Chantepie De La Saussaye

THE present volume may be allowed to plead its own cause its plan and scope are explained in the Introduction. It is for critics to decide how far the author has succeeded in his task, and wherein he has failed. It is the hope of the author that his book may at all events prove useful in conveying some definite information on controverted points, the more so as the excellent work of F. B. Gummere on Germanic Origins, which is the only English work of a general character, covers for the greater part a different field.

I wish to express my gratitude to several scholars who have had considerable share in the production of this book. Without the repeated and earnest solicitation and the encouragement received from Professor Morris Jastrow, Jr., of the University of Pennsylvania, this book would not have been written. Its appearance in English is due to Professor B. J. Vos of the Johns Hopkins University, who, in view of his own deep interest in the subject, was especially qualified to undertake the translation. The first eleven chapters also published in Dutch have been carefully revised by Professor B. Symons of the University of Groningen, who has read the proof sheets with the keen eye of the specialist, and whose numerous suggestions have frequently proved of value in controlling and correcting my own views.

In the chapters devoted to mythology my obligations are less direct. I have, however, gratefully made use of the material collected in the latest and best works, and more especially of the excellent sketch of Mogk in Paul's Grundriss der germanischen Philologie. The general reader may, however, be assured that I have never accepted data without verification, and the scholar will observe that my conclusions frequently differ from those embodied in recent publications. It is my hope, also, that the historical method adopted in the work, and the endeavor to maintain a sharp distinction between what we actually know and what we do not know, may be esteemed advantages which will in a measure redeem other possible imperfections. (P. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye)

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The Secret Of The Gothick God Of Darkness

Book: The Secret Of The Gothick God Of Darkness by Stephen Flowers

There is a Secret God, a Hidden God, who dwells in a spiralling tower fortress and who has guided and overseen our development from time immemorial--and who has remained concealed but very close to us awaiting the "future" time of reawakening. The time of the re-awakening is near. Already we have heard the distant claps of thunder which signal the coming storm.

The legacy of the Dark Gothick God is one which can guide those chosen by him to a state of development wherein they have attained a permanent (immortal) consciousness which is free to act or not act in the material universe as it desires. This consciousness becomes privy to all manner of secrets of life and death and life in death. The price for this attainment is contained in the cost of attaining it-- for one who has been so chosen there can be no rest, no respite from the Quest which is, and remains, the Eternal Work.

Because the way in which knowledge of this Dark Gothick God is passed from generation to generation contradicts the favored methods of the so-called "major religions" of the world--the religions of the "book"--Judaism, Christianity and Islam--this knowledge and its methods have been forbidden and made increasingly tabu for all of the centuries since the cunning ideological conversion of Europe by Christianity.

Books can be burned, religious leaders can be killed--but the blood endures. (from Stephen E. Flowers)

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