Evidence of pagan Viking religion is scarce, and the sagas, written two hundred years after the Viking Age, likely contain exaggerations. Pagan Viking religion was polytheistic ; Vikings worshipped numerous gods and believed their fortunes depended on them. Animals and people, even chieftains, were sacrificed to keep the gods happy. Viking myths feature gods living in Ásgarðr (Asgard), birds and animals with human qualities, and giants, dwarves and trolls. These stories explained the world around them, like the seasons, stars, and the difference between people and animals.
Did you know? The Sigurd stones are a group of ancient runic inscriptions found in
SOURCE2 Line drawing detail of all of the images on the Ramsund Rock. The runes on the dragon’s body are a woman’s dedication to the memory of her husband.
Sweden. They include five or six runestones, two natural rocks, a baptismal font, and a picture stone. These stones depict scenes from the legendary Norse hero Sigurd’s saga, particularly his slaying of a dragon. The carvings are from the Viking Age and are some of the earliest representations of the Sigurd legends. 7.5.2
Early Viking gods Two of the main Viking gods were Óðinn (called Odin today) and Þórr (Thor) see SOURCE4 . Odin figures prominently in the sagas as a deity who rules from Valhöll, the Hall of the Slain, who would send his Valkyries (war-maidens) to choose great warriors who died on the battlefield and bring them to him. Thor was the god of thunder and farming and was represented by the hammer he wielded. However, beyond this, the sagas contradict each other. Some accounts place Odin as the ruling god, while others put Thor as the ruling god.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. What is depicted in the line drawing on the Ramsund Rock? 2. How does the line drawing detail contribute to our understanding of Viking myths and legends? 3. In what ways does the Ramsund Rock reflect the cultural and religious beliefs of the Vikings?
SOURCE3 Part of the Ramsund Rock, showing a scene from a Viking myth about a hero called Sigurd (Sigurðr in Old Norse) who slew a dragon
Scenes from Viking myths and legends appear as stone carvings. Many were in temples that have long since disappeared. Travellers from other lands sometimes made passing reference to Viking worship but gave few details.
TOPIC7 The Vikings 167
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator