Odin from Lejre

Odin from Lejre
Odin from Lejre (approx 900 AD) - Lejre excavations, September 2009

Odin from Lejre is a small cast silver figurine from approximately 900 C.E., showing a person sitting on a throne. The figurine has inlay of black niello (black coloured alloy) and some gilding.[1][2] The height is 18 mm and the weight is 9 grams.[3] The figurine was found by local amateur archaeologist Tommy Olesen on September 2, 2009, during Roskilde Museum's excavations at the small village of Gammel Lejre (Old Lejre), near the modern town of Lejre.[1] in Denmark. The figurine was unveiled at the Roskilde Museum on November 13, 2009, and is now part of the permanent exhibition.

The person on the throne wears a floor-length dress, an apron, four bead necklaces, a neck ring, a cloak and a rim-less hat. Two birds are seated on the armrests and the back of the throne shows the heads of two animals.

It has been a matter of dispute whom the person on the throne is intended to depict. The excavator interpreted it as Odin, the chief god in Norse paganism and the ruler of Asgard, sitting on his throne Hlidskjalf, from which he sees into all the worlds. The birds would be the ravens Hugin and Munin, who gathered information for Odin. The beast-heads might symbolise Odin's two wolves, Geri and Freki. Historically, Lejre was reported to be the site of sacrifices to Odin held every ninth year during the Viking Age.[4]

Scholars specialising in Viking Period dress and gender representations, however, have pointed out that the person is dressed entirely in female attire, making it more probably a goddess such as Freya or Frigga[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Louise Lauritsen, "Et unikt fund af Odin fra Lejre", Roskilde Avis, November 13, 2009 (Danish)
  2. ^ "Odin fra Lejre" on Roskilde Museum website (Danish).
  3. ^ further information page on Roskilde Museum website (Danish).
  4. ^ Otte, Elise C. (1894). Scandinavian History. MacMillan & Co. pp. 37–38. http://books.google.com/books?id=Wn4-AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false. ; Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis (1988). Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions. Manchester University Press. pp. 58–60. ISBN 7190-2207-X. http://books.google.com/books?id=RerIAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  5. ^ Óluva Ellingsgaard, "Var Odin en kvinde?", Videnskab.dk, January 27, 2010 (Danish)

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Odin — This article is about the chief god in North Germanic tradition. For other uses, see Odin (disambiguation). For a comparative discussion of North and West Germanic, see Wodanaz. Odin Odin, the Wande …   Wikipedia

  • Huginn and Muninn — For other uses, see Hugin and Munin (disambiguation). Huginn and Muninn sit on Odin s shoulders in an illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript In Norse mythology, Huginn (from Old Norse thought [1]) and Mun …   Wikipedia

  • Blót — The blót (Old Norse plural same as singular) refers to Norse pagan sacrifice to the Norse gods and Elves. The sacrifice often took the form of a sacramental meal or feast. Related religious practices were performed by other Germanic peoples, such …   Wikipedia

  • Hrœrekr Ringslinger — or Ringscatterer [ [http://www.northvegr.org/lore/njal/010.php#bottom1 The translation of the name found in Njal s saga ] ] , Old Icelandic: Hrærekr slöngvanbaugi , Old Danish: Rørik Slængeborræ or Rørik Slyngebond was a legendary 7th century… …   Wikipedia

  • Norse mythology — Norse paganism Part of Norse paganism …   Wikipedia

  • Norse rituals — Norse paganism Part of Norse paganism …   Wikipedia

  • Hrólfr Kraki — Hrólfr Kraki, Hroðulf, Rolfo, Roluo, Rolf Krage fue un legendario rey vikingo de Dinamarca de principios del siglo VI. La fecha nunca ha sido cuestionada o ha sido motivo de controversia y que se deduce de las propias fuentes primarias y la fecha …   Wikipedia Español

  • Eadgils — s Det svenska rikets uppkomst (1925) (in Swedish). For presentations of the archaeological findings, see e.g. Elisabeth Klingmark s Gamla Uppsala, Svenska kulturminnen 59 , Riksantikvarieämbetet (in Swedish), or [http://www.raa.se/cms/extern/se… …   Wikipedia

  • Origins for Beowulf and Hrólf Kraki — Hrólf Kraki Tradition Hrólf Kraki s saga Ynglinga saga Lejre Chronicle Gesta Danorum Beowulf …   Wikipedia

  • Mitología nórdica — Los dioses nórdicos eran mortales, y solo a través de las manzanas de Iðunn podían esperar vivir hasta el Ragnarök. Imagen por J. Penrose, 1890 …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”