More than Mythology: Narratives, Ritual Practices and Regional Distribution in Pre-Christian Scandinavian Religions

by Catharina Raudvere (Editor), Jens Peter Schjødt (Editor), Neil Price

Written by distinguished scholars from multiple perspectives, this account widens the interpretative scope on religious life among the pre-Christian Scandinavian people. The religion of the Viking Age is conventionally identified through its the ambiguous character Odin, the forceful Thor, and the end of the world approaching in Ragnarök. However, pre-Christian religion consisted of so much more than mythic imagery and legends and has long lingered in folk tradition. Exploring the religion of the North through an interdisciplinary approach, the book sheds new light on a number of topics, including rituals, gender relations, social hierarchies, and interregional contacts between the Nordic tradition and the Sami and Finnish regions.

Genres: History, Mythology, Archaeology, Religion

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Andrew Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting series of papers the explore pre-Christian religious systems in Old Norse and Finnish/Sami cultures include so e especially interesting and extensive papers on pagan Finnish systems. Purchased this summer at the Leeds Medieval Conference and was well worth it. Highly recommend.