Gods of the Ancient Northmen

by Georges Dumézil

English, French (translation)

Genres: Religion, History, Mythology, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Paganism, Folklore

190 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Georges Dumézil was a French comparative philologist best known for his analysis of sovereignty and power in Proto-Indo-European religion and society. He is considered one of the major contributors to mythography, in particular for his formulation of the trifunctional hypothesis of social class in ancient societies.

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it interesting that this non-fiction book on Germanic paganism bears in the English translation the rather romantic title "Gods of the Ancient Northmen" whereas the Danish translation has the more prosaic title "De Nordiske Guder" ("The Nordic Gods") and the French original text the more stiff and formal title "Les Dieux des Germains" - The Deities of the Germanic Peoples. I think that says a lot about how British, Danish and French audiences view the subject matter. Notice that the French are a Latinate, not Germanic people, and hence probably find Vikings and whatnot much more alien than say Danes or Englishmen do. However, this is a cultural gap which author Georges Dumézil does an impressive work to bridge over the course of this book's pages.

This is a short (about 150 pages) but densely packed book analysing what little we do know about the Germanic pagan religion practised by the viking era Scandinavians and the Iron Age Germanic peoples whom the Romans interacted with. Dumézil points out the many similarities to other Indo-European religions including Greco-Roman and Celtic paganism as well as Hinduism, which is where the really interesting information in here can be found. From there, he goes on to speculate what the religion of the Proto-Indo-Europeans looked like on the basis of those common elements.

I do think that in this part of the analysis, Georges Dumézil spins thicker layers of speculation than the available evidence supports. A good example is his theory that Tyr was the leader of the Aesir before Odin: Tyr's name in Proto-Germanic was Tiwaz, which obviously comes from the same PIE root as Greek Zeus and Latin Deus. (notice that the Roman name of Zeus is Jupiter, an abbrevation of "Deus Pater" that is "God the Father") Ergo, Dumézil reasons, Tiwaz/Tyr must have had a similar role in the Germanic pantheon as Zeus/Jupiter had in the Greek/Roman pantheon. The problem arises, if you look in the primary sources on the Norse mythology we have today namely the Poetic Edda: It turns out that Tyr appears in very few stories and in none of those does he play a similar role as Zeus. Jackson Crawford, an American expert in Old Norse and Germanic mythology, has a video on his YouTube channel where he explores what we know for certain about Tyr in deeper detail than I could.

Nonetheless, there is plenty of interesting information and analysis here. There is some sharp analysis of curses and prayers as they appear in the Icelandic sagas and the Poetic Edda, and what they say about the religious practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples. I also had no idea until reading Dumézil's book that not only does Hinduism have deities who are extremely similar to Odin and Thor - respectively Varuna and Indra - but also myths similar to that surrounding the blood of Kvasir as well as the end-time battle Ragnarok complete with gods that fulfil similar roles as Baldr, Loki and Hodr. I cannot remember their exact names, but Dumézil has gotten me even more interested in reading the Vedas, Upanishads etc than before.

People with an interest in comparative mythology and religion, as well as ancient cultures and how they might have influenced each other, would do well to pick this up if they have not already read it.

[Ensiform · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not actually a retelling of Norse myths. Translated by several people. There's a ten-page intro by G. Scott Littleton outlining Dumézil's thought on Indo-European myth structure and a 26-page intro by Udo Strutynski on the history of scholarship after Dumézil.

The book itself is a revised version of the French version with four additional articles appended to it, eight segments in all. Not aptly named, it was a highly academic work on the connection between Germanic and Vedic myth, with bits of Roman, Celtic, and other folklore thrown in. I have to say that a great deal went over my head, but the arguments and connections that I did understand were quite intriguing and compelling (for example, the Byggvir-Beyla Barley-Bee argument was great, as was the linking of Heimdall's oceanic birth with some extremely obscure Celtic and Welsh folklore). A fascinating work. I just wish the Latin passages had been translated.

[Ashley Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such wonderful comparisons to Indo-European mythology and brilliant illuminations on the characters of Norse myths. But ooph was he writing for greater minds than mine. One should be fairly fluent in Latin and Greek if you’re to understand all he lays out.

[A. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book. Although perhaps a bit dense at times, the basic gist was nevertheless quite understandable.

Georges Dumezil seeks to establish the presence of functional structural parallels between the various mythologies and belief systems across Indo-European cultures- united as their origin was. Contrary to the efforts of previous generations of philologists, like Max Müller this is not to be a solely ‘onomastic’ (i.e., based on etymology) endeavour, but a way to elicit the basic ‘fund of ideas' which cultures as diverse and far part as India, Ireland, Northern Germany and Scandinavia drew from as the Ancient Indo-Europeans migrated and settled. Although some discussions of Greek mythology are included, the author mostly discards it as not being that fruitful a place to find parallels. As the languages of these varied cultures are derived from the original PIE, therefore their Ideology- through religion must be similarly conceived.
Dumezil elaborates on his Trifunctional Hypothesis: whereby all the mythology and culture of Indo-European society was based on three ‘functions’. This ideology, even if not strictly implemented is adhered to in various ways. It constitutes, in Littleton’s words, in his great introduction:

The common Indo-European ideology, derived ultimately from one characteristic of the Proto-Indo-European community, was com-posed of three fundamental principles:
(1) Maintenance of cosmic and juridical order
(2) The exercise of physical prowess, and
(3) the promotion of physical well-being.

These three functions are overseen by certain deities, although some may fall out of favour due to historically circumstances.
E.g. India: Mitra-Varuna, Indra, Ásvins
E.g. The North: Odin-Tyr, Thor, Frey-Njord.

This is reflected in their social organisation to an extent, even if certain functions are reduced or temporary.
E.g. India: Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra
E.g. The North: Konungr (King- no longer a class, but a person), Karl, Jarl, Thrall

The form these ideologies took are also interesting. In India, they tended to stay myths with the ritualistic element pre-eminent. They were also represented at the level of heroes in epics. In Rome, they were historicised as a pseudo-mythical ‘early history' (e.g. Romulus and Numa). In Greece they were also represented as heroes; but often replaced by Aegean deities rendering the Indo-European background less prominent. In the North, they did a bit of both. In Zoroastrian Iran: they were usually subsumed as angels, parts of the divine order under Ahura Mazda.

Also probably the best one-page summary of the Mahabharata I've read yet.

The book was interesting, solidifying as it did my naive thoughts about mythological similarities across the world. Also introduced me to a lot of obscurer deities and the meta-analysis of what form these mythemes took in various cultures is also interesting- e.g., the Roman rationalisation through history.

The profound etymology of WORLD was eye-opening:

“that complex Germanic notion (Ger. Welt, Eng. world, Swed. Värld etc.), which designates etymologically men (ver-) through the ages(old).”

Also profound was how much these myths still impacted and impact us: Dumezil peppered in a few anecdotes about how these could still be found in real life among some places and people, even if only in language. E.g. The Nuristani Hindus with such archaic preserved traditions as late as 1888!

In 1936, near Lake Saima (Finland), in a “sauna,” I personally was amazed to hear the old, warmly wrapped-up woman who, in the steaming vapor of the reddened stones, was flogging with a birch branch the torso of a young friend who was traveling with me), express her admiration-except for the initial s, but with the final -iz and the original diphthong-by the very form that would have been used by a consort of Ariovistus before a companion of Caesar’s: Kaunis! Kaunis!; that is, the Germanic skauniz “beautiful” (German schön).

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4/5

[David Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

So /that’s/ what a pioneering comparative mythologer does all day!

Several essays from the discoverer if the Indo-European tripartite social structure; ranging from a massive structural comparison of the cosmic cycles in Norse myth and the Mahabharata conceived as a transfer of cosmic cycle into human time and terms (this central essay seething with Dumezil’s excitement, which can be shared and savored by anyone with any sort of geeky bent) to an explanation of the odd little pair of gods Byggvir and Beyla in Loki’s Flyting with supporting evidence from Lapp and Germanic folk-customs surviving long into Christian times, to
squibs explaining the mysterious Heimdall by relation to the Welsh seal-mermaid and the astral significance of the beasts inhabiting Yggdrasil.

Also a rather neat essay on the uniquely Germanic “downshift” of the Indo-European tripartite social functional structure.

(Scholarly footnotes dismissing weak arguments or wishing a source had documented his reports more thoroughly are fun, too.)

I loved this book!

[Andrea Giovanni Rossi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Affascinante affresco del pantheon nordico, in cui ricorrono temi che testimoniano un'eredità mitica indoeuropea originaria, rielaborata in forme divergenti dalle diverse civiltà

[Kyle Goetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book to read if you want an overview of Germanic religion. It is an academic text written for specialists, and is very difficult to follow if you do not have knowledge in various cultures religious domains. I do not, so it was a struggle and the section on Heimdall feels quite speculative at the end of the book, but that's okay because the author acknowledges that there is virtually no evidence of his existence and Germanic mythology, implying that he will be speculating.

Still, if you read it casually, you will walk away with a basic, tenuous knowledge and understanding of Germanic as well as indo-aryan, and Celtic mythologies. It might inspire you to read more layman friendly books, or maybe even the Icelandic sagas. But you probably will not learn a lot from reading this book unless you already have an understanding of the material via some introductory course.

If you are not looking for a real intellectual challenge, I would steer clear of this book and look for something written more for a lay audience. My understanding is that Neil gaiman has done this for Norse mythology, but I've not read his book.

[Christopher Bergedahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book concerns comparative mythology, and indeed the author dedicates considerable space to exploring the analogues and correspondences between various figures and events in Old Norse mythology with those in other traditions (including Vedic and Celtic myth). It makes for interesting reading, particularly upon further reflection, although my own admittedly scant knowledge of the traditions referred to, particularly the Historical Vedic religion, hindered my ability to fully appreciate the depth of Dumezil’s analysis. I will return to this book in the future, after having undertaken further research in the space: I am convinced it will make the experience more rewarding.

[Clara Mazzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bisogna essere dei grandi esperti in materia di miti nordici, indiani e medio orientali non solo per poter apprezzare a fondo questa raccolta di studi ma anche per ben orientarvicisi. Dumézil è comunque indubbiamente preparato e lucido nella sua analisi che, accompagnandosi a quella di Lévi-Strauss, si distingue dal filone anglosassone di Frazer e Graves che non trova entusiasta nemmeno me. Un eccellente esempio di mitologia comparata.

[Juan Gallardo Ivanovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ensayos que comparan los principales dioses nórdicos con los mitos fundacionales del pueblo Indoeuropeo.
Bien interesante pero en ocasiones algo pesado.

[Lisioł Czyta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisiołowie Germanów – szkice o kształtowaniu się lisioizmu skandynawskiego
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Lisioł lubi mity i historie o bogach – zwłaszcza jeżeli dotyczą lisów. Jako że futrzak nie pierwszy raz wsadza nos między strony, nazwisko pana Dumézila nie jest mu obce – podobnie jak wszystkim studentom religioznawstwa oraz kulturoznawstwa. Zatem jest to spotkanie z autorem, który wywarł gigantyczny wpływ na to, w jaki sposób myśli się o mitach indoeuropejskich. Lisioł aż sobie wyszczotkował wąsy przed otwarciem tej książki, tak był przejęty!
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Książka jest wszystkim, czego Lisioł oczekuje po tego typu publikacji. Mamy słowo wstępne podpisane innym znanym futrzakowi nazwiskiem – Jacek Banaszkiewicz – które przybliża nam nieco postać imć Dumézila, po czym przechodzimy do dania głównego. Wielu z Was zapewne kiedyś odbiło się od podobnych pozycji ze względu na nadmiar naukowego języka lub wyjątkowo hermetyczne tłumaczenia – tutaj tego nie ma! Dumézil pisze lekko jak na akademika, przytacza wiele przykładów, tłumaczy i argumentuje w bardzo przystępnym tłumaczeniu Anny Gronowskiej. Oczywiście, jak to bywa w przypadku badania mitów, mamy do czynienia z teoriami, więc nie oczekujcie twardych, rozstrzygających dowodów, ale o staranności autora niech świadczy fakt, że kilkanaście lat po pierwszym wydaniu książki wzbogacił ją o nowe przemyślenia oraz wątki.
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O czym jednak są „Szkice…”? Jak sam tytuł wskazuje, są to eseje poświęcone strukturze wiary germańskiej i skandynawskiej – głównie w porównaniu do innych mitologii z pnia indoeuropejskiego. Brzmi to na złożoną kwestię, ale Dumézil tłumaczy te zagadnienia w bardzo przystępny sposób. Lisioł mógł dowiedzieć się kilku interesujących rzeczy na temat funkcjonowania panteonu – bardzo istotne, gdy samemu chce się zostać bogiem – a szczególnie interesujące były rozdziały poświęcone Thorowi (mocna głowa do picia),Tyrowi (oraz rozdawania truskawek prawą ręką) oraz przebiegłemu Lokiemu (chociaż do Lisioła mu brakuje spektakularnej kity).
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„Szkice…” bardzo przypadły Lisiołowi do gustu i uważa, że teksty Dumézila to świetny wybór dla wszystkich osób, które interesują się mitologią oraz dawnymi wierzeniami jako takimi.

[Paulina Tomaszewska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thor, Odyn, Loki. Mówią Wam coś ci bogowie?

Przyznam, że "Bogowie Germanów" to druga pozycja, jaką przeczytałam o innych bogach niż w mitologii greckiej bądź słowiańskiej.
Dlatego z ogromną ciekawością podeszłam do lektury.
Wydaje mi się, że autor profesjonalnie podszedł do tematu.
Włożył ogrom serca i pracy, by nam przybliżyć wierzenia germańskie.
Jest tutaj wiele porównań przez autora do innych religii. Moim zdaniem dość obszernie opisane bóstwa.
Nie znam się na tym akurat temacie na tyle by napisać, czy jest to opracowanie bardzo szczegółowe, czy jednak temat nie został wyczerpany do końca, jednak dobrze mi się to czytało mimo trudnego języka.

Myślę, że książka jest idealna dla tych, którzy interesują się wierzeniami pogańskimi Skandynawii.
Cieszę się, że mam tę pozycję w swoim zbiorze.

[Leo sosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non una semplice raccolta di miti scandinavi bensì un’analisi dettagliata dell’evoluzione della religione e della relazione che ha con tutte le fedi indoeuropee. Argomento interessantissimo che però spesso usa frasi lunghe e pesanti. Ciononostante rimane interessante

[Giampaolo Balena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante ma un po' ostico

[Trece VooƊoo ϾĦiꝆÐ]

Difícil si no se es previamente erudito en la materia. Es un gran trabajo de bibliografía y estudio de una materia en la que las fuentes escasean

[mysilicielka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ciężka lektura, bardziej dla osób naukowo badających temat niż laików. Bez koniecznej wiedzy trudno mi było się połapać. DNF w moim przypadku.

[Vda.Claudio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saggio molto specifico che tenta di dimostrare che la religione germanica rientra nella suddivisione delle funzioni divine tipica degli indoeuropei. Molto tecnico e di lettura impegnativa, risulta convincente e carico di un metodo impeccabile. Non certo una lettura per tutti.