The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe

by: Davidson, H.E.

Price: 35,00 EURO

1 copy in stock

The lost beliefs of northern Europe

Author: H. R. Ellis Davidson

Fragments of ancient belief have been incorporated into folklore and Christian dogma with the result that its original tenets have merged with the myths and psychologies of the intervening years. Hilda Ellis Davidson sifts through centuries of cultural and religious influences to locate evidence of these "lost" pagan beliefs. Davidson illustrates how northern pagan religions have been represented and misinterpreted by the Christian tradition and throws light on the nature of such beliefs and how they have been preserved. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe stresses both the possibilities and the difficulties of investigating pre-Christian faiths and emphasizes the need to separate speculation from scientific proof. This book will be a useful tool for students with a serious interest in archaeology as it illustrates with examples how objectivity is not necessarily the driving force in forming our supposedly scientific view of the past. It will also appeal to the general reader who wants to understand the true nature of Northern European pagan belief as opposed to the oversimplified view popularized by the media. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe argues for intellectual rigorousness rather than romanticization of the past, and challenges the reader to rethink accepted interpretations

viii, 181 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Contents:
1. Help from Archaeology. Sacred space. The burial at Vix. The ship-burial at Sutton Hoo. The ball at Yeavering. The Strettweg Wagon. The Gundestrup Cauldron. The memorial stones of Gotland. The contribution of archaeology
2. Glimpses of the Gods. Early amulets. Stones from the Roman provinces. Myths and monuments. Naming after the gods. Divine names and titles
3. The Gods in the Myths. Sources of the myths. The divine world. Myths of the divine community. Myths of Odin. Myths of Thor. Myths of Loki. Other deities in the myths
4. The Cults of the Northern Gods. Communal worship. Cults of the battle-gods. The cult of Odin. The cult of Thor. The cult of Freyr
5. Goddesses and Guardian Spirits. The cult of the Great Goddess. The local goddesses. Guardian spirits. The cult of the dead
6. Contacts with the Otherworld. The early centuries. Funeral symbolism. Communication with the Otherworld. Holy places. Fitting the pieces together
7. The Interpreters. The medieval Christian viewpoint. The first collectors. The solar myths. Ritual and myth. The structure of myth. The approach of Dumezil. Outside influences

Subjects:
Antiquités vikings
Antiquities
Celtes Religion
Celts Religion
Europe
Europe du Nord Antiquités
Europe du Nord Religion
Europe septentrionale Antiquités
Europe, Northern Antiquities
Europe, Northern Religion
Germains Religion
Germanen
Germanic peoples Religion
Godsdiensten
Kelten
Mythologie
Mythologie nordique
Mythology, Norse
Nordeuropa
Northern Europe
Religion
Religion celtique
Religion germanique
Religions
Scandinavie Religion
Vor- und Frühgeschichte

The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe

by: Davidson, H.E.

• ISBN-13: 9780415049375 / 978-0-415-04937-5
• ISBN-03: 0415049377 / 0-415-04937-7
• Routledge, London, 1994

Price: 35,00 EURO

1 copy in stock