Contents

Preface

List of Figures

Abbreviations

Part 1 Prolegomena

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Religious Ruler Ideology in Previous Research

1.2 Towards a Model for Analysing Religious Strategies for Rulership at Ceremonial Buildings

1.3 Approach and Methods

1.4 Outline and Hypotheses

Part 2 The Regional-Contextual Approach

Chapter 2 The Three Areas of Investigation and their Political Leaders

2.1 The Kings in the Mälaren Area

2.2 The Earls in Trøndelag

2.3 The Chieftains of Iceland

Chapter 3 Religious Strategies for Political Authorization—A Case Study

3.1 The Kings Called the Ynglingar

3.2 The Háleygja Kin (Hlaðajarlar)

3.3 The Þórsnesingar

3.4 A Contextual Interpretation

Chapter 4 Ceremonial Buildings and Sanctuaries

4.1 The State of Research

4.2 The Problem of Terminology

4.3 Uppsala and other Sanctuaries in the Mälaren Area

4.4 Lade and Mære in Trøndelag

4.5 Hof Buildings in Iceland

Part 3 General Features

Chapter 5 The Religious Leadership of the Sanctuaries and the Economic System

5.1 The Debate about Cultic Leadership and the Terminology

5.2 Chieftains (hǫfðingjar, hersar, goðar) as Cultic Leaders of the Sanctuaries

5.3 Kings and Earls as the Cultic Leaders of Sanctuaries in Trøndelag and Svetjud

5.4 The Financial System of the Public Cult at the Sanctuaries

5.5 Ideological Motives behind the Rulers’ Interest in Public Cult and Sanctuaries

Chapter 6 The Ritual Structure of the Sanctuaries and Cosmic Symbolism

6.1 Cosmic Symbolism: Some Theoretical and Methodological Issues

6.2 The Location, Architecture and Decoration of Ceremonial Buildings

6.3 The Interiors: High-seat, High-seat Posts and Hearths

6.4 The Exterior Ritual Structure of the Sanctuaries

Chapter 7 The Relation between Rulers and Cultic Images

7.1 Miniatures and Medallions

7.2 The Three Statues of Gods in the “Uppsala Temple”

7.3 Cultic Images in the Sanctuaries of Trøndelag and Northern Norway

7.4 Cultic Images in the Sagas of Icelanders and the Image from Eyrarland

7.5 Cultic Images and Religious Strategies for Rulership: Hypotheses

Chapter 8 Sacred Sites, Ritual Restrictions and Religious Strategies for Rulership

8.1 Sanctifications of Places and Ritual Restrictions (Taboos)

8.2 The Enclosed Sacred Space

8.3 Violations against the Sanctity of the Sacred Space: The Example of Egils saga

8.4 The Ruler as the Protector of the Sanctified Space

8.5 Burning or Breaking Down the Ceremonial Building: An Attack against the “World” of the Ruler

8.6 The Renovation and Ending of Ceremonial Buildings and Sanctuaries

Chapter 9 Ceremonial Feasts as Ritual Strategies

9.1 Hákonar saga góða and the Ceremonial Feasts at Lade and Mære

9.2 Calendrical Religious Feasts

9.3 The Ruler as Sacrificer

9.4 Smearing Sacrificial Blood on the Sacrificial Platforms

9.5 Ceremonial Meals and the Custom of Eating Horse Meat

9.6 Ritual Drinking and the Reciting of Ritual Formulae

9.7 Gift-Giving Ceremonies

9.8 Excursus: The Central Role of Noble Women at the Ceremonial Banquets

Chapter 10 Rulers, Rings and Rituals—From Svetjud to Iceland and Back Again

10.1 The Forsa Ring from Hälsingland—A Sacred “Oath-Ring” at a Sanctuary?

10.2 “Oath-Rings” and hof Sanctuaries in the Sagas of Icelanders

10.3 Ritual Rings and Sanctuaries in Svetjud

10.4 The Custom of Swearing Oaths on Rings

Part 4 Regional Diversity

Chapter 11 Golden Objects as Media of Power

11.1 Gold Foil Figures

11.2 The Gold Bracteates at the Hall of Helgö

11.3 The Golden Medallion from Inderøy

11.4 The “Golden Door Ring” of the hof Sanctuary of Lade

11.5 Golden Arm- and Neck-Rings

Chapter 12 Ceremonial Buildings, Great Burial Mounds, and the Worship of Dead Rulers

12.1 The Distribution of Great Burial Mounds in the Investigation Areas

12.2 Great Burial Mounds as Part of the Aristocratic Sanctuaries

12.3 Great Burial Mounds as Symbols of Genealogy and Land Rights

12.4 The Cult of Heroes at the Great Mounds

12.5 The Cult at the Burial Mounds of Freyr and Hǫlgi

Chapter 13 The Arenas for Royal Funeral Feasts and Inauguration Rituals

13.1 King Ǫnundr’s Funeral Feast

13.2 Libations at Funeral Feasts

13.3 The Place for Drinking Beer at the Funeral Feast

13.4 The High-Seat and Inheritance

13.5 Royal Inaugurations, High-Seats and the Great Mounds

13.6 A Royal Rite of Passage

Chapter 14 (Inter-)Regional Chief Sanctuaries as a Religious Strategy for Rulership

14.1 Cultic Organization

14.2 The Chief Sanctuaries of Trøndelag and Svetjud

14.3 The Cult of Many Gods at the Chief Sanctuaries as Strategy of Power

Chapter 15 Valhǫll, Ceremonial Buildings and Warrior Lords

15.1 The Martial and Eschatological Valhǫll Mythology

15.2 The Warrior Halls in Late Iron Age Scandinavia and Valhǫll

15.3 The Distribution of Warrior Lords with Warrior Bands in Scandinavia

15.4 The Valhǫll Mythology as Part of Ruler Strategies in Svetjud and Trøndelag

Part 5 Epilegomena

Chapter 16 Conclusions

Bibliography

Index