Snorri Sturluson as a historian of religions: The credibility of the descriptions of pre-Christian cultic leadership and rituals in Hákonar saga góða Abstract
Yüklə 209,35 Kb. Pdf görüntüsü
|
Snorri Sturluson as a historian of religions
The traits of large hall buildings in Uppsala are located to the area of the old royal demesne (Kungsgården).⁷⁴ These facts indicate that the ruling power had some kind of influence on these houses and also the activities which took place there. Not far from the royal demesne are also the famous royal grave mounds, dating back to the 6
th or 7
th century. They were thus situated in an immediate context of the Vendel Period hall at Uppsala and must thus be considered as an element in the sanctuary complex.
The most impressing example of a more exclusive cultic building in an aristo- cratic context is found at the central place of Uppåkra in Skåne.⁷⁵ This house had first been built during the Roman Iron Age, and was rebuilt at the same spot in several phases up until the Viking Age. It was 13 meters long and probably very high. The size of the posts-holes indicates that. The peculiar finds, for instance, the many gold foil figures, a glass bowl and a gilded silver beaker, also indicate that rituals have taken place there, including drinking ceremonies.
Several notions of Snorri’s description of pre-Christian ceremonial banquets in Hákonar saga góða may thus be attested in other more direct sources, such as skaldic poetry, runic inscriptions and archaeological finds, as well as in Latin texts, written by Christians. For instance, the idea that the political leaders (kings and earls) were involved in public cult may be based on ancient traditions. Snorri was probably also on solid ground when he stated that the rulers (at least the king) were supposed to take part in certain rituals when attending the sacrificial feasts, for instance, the drinking ceremonies and food customs (perhaps eating horse meat). That these ceremonies sometimes took place in some kind of cultic building or banqueting hall as described by Snorri, seems also likely. The list of authentic aspects in his account could perhaps be extended somewhat. We must also emphasize, however, that some elements in his text must be seen with suspicious as noted by Olsen, Walter and Düwel, such as certain religious terms and the action of making the sign of the hammer over the horn. Anyhow, in a general sense, Hákonar saga góða can still be used as a source for pre- Christian religion, if we treat it with care and use a sound source criticism. 74 Rahmqvist 1986 and 2000. 75 See e.g. Larsson / Lenntorp 2004; Larsson 2011. Brought to you by | Stockholms Universitet Authenticated | 10.248.254.158 Download Date | 9/18/14 2:50 PM 88
Olof Sundqvist Bibliography Sources Ágrip af Nóregskonunga sǫgum. In: Bjarni Einarsson (Ed.) 1985. Fagrskinna. Nóregs konungatal. (Íslenzk fornrit 29). Reykjavík. Chronicon. In: Trillmich, Werner (Ed.) 1957. Thietmar av Merseburg, Chronik. Thietmari Merseburgensis Episcopi Chronicon. (Ausgewählte Quellen zur deutschen Geschichte des Mittelalters 9). Darmstadt. Danmarks runeindskrifter. In: Jacobsen, Lis / Moltke, Erik 1942. Danmarks runeindskrifter 1. Text. Copenhagen. Den norsk-islandske skjaldedigtning. In: Finnur Jónsson (Ed.) 1912–15. Den norsk-islandske skjalde-
Fagrskinna. In: Bjarni Einarsson (Ed.) 1985. Fagrskinna. Nóregs konungatal. (Íslenzk fornrit 29). Reykjavík. Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificium. In: Schmeidler, Bernhard (Ed.) 1917. Magistri Adam Bremensis Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificium. (Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Scriptores rerum Germanicarum in usum scholarum 7/2). 3. Auflage. Hanover/Leipzig. Heimskringla. In: Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson (Ed.) 1941–51. Snorri Sturluson. Heimskringla. (Íslenzk fornrit 26–28). 3 volumes. Reykjavík. Hervarar saga. In: Jón Helgason (Ed.) 1924. Heiðreks saga. Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks konungs. (Samfund til Udgivelse af Gammel Nordisk Litteratur 48). Copenhagen. Historien om Hamburgstiftet. In: Svenberg, Emanuel (Transl.) 1985. Adam Bremensis, Historien om
Orkneyinga saga. In: Finnbogi Guðmundsson (Ed.) 1965. Orkneyinga saga. Legenda de sancto Magno. Magnúss saga skemmri. Magnúss saga lengri. Helga þáttr ok Úlfs. (Íslenzk fornrit 34). Reykjavík. Runeninschriften. In: Krause, Wolfgang (Ed.) 1966. Die Runeninschriften im älteren Futhark 1. Text.
Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse 3/65). Göttingen. Scriptores rerum Suecicarum medii aevi. In: Fant, Erik Michael (Ed.) 1818–76. Scriptores rerum
Upplands runinskrifter. In: Wessén, Elias / Jansson, Sven B. F. 1940–58. Sveriges runinskrifter 6–9. Stockholm.
Andersson, Gunnar (Ed.) 2004: Att föra gudarnas talan – figurinerna från Lunda. (Riksantik- varieämbetet. Arkeologiska undrsökningar 55). Stockholm. Antonsen, Elmar H. 2002: Runes and Germanic Linguistics. Trends in Linguistics. (Studies and monographs 149). Berlin/New York. Baetke, Walter 1950: Die Götterlehre der Snorra-Edda. (Berichte über die Verhandlungen der sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse 97/3). Berlin. Baetke, Walter 1951: Christliches Lehngut in der Sagareligion. Das Svoldr-Problem. Zwei Beiträge zur Sagakritik. (Berichte über die Verhandlungen der sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse 98/6). Berlin. Baetke, Walter 1964: Yngvi und die Ynglinger. Eine quellenkritische Untersuchung über das
zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse 109/3). Berlin. Brought to you by | Stockholms Universitet Authenticated | 10.248.254.158 Download Date | 9/18/14 2:50 PM
Yüklə 209,35 Kb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
|