![]() ![]() It is uncertain exactly why Yule was celebrated, though it may have been to honor the dead, to receive good luck in the new year, to celebrate the Sun and light as the days were getting longer, or to honor Thor as he was the god who protected the world from the darkness. Yule, spelled “Jol” in Old Norse, was the name for the period between the winter solstice and the blot associated with it, which is speculated to have happened on January 12. The following year, they blamed the king for the continued famine and sacrificed him, covering the altar in his blood. When that didn’t work, they sacrificed a group of men the next year. In Snorri Sturluson’s saga, he says that they appeased the gods by sacrificing a large number of oxen one fall in the seventh century. Although they normally sacrificed criminals or slaves, they once sacrificed a king at Uppsala during a time of extreme famine. This tradition was practiced to honor Odin and secure victory in the coming year. The bodies were hung from trees in a sacred grove that was next to the temple in which the ritual was carried out. There were nine sacrifices each day for a total of 81 sacrifices.Įach day, they sacrificed a male human and eight male animals. This ritual lasted nine days, with a feast and sacrifice every day. ![]() He talked about a tradition practiced at Uppsala, Sweden, every nine years at the beginning of spring. In the 11th century, Adam of Bremen wrote about the Vikings based on secondhand accounts. As stated, stories from the Viking period are not always reliable, but archaeological remains indicate that human sacrifice did happen occasionally. Though not a common part of Viking life, human sacrifice was practiced at times. He said that people from around the area came together to feast and anyone who sacrificed an animal stuck it on stakes in front of their farm. Lastly, they toasted to their dead ancestors.Ī different story was told by the Arab al-Tartuchi who visited Hedeby, Germany, during winter solstice. While drinking the beer, they toasted to Odin and other gods. The cooked meat and glasses of beer were blessed by the chief. Twigs were used to spray blood from the animals around the temple and on the participants. There, they sacrificed many animals, mostly horses, and cooked the meat. He said that all the local farmers gathered at the temple. In the 13th century, Snorri Sturluson wrote a detailed description of a blot performed by Sigurd Hakonsson. They would also have additional ones if they were having problems, like a bad harvest. They were both a way for people to honor the gods and for the chiefs to show off their wealth.Ī blot supposedly happened at four fixed times a year, close to winter solstice, spring equinox, summer solstice, and autumn equinox. These rituals were carried out in large groups on the estate of the local chief who functioned as a priest during the ceremony. The blot was a sacrifice practiced to gain the goodwill of the gods. Yet here are 10 rituals that are generally considered to have been practiced by the Vikings. Thus, accounts from the Viking era were either written by outsiders, who may not have fully understood what they were witnessing or being told, or written long after the Viking period had passed.ĭescriptions of rituals are sometimes conflicting, potentially inaccurate, or made up, either to paint Vikings in a bad light or to tell a more tantalizing story. The Vikings passed on knowledge through oral history rather than writing things down. This resulted in a large range of ritual practices, both within and between communities. Vikings also worshiped their dead ancestors, communicated with spirits, practiced divination and sorcery, and had a wide variety of burial practices. Their religious beliefs included many different gods and goddesses, so much so that it is considered a “non-doctrinal community religion.” This means that their beliefs and rituals varied among people.Īlthough they all had the same gods and beliefs, there were no set practices that had to be followed and people worshiped only the gods that were relevant to their lives. The Vikings are well-known for fighting and exploring, yet religion and ritual practices were a big part of their culture and everyday life. ![]()
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