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Reconstructing a Goddess: Sinthgunt

I’m going to give a little demonstration to those who say we cannot reconstruct a religion based on the available resources, especially those who claim we cannot know the identities of stars. Today, we’re going to discover the identity of Sinthgunt.

Let me begin this by saying I currently know nothing about Sinthgunt except a few things: She’s only attested to once, She’s the sister of Sunna, and she exists. With that in mind, let’s get to work.

First, we need to look at her sole attestation: The Horse Cure, one of the Merseburg Incantations. Now, this doesn’t help much, as variety of Gods not typically associated with healing are mentioned in the Horse Cure. However, it does tell us that Sinthgunt is Sunna’s Sister. That is a valuable bit of information. Given that Sunna is the Sun, we can reasonably assume that Sinthgunt is also representative of a heavenly body. The moon is taken, as are the hours of the day, so she must be something else in the sky. My immediate thought is a star, although the clouds are also a possibility, or perhaps things like meteors.

Although the Gods mentioned in the Horse Cure are not commonly associated with healing, per say, they are all associated with magic. The other two Gods who “conjured” Balder’s horse are Frija (Freyja-Frigg) and Wodan (Odin). With that information, we have a perhaps tentative connection with Sinthgunt and magic. Given her company, we can also assume she is generally benevolent, and therefore not associated with witchcraft or “black magic”.

Now, let’s examine her name. My linguistics are not my strongest point, so let’s look at a few possible translations. One is “The Night-Walking One”, which supports both the theory of a star and a goddess of magic, although this would perhaps imply her magic is less benign than that of her companions. Next, one translation is literally “Star”. This is very good at supporting the earlier speculation of a Star Goddess. The outlier here would be “The One Going into Battle”. Radically different from the other two, it implies a warlike status, perhaps a Valkyrie or Athena-esque war goddess.

Let’s try to compare her to other figures we know from mythology. First, let’s follow the Valkyrie thread. A quick google search for “Star Valkyrie” and similar terms turns up nothing. So, I look at a list of Valkyries, and there’s a wide variety to choose from. Many of them are associated with magic and healing, such as Eir, Gondul, and perhaps Sigrun, and there are several associated with things in the sky, such as Mist, but none specifically referring to stars. Obviously, a great many are associated with War. Despite not having a perfect match, she fits thematically among the Valkyries, however, and many Valkyries are sisters or daughters to the Gods.

A search for “Stars Germanic Tribes” and other options turn up blank. From what I can gather, stars were not widely worshipped as deity, but I can live with that, since I feel I have a better understanding of Sinthgunt.

From what I’ve seen, I can fairly confidently say that Sinthgunt is a perhaps otherwise unknown Valkyrie, particularly associated with magic and stars, or a specific star, given the evidence provided by the context, her name, and her relation. This would explain the rarity of her name; Valkyries were not as widely worshipped as the Gods “Proper”. I’m not well-versed in traditions relating to Valkyries, I’ll admit, but by applying appropriate traditions to her based on those centered around Valkyries, we can have a fairly proper cult to Sinthgunt she we feel so inclined.

#Reconstruction #Pagan #Heathenry #Sinthgunt #Demonstration #Stars #Norse #Valkyries

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Thunor, Thor, Hercules, Jupiter

Thunor, Donar, Thor, or any other regional equivalent holds a space near and dear to the hearts of many heathens, and I think it’s time to address his identity and worship.

Thor to the Romans

There was a duality to Thor in interpratatio Romana, and because of this, to the Franks.

The easiest and perhaps most popular parallel to draw is to Jupiter. Immediately, we see their shared role as the Thunderer. It may not have been quite a stretch to the Franks to begin associating the two deities, as Thunor was becoming increasingly popular among nearly every Germanic tribe as we moved closer to the medieval era, possibly even threatening to overtake Odin/Wotan as the chief of the Gods, in the same manner that Odin overtook the role from Tyr (In some areas, Wotan could be described as little more than a particularly wise and powerful psychopomp, easing Thunor’s ascent). The existence of Jupiter Columns allows a clear opportunity to conflate the two in the mind of the Frankish people, if they were not already conflated; many of the columns represent Jupiter as a Giant-Slayer, the same role frequently attributed to Thor. As the cult of Jupiter spread to the Roman Federates, it would most likely occur that Jupiter Tonans (or some similar name), Jupiter the Thunderer, became the “default” aspect of Jupiter, with the people seeing him as a powerful, giant-slaying thunder God, a name of Thor.

But Jupiter was not alone in his equation with Thor. According to Tacitus, Hercules was a popular god among the Germans, and they would praise him before battle. It is unlikely that this was some legendary hero, due to the apparent wide-spread popularity of this Hercules, but rather a “pan-germanic” God. Thunor/Donar/Thor is the most readily apparent option, or perhaps Tyr/Mars Thincus/Tiw, but given Tiw’s relative decline as a deity and his being increasingly relegated to civil roles, I believe this to be the less likely of the two possibilities. In Gaul, dedications to Hercules Saxanus, Hercules of the Stones, were made. This ties into the Roman myth of the rustling of Geryon’s cattle, where Hercules was ambushed, and to protect him, Jupiter had it rain rocks. While the addition of stones to the myths of Thunor would seem strange (at least from a non-continental perspective), Hercules shares many attributes commonly associated with Thor, being a God of protection, of great strength, a fierce warrior, and the son of a Chief (in both cases, the Chief of the Gods).

In Thor’s case, it made very apparent the issue of merging Roman and Germanic gods; should Thor be literally assigned to both Hercules and Jupiter, he would be his own father. I will not try to justify this with some created myth; it is simply an oddity, with no real meaning. While we cannot know for certain if the Franks consider Thunor the son of Odin, it is highly unlikely he was considered his own father.

Weapons of Thunor

I will not talk at length on Mjolnir or other hammers associated Thor or Thunor; the information there is readily available and there is no new ground to tread. That being said, there are other weapons associated with Thunor that are less often talked about and perhaps more relevant to continental heathenry.

The first is the axe. In a rather old book,  Curiosities of Indo-European Tradition and Folklore (Walter Keating Kelly), we find various folk magic traditions relating to using axes for protection, and the book even explicitly claims that the axe was Thor’s weapon. I have also seen various poetic references to a “Fiery Axe” or “Axe of Thunor”, but since I cannot verify these, being unable to find the original poems, I will not quote them, and mention for posterity. However, whether or not the axe survived into later ages, it was almost certainly associated with a stone age thunder god. All this is in addition to small bits of axe shaped jewelry found throughout Europe, possibly associated with Thor. The Axe as symbol of Thor immediately brings to mind to symbolism of Perun, the Slavic thunder god, and the Frankishly inclined may be tempted to portray him with a Francesca, with it’s smashing of the shields being the sound of thunder, but this may be little more than flight of fancy.

However, there is a much more substantiated symbol of Thunor found in archeology. Throughout Europe, the symbol of Hercules’ Club was a popular motif in jewelry right up until just before the Viking age, and is believed to the precursor to Mjolnir pendants. There’s very little, if anything, written about Thor or Donar wielding a club, but it is not an astounding leap of logic from club to hammer. Interestingly, Hercules’ Club pendants seem to be particularly associated with women, and are often found with female bodies as earrings.

The role of Thunor

The constant among all iterations of Thor is his role as protector. However, Thor was more agrarian than civil, and despite his associations with Jupiter, would not have been seen as an immediate protector of the tribe, kingdom, or, in those particularly romanized, empire. He was the protector of the farmers and middle-class Franks, as well as of women, as evidenced by their propensity to the Hercules’ Clubs.

Thor was the giant-slayer, and his role as such was almost inseparable from his identity. Thor beat back the forces of chaos in the form of giants, and may be ritually associated with the establishment of sacred space.

Thor was the bringer of rain, a manifestation of protection in the form of aid.

To sum it up: Strength, Protection, Aid, and Sacredness.

So What Did The Franks Call Him?

Here’s a messy bit. Given the Frankish zeal to associate themselves with the Romans, and the popularity of Roman monuments in Gaul and Germany, there would have been at least some Frankish families and regions that called Thor by a Roman name. Whether this is Jupiter Tonans or some other name, I cannot say for certain. I know certain heathens have taken to calling him IOM Thonarius, and as a reconstructed name, it’s not bad. There is no written record of a name in his conflation with Hercules.

The Germanic name is immediately clear; in Germany, it survived as Donar. However, bless my slightly inaccurate heart, I favor the Old English Thunor.

AN IMPORTANT EDIT

I’ve noticed the sort of people this has spread among, and I would just like to note that very, very unpleasant things should occur to Odinists and Odalists, as well as other dishonorable, worthless, and generally undesirable deviants attempting to attach themselves to Heathenry and discrediting the sincerity of our faiths and practices.

#Thor #Heathenry #Reconstruction #Rome #Deities #Paganism #Frankish Heathenry #Franks #Symbolism

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Maybe a bit too Plato for most of our heathen-y tastes, but still. I’ll eventually write up something on the gifting cycle, but this is excellent food for thought.

Also, follow this terrible Roman, he knows things.

DO UT DES: A PROPER UNDERSTANDING

In the Graeco-Roman world, every ritual of communion operated on an often misunderstood principle of do ut des, or  “I give, so that you may give”. It is not the bribing of a God, but rather it is an establishment of a cycle of gift exchanging as a means of being brought into a relation with the divine, and thus being brought closer to their light.

THE MUTILATION OF DO UT DES

The theory of do ut des is one that has been perverted. The reduction of do ut des to merely a “gift for a gift” is ultimately derived from Galilean and Pauline theology. This is a reductive form of the concept, made into a mere business transaction; giving it its sanitized appearance. It is a selfish attempt to manipulate or elicit favours by bribing a God with gifts. This act of bribery will never be looked upon favourably by the eternal Gods; however, this bribery is not do ut des. Instead, do ut des is very much in the spirit of hospitality (xenía/ξενία), and is the establishment of a relation with a God.

DO UT DES PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD

Do ut des is far more nuanced than a simple “gift for a gift”. In actuality, it is “I give, so that you may give”. Do ut des is far more charitable, and is about the establishment of a personal relation with a God through a fundamental exchange of gifts.

The theory is that we give the Gods something of worth, and in exchange we receive from them something of value, which results in us giving more worth to the Gods, which results in receiving something else of value, and so forth. Instead of being a mere business transaction, it is the establishment of a fundamental cycle of gift exchanging. It is a concept that is, in actuality, wholly in harmony and inseperable from the concept of hospitality. Do ut des proper seeks to establish a personal relation with the God; and has the ultimate goal of achieving henosis (unity with the divine).

We must understand that what the human gives to the God in offerings ultimately has no value to them. We must foremost understand that the divine are beyond us, being limitless and all powerful. However, it is a universal cultural assumption that when one is given a gift that an obligation is created. This gives rise to gift customs as a means of negotiating these obligations in the form of an answering gift being given back. The offering is a pretext for the God to offer us what the divine already offer; a pathway to henosis. We are brought closer to the divine with this cycle; not because the Gods are changing or we’re giving them they don’t already have, because as said, they have everything. Rather, we are brought closer to the divine because we worked together with the Gods to raise our souls upwards towards union, and for this we are able to see their light more clearly. Through sacrifice and offerings, we only benefit ourselves by being closer to the Gods whom love us all; as the Gods are beyond everything and thus need nothing.

We can see a good analogy made by Patrick Dunn in his book “The Practical Art of Divine Magic”; the act of offering is two polite people standing at an open door. “After you.”, “Oh no, after you.”, “No, I insist.” It is a back and forth exchange that, while useless for entering a building, is how our soul climbs back to its origin, the One/the Good.

Do ut des deeply ties into Theourgia. It is not bribing a God, nor is it merely for personal gain. Instead, it is working with a God to get closer to them to achieve a common goal; Henosis, or union with the divine. It establishes a relation with the divine that allows the individual vertically align themselves with the One, and thus aids in achieving henosis.

In short, do ut des is something that establishes a system of a cycle of gift giving through xenia. Do ut des is something that is, ultimately, charitable.

GLOSSARY

Do ut des: “I give, so that you may give”. A concept of establishing a fundamental cycle of gift exchanging in order to establish a relation with the Gods.

Henosis: Divine union, unity with the divine

Theourgia: “divine activity.” Ritual activity in imitation of the Gods.

Xenia: Hospitality; the Greek concept of the spirit of hospitality.

  Bibliography

Butler P, Edward, “Gods and Daimons in the Platonic Economy of Sacrifice”, October 26, 2014, accessed August 10, 2017, https://henadology.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/platonic-economy-of-sacrifice-butler.pdf

Dunn, Patrick. The practical art of divine magic: contemporary & ancient techniques of Theurgy. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd, 2015.

Iamblichus, and Emma C. Clarke. Iamblichus on The mysteries. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003.

Kupperman, Jeffrey S. Living theurgy: a course in Iamblichus philosophy, theology and theurgy. London: Avalonia, 2014.

Sallustius, “On the Gods and the Cosmos”, 4th Century AD, accessed August 10, 2017, http://www.platonic-philosophy.org/files/Sallustius%20-%20On%20the%20Gods%20(Taylor).pdf

UsurpedLettuce, Reddit post “[Pagans:] why worship your gods?”, Nov 14, 2016 (6:05 p.m.), accessed August 10, 2017, https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateReligion/comments/5bk7ak/pagans_why_worship_your_gods/

UsurpedLettuce, Reddit post “More brain drool from the “Rational Heathen” aka Tyra Ulfdottir”, Nov 7, 2016 (2:09 p.m.), accessed August 10, 2017, https://www.reddit.com/r/asatru/comments/5bhrvx/more_brain_drool_from_the_rational_heathen_aka/d9oxltk/

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What if all there is left is a name? How do you worship or reconstruct that? What if all there is is one mention in the Eddas and that is it? After that it is all UPG so what do you do? Can you worship a deity at that point when there is zero sources to support any of your UPG? Someone had to write it at some point right? Why is the version from 100 or more years ago more valid than the one presented in spirit today?

This is a really good question! I’m going to try to answer the points in order.

What if all there is left is a name?How do you worship or reconstruct that?

There’s a lot to glean from a name alone. Usually, we can get at least some hint of what a deity was “all about” by comparing the etymology of the word to deities in other cultures, as well as breaking down the meaning of the name in the native culture. After that, it’s a matter of implanting the knowledge gleaned from the name into a culturally appropriate practice and allowing the details of the divinity to develop naturally.

That being said, it’s rare that we have only a name. Usually there’s an icon or context present for that name.

 What if all there is is one mention in the Eddas and that is it?

Well, in the context of Frankish Heathenry, the use of the Eddas as sources is essentially a comparative study, since the Franks didn’t have Eddas. So, unless there was a damn good justification for it, a deity mentioned once in the Eddas would be pretty irrelevant to Frankish heathenry. Otherwise, repeated the etymological study and get the added bonus of context.

Can you worship a deity at that point when there is zero sources to support any of your UPG?

Sure you can! Just be sure not to pass along what you’re doing as “authentic” or “ancient”, and there shouldn’t be a problem. And, of course, make sure you follow the norm in terms of ritual and respect.

Someone had to write it at some point right?

Lots of the Germanic peoples spent most of their histories illiterate. So no.

Why is the version from 100 or more years ago more valid than the one presented in spirit today?

The answer here is two-fold: Firstly, this is a reconstructionist tradition. So the focus is reconstruction, typically in practice, not belief, but a good amount of overlap is necessary in order to do the practice right. One day, we may delve more into speculative theology, but at the moment, we are trying to rebuild something that was largely lost.

Secondly, this was not a living tradition. It spent centuries more or less untouched. Anything created today will be fabricated or UPG and not representative to how the Gods were traditionally worshiped, an attempt to create a tradition where there previously was none. This will be necessary from time to time, but when it contradicts what we know about the gods through text and archeology, it becomes something besides heathenry. Neopagan traditions come in all shapes and sizes; the flavor of reconstruction is history.

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Theophany and Gods of Limited Access

In light of some recent drama, I feel the need to clarify a singular point: Not everyone is going to believe in gods of limited access, and such an idea is fairly out of tune with reconstructionism, at least as far a germanic beliefs go.

For those of you new to heathenry, gods of limited access refers to an idea pushed by certain groups that the Gods can only be worshipped in groups and/or the gods do not regularly engage in contact with mortals. To some, this will immediately strike them as unsavory, but I despite my typically mystical leanings, I was intrigued by the idea and wanted to learn more about it. Thankfully for you, and for my witchy ass, the idea is wholly ridiculous.

The issue with the idea as it currently exists lies not so much in evidence against it (although it does abound, as will be discussed later) so much as a lack of evidence for it. It seems the position is inherently indefensible, and I have yet to find a satisfactory defense. On occasion, I’ve seen the phrase “religion is a social phenomenon” recited by rote. While this is obviously true, it incompatible with the fact that most (or all, depending on who you ask) heathens are, well, theists, what other pagan circles may call “hard polytheists”, although that term is unpopular here. There is a blatant difference between religion and Divinity. Whereas religion is a social phenomenon, the Gods are not, by most people’s reckonings. It is well within their power to interact with an individual. An extra nail in the coffin is that the individual is a social unit, and in modern times, often the sole heathen in his or her family. Regardless of whether you consider the individual to be of a true, unique, social importance, or if you simply regard the individual as the representative of a more important social unit, the family, the point remains that the individual functions on the same social matrix as the religion, and will act on and be acted upon by the religious.

There is also the idea that Gods worshipped by too large a group become weaker, but that not only lacks any basis in theology or metaphysics as we understand them, but is also mainly pushed by racialists, which, while they can be correct, if they’re the only one’s heavily supporting an idea, they probably aren’t. The propaganda on this one is fairly blatant to anyone who’s been witness to it, and is a red flag.

Historically, the idea that individuals could not interact with divinity or be blessed by them is unfounded. Pulling from sagas first, we see mortal individuals praying to the gods in the Volsunga Saga and in the Jomsvikings Saga. Similarly, the Wessobrun Prayer and the Aecerbot are both prayers that were believed to originally be pagan, and in fact bear marks betraying their original nature. Similarly, in Beowulf, it would seem that the intervention of a God or Goddess was merely replaced with the intervention of an angel (Or the Holy Spirit, depending on translation). After looking at this textual evidence, we should also turn to more common, daily manifestations of faith and worldview. Specifically, the names of people. Throughout the Germanic world, we see many, many names derived from the names of divinity. In the North, names derived from Thor were common. In Francia, we see names such as Ingomer (A son of Clovis, who also legendarily made mention of dedicating his children to the Gods). It would be a weak argument to claim that this is not a sign of individual worship, whether to dedicate a child to the gods or to give that child a blessing.

With all this being said, I see no reason that an individual cannot experience theophany, contact or manifestation of a God (Hell, Garman Lord talked to Odin). While I am generally inclined to doubt those who randomly bump into Hel or Angrboda while on an evening stroll, there is no reason that a God cannot be present during ritual, religious or mystical. At this point, it becomes more a matter of UPG than hard written rules; each individual will come to their conclusion about theophany and how it works. That being said, we should not be eager to claim ourselves prophets of the gods or what have you. It is perfectly acceptable and even common to have what one regards as divinely given insight in modern paganism. I would even go so far as to claim it’s necessary. However, we should not claim our individual insights as absolute truth. This is a point that has been made time and time again and bears repeating: always make clear when you speculate or make claims based on a personal spiritual experience. The aim at the moment is to reconstruct, and the historical data overshadows UPG. To make claims without backing them up is dangerously close to blatant misinformation, although one may have good intentions.

Historically, we know little of how the Germanic peoples communed with the Gods, although Tacitus mentions augury (he also mentions what has been interpreted as rune casting, and that is hotly contested, so keep that in mind). Water seems to have been in some way vital. Seidhr in Scandinavia existed, although the details are very foggy. What is clear is that while we lack in-depth knowledge of how it was done, individuals in the distant past have had personal experiences with the Divine.

#Polytheism #Reconstruction #Paganism #franks #Theophany #Heathenry #Frankish Heathenry #Gods of Limited Access #Divination

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Nerthus: The Holy Mother

I want to take some time to talk about a goddess I have a very particular relationship with. Nerthus is fairly popular among Frankish heathens, although in America she is somewhat taboo (as the age-old axiom goes, "don't talk to her, she eats people"). Nerthus is a lot of things. Most things about Nerthus are PCPG. There is a wide range of people who have had similar experiences with this goddess, and when talking about her it's difficult not to get into UPG. Let's start by analyzing what we know historically about Nerthus: She is mentioned only once, in Tacitus's Germania. Here, she is described as Terra Mater, Mother Earth. Tacitus claimed that once a year, a cart drawn by bulls would carry her veiled statue through the various towns before bringing her to a sacred lake. Once there, she would be washed by slaves, who would then be drowned. It's difficult to tell if she is synonymous with Eorþe or Jord. My gut tells me no, but my brain tells me yes (anyone familiar with Nerthus may be tempted to make etymological connects with these names). Your mileage may vary. Diverging from the strict literal readings of Tacitus now, we should turn our focus on what attributes Nerthus has and how to properly worship her. The image of the veiled woman is not an empty one; it would be safe to say that it was taboo to look upon her, punishable by death. Many people focus on her association with water, but I drawn by her sheer holiness, the status of her being that makes too sacred too look upon. And she is intricately intertwined with death. Human sacrifice was typical to her; today, I know of several wonderful heathens up in Canada who sacrifice to her a man made of bread. Next spring, I will be making a similar sacrifice. Of course, there are many ritual considerations to take into account with this, but I'll discuss that when the time comes. To venture a further into UPG land, even those who are devoted to her and worship her do not know her as a kind Mother. Her vengeance is swift, and it is final. Her love is swift, and it is final. Nerthus is one who is always surrounded by death and suffering, but there is a comfort there, an energy (if you'll pardon my delving into the metaphysical) that is very much real, very much beautiful, very much holy. The cthonic nature of Nerthus may discourage many of you, but if you choose to allow her into her life, you will likely feel something you've never felt before. Bringing us back to a place more firmly rooted in reality, I would like to discuss the details and processes of worshipping Nerthus. I have made a small icon for her; I have intentionally left it without a face, for that is not for me to look upon. I then cover her icon with a white cloth, veiling her from the world, and the world from her. When it comes time to clean her icon, I do so ritually, turning my back to the altar and asking her to grant me the honor of lifting her veil. I then gentle wipe the icon, taking care not to focus on the image as best I can. Afterwards, I make my offerings. The role of water and wetlands cannot be ignored when thinking of Nerthus. These are her places, and this is where offering share recieved. Perhaps not only to her, as there are a great many swords and helmets lost in Europe's rivers and lakes. It is easy to imagine Nerthus as the divine go-between, a liminal Queen who allows the gods to receive their gifts. The wetlands also betray her cruel nature; the unaware can easily be sucked down by the mud of the marsh. The processions with the bull-drawn carts were not peculiar to Nerthus. Similar rituals were performed for Ing and for the Kings. The fact that she is associated with these royal processions, as well as with bulls, regarded as incredibly sacred by many European cultures, and particularly regarded by the Franks as symbols of royalty, only cements her high and powerful status. It is difficult to not be passionate about Nerthus, I find. She is uniquely alluring. I will not discourage anyone from worshipping whoever they'd like, but be aware, she is something totally foreign to us, very dangerous to us if the proper steps are not taken. I would like to go on all night, but as I said, when dealing with Nerthus we come to rely largely on UPG. If you feel the need to worship her, it may be best you discover the complexities of her worship for yourself.

#Frankish #heathenry #gods #paganism #Nerthus #polytheism #religion #ritual #icons #water #bulls

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Monstrosity in Heathenry

Monsters have always held a special place in my heart. I love oddity and grotesquerie. So imagine my dismay at the sheer lack of love monstrosity is given in heathenry. We have so many bizarre and dangerous creatures haunting our world, and no one wants to give them any affection. Here’s a short analysis of the various forms of the malevolent supernatural occupying the heathen world.

Giants

The Old Norse “Jotun” literally translates as Devourer. We are immediately off to a great start with our staple monster. To continue with the theme of devourer, we can see in the folktales of continental Europe and of Britain that giants seem fond of the taste of human flesh. There isn’t much mention of cannibalism or man-eating in the Norse sources, perhaps because Giants prefer the blood of Englishmen.

Alongside this, Giants tend to be very, very old. One Jotun, Surt, has been around since before the creation of the universe. The universe itself was believed by the Norse to be fashioned from the corpse of a giant. The Greek Gigantes were born in the early days of the earth, created when the blood of Uranus fell upon Gaia.

Giants are perhaps the most fearsome enemies of the Gods. In the sagas and eddas, we see countless tales of conflict between Gods and Giants, and they are typically fairly evenly matched. The servants of Loki of Utgard (not to be confused with Loki, the Trickster God/Jotun) were even able to best Thor and his companions. Similarly, the Greek Gigantes waged war with the Gods, and were destroyed.

Giants can come in a wide variety of forms, but on the continent they were typically portrayed as giant humanoids, as seen in Greek sources, continental artifacts (such as Jupiter Columns), and in folktales (Jack and the Beanstalk). Occasionally, giants are portrayed as serpents as they are being conquered. The Norse ascribed Giants much more varied and monstrous forms. Fenrir was a giant wolf, and Hel was a rotting corpse. Loki was disfigured at the end of his tale, and various Giants take on traits of undersea creatures. These tails make a point of portraying Giants as shapeshifters, perhaps making them all the more horrifying as they prefer to be monstrous.

But what exactly is the nature of the Giants? They are ancient, they are hungry, they are strong. Many heathens simplify them as the forces of Chaos, but they are much more dramatic and dangerous than that. They are the inescapable, consuming forces of nature. They cannot be controlled and they cannot be stopped, threatening even Gods. They consume endlessly. They bear names like Fire, Old Age, and Outsider. Even today, we are helpless against Fire Giants. A forest fire can almost never be stopped, only contained until it forges it’s own demise. Even today, we can escape the Frost Giants by retreating into our heated homes, but outside we cannot stop the snow and frost from consuming our land.

The Fair Folk

While they may not be monsters in the strictest sense, Our Neighbors can certainly be unnerving to look at, and dangerous to boot. Many creatures have been lumped in with The Fair Folk over the centuries, including even Gods. Like Giants, they come in many forms, and it is generally recommended you stay away.

The Kindly Ones can be very helpful, watching over a household as the British Brownie may, but their anger is something to be feared. While they are often kind, they are mischievous, and they are vengeful. A household Hob may tie together shoelaces when in a good mood, and disembowel your wife when in a poor one. While it may be tempting to make contact with some Nix or Sprite or what have you, they are very easily offended and it is best to stay away. If you cannot stay away, treat any Other Person like royalty, and watch what you say and do.

They are a private people and tend not to interact with mortals often. When they do, they often remain invisible or hidden out of sight. It is offensive to go looking for them, and those with the magical ability to see through their disguises and illusions are often punished for it.

A personal favorite of mine is the Kobold. I believe they represent a fairly clear version of Dwarf myths on the continent. Local to Germany, kobolds may live in mines or in homes. The mining kobolds are ugly and malicious, emptying the mine ahead of time and hoarding gold. However, there were cases where miners were warned by friendly kobolds of cave-ins or toxic gas. Household kobolds tend to be easier on the eyes, and a generally helpful member of the home, provided they are properly cared for. Never forget to give your kobold his own little corner of the home (preferably out of sight, such as in the attic or basement) and to bring him his piece of the meal at the same time every day, or you may have an accident.

It should be noted that while the Giants seem to represent a certain class of natural forces, The Others are more regarded as a fellow people, albeit a very magical one. They inhabit natural places often, but aren’t necessarily the wihte of that place. Especially as we approached the modern era, they came to be seen as their own culture, albeit a very diverse and strange one. While we tend to lump them in with each other, it would be best to deal with any you come across on a case-by-case basis.

Sea Beasts

The presence of sea monsters is particularly well-attested in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf. Here, Beowulf lists among his great deeds the slaying of many sea monsters. Later, the story brings us to a lake of dragons, beneath which is a sea-wolf and the monster Grendel. Watery demons continue to be sighted on the British Isle to this day, most famously the Loch Ness Monster.

The Franks have a particular connection to creatures of the Sea. The Great King, Merovech, was born when his mother was raped by "bestea Neptuni Quinotauri similis", “The Beast of Neptune, which looks like a Five Horned Bull”. There is some ambiguity here, but I’ve read “Beast of Neptune” to simply refer to the creature dwelling in the sea, not necessarily having been sent by the God of that sea. That being said, the five-horned nature of the beast has been interpreted as mixing elements of Neptune (particularly his trident) and the Minotaur. The Quinotaur is such a unique and important creature to the Frankish mythology that it probably warrants it’s own study.

Similarly, many rivers and lakes across Europe are associated with certain creatures. These creatures often have their own characters, and the study of them could prove quite time consuming. A few retain a belief beyond the scope of paganism today, being classified as “Cryptids” and having those who believe they are flesh and blood beasts hidden in the depths.

The Undead

Throughout Europe, we find the fear that the dead will not remain dead. These undead creatures can take on a fleshy or spectral form to haunt and torment the living.

There are many types of what would today be called “zombies”, the fleshy undead. In largely Slavic areas, there were vampires, who drank the blood of the living at night. Further North, there were Draugr, dead warriors who rose from the grave to kill in a rampage. Britain had Revenants, and throughout the continent there were similar breeds of the walking dead.

There were many ways one could become a member of the shambling horde, but typically it was of some failure in life. They may have had unfinished business, such as revenge, or they may have simply lived and evil life, and that evil somehow reanimated their bones. It was widely held that the undead needed some form of sustenance to keep themselves moving, and this was often taken from the living.

Killing one of the undead could be complex. There is plenty of evidence suggesting dismemberment or the burning of corpses, the logic obviously being leaving nothing left to walk. Decapitation is a largely modern method of disposing of the evil dead, although it also figured into vampire myths. One could go the gentler route and fulfill the requirements of the undead soul, such as killing the target of the creature’s vengeance, or re-interring the body with a more proper burial. I am partial to knocking out the teeth and cutting off the fingers, so even if a corpse does rise, it won’t be very dangerous.

A simple explanation for the undead would be disease. Disease kills slowly and mysteriously, and it would be easy to blame an invisible, evil force for this. Combine this with the poorly understood processes of decomposition, and it would be easy to pin mysterious deaths on some poor corpse.

#Frankish #Pagan #Folklore #Myth #Reconstruction #Heathen #Heathenry #Monsters #Undead #Giants #Faeries #Sea Monsters

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Ritual Cleanliness

It is important to begin a ritual clean and pure. There is a distinction between interacting with the divine world and the mundane world, and it is vital to pay this distinction utmost respect. We may go about our day only bathing once (or without bathing for several days), engaging in impure practices, or otherwise being “unclean” in a ritual sense. Before beginning a ritual, we must remove these impurities.

Certain practices are unclean and should be avoided before ritual. These largely include those things typically labelled “vices”. Drawing largely from Mediterranean sources, such as ancient Rome and Egypt, we see a tendency towards avoidance of certain impure things, such as eating (more specifically, eating improperly) and sex. The period and extent these things are avoided can vary, but I’d recommend performing a light fast and totally abstaining from sexual activity for one day prior to ritual. The light fast would consist of eating only a simple breakfast that day, and drinking only water. Obviously, if you have certain dietary needs due to health issues, make sure these needs are met. Religion should not endanger your life.

Additionally, it is recommended that one avoid other vices as much as possible throughout the day. I occasionally smoke before ritual, but if smoke is getting on your clothes I would recommend changing. Similarly, do not show up to a ritual drunk. It is best not to offend.

Bodily fluids are certainly a no-no. Some are eager to use their own blood as an offering, but this should only be done in extenuating circumstances. An offering of blood is dangerously similar to a blood oath, besides the general uncleanliness of fluids. Similarly, avoid offering nails or hair. A sacred space should not be spit in, and sacred spaces should be erected a fair distance from a restroom or latrine. When in the wild, it’s only courteous to announce where you intend to relieve yourself to give the wights a heads-up, and I would recommend using the same spot in the future if possible. The obvious exception here is the blood of a bloted animal. The sacrificial blood resulting in a non-human death is clean (human sacrifice is an entirely different bag, but I’d recommend against human sacrifice anyway. They move too much to get a clean cut in).

Bathe before entering ritual or sacred space. This washes you of the impurities collected throughout your day and shows respect to the entities (gods or wights) being contacted. A full, modern bath is preferred, as well as a ritual bath. A ritual bath I personally use (developed entirely by myself, without European influence) is as follows:

Take two bowls and a white rag. Fill one bowl with water, and put only a bit of water in the second. Soak the rag in the first bowl and wipe your face and neck over the second, letting the water drip into it. Soak the rag again and wipe your arms and hands over the second bowl, again letting the water drip in. Finally, cup some water in your hands and rinse your mouth, spitting into the second bowl. Dry off with a clean towel. Be sure to wash yourself with full mindfulness, as this is a ritual bath, cleansing your soul as well as your skin. You should feel as if you are truly being cleansed. You may also wish to pray or meditate before, after, or during the bath, or burn a cleansing incense. Sources also suggest that the Norse, at least, would meticulously comb their hair, so do try to look a bit neat.

Tl;Dr: don’t be grody when you talk to Odin.

On Roman ritual purity: http://www.societasviaromana.net/Collegium_Religionis/purify.php

#heathenry #frankish #ald sido #ritual #pagan #cleanliness #ritual etiquette #sacrifice #reconstruction #hygiene

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Tiu, Tiw, or Mars Thincus

At Housesteads Roman Fort, located along Hadrian’s Wall, two altars bearing inscriptions to “Mars Thincus” were found. This god is immediately recognizable as Germanic in origin, as “Thincus” itself means “of the Thing”, and is believed to have been imported by Roman soldiers from Salicia/Belgium. In all likelihood, Mars Thincus is identical to Tiw or Tiu (Norse Tyr).

Tyr is at his most basic the god of War, Justice, and Law. To delve more into his myths, we find a widespread belief (as evidenced textually by the various rune poems) that he had only one hand. The Eddas explain this further, claiming he lost his right hand in a gesture of sacrifice which allowed the wolf Fenrir to be bound and cast away. We see his name appear in Tuisto, an ancestral deity of several continental tribes, and entomologically his name is related to that of the proto-european Sky God, although his nature changed into a more martial or legalistic deity by the time Germanic myths began being recorded and there’s no solid evidence of such a nature archeologically. He lends his name to the Tiwaz rune, which has a shape often referred to as a stylized spear.

Since Tiw was associated with Mars by the Romans, I should also give an overview of this Roman god. Keep in mind that I am no where nearly as well read in Roman matters, and that it would probably help a great deal to research the cult of Mars yourself. I will be expanding on my understanding of Mars Thincus as time goes on, as I continue researching and studying his cult. Much of the information given here can be found at ( http://www.deomercurio.be/en/marti.html ).

Mars was a protective deity of the Roman empire, especially associated with war. In this role, he was of a different temperament of Ares, the Greek war God, who was more impulsive and tended to begin quarrels and end them with violence. Mars, in contrast, was more level headed and embodied qualities of honor, using violence not to “prove” anything, but rather to protect the Gods and the Empire. There were also cults of Mars that seemingly had no martial quality, cementing him as the protector of the empire. In his iconography, he is usually represented by a man in armor, holding a sword, spear, and/or shield, and sometimes having a beard. He lacks a physical anomoly as distinctive as Tiw’s missing hand.

Using what we know these two gods, we can begin to paint a picture of Tiw as Mars Thincus: we are presented with an honorable warrior, a protector of the people, capable of great sacrifice. We have very little in the way of iconography (although I have heard there is an icon out there somewhere, I have not been able to find a photo or description of it), but since Mars Thincus presumably leans more to the Germanic side of the scale (as will be discussed), it should be appropriate to portray him in a manner similar to Tyr: a bearded, one-handed warrior-king.

Now, it would be useful to look at the name and the circumstances surrounding the small cult site to Mars Thincus at Housesteads. This was a fort along a wall, but it is notable in that the fort’s main purpose was seemingly not to defend the wall. It was positioned unusually and there is no evidence of a battle of any sort having taken place there (unless, perhaps, you wish to call an ancient double homicide a “battle”). Although it was said to have held 800 soldiers, it was likely only a fraction of that maximum was present at any given time, as others were on leave or stationed elsewhere. While Housesteads would probably be able to hold up in a battle, it clearly was not meant primarily for the defense of Hadrian’s Wall. Rather, it was near, and oriented facing, a road. The Fort was likely there as a bit of “Law Enforcement”, to solidify Roman rule in Britain. Soldiers would patrol the road and apprehend criminals and outlaws who fled to the edges of Roman country, as well as discourage highwaymen from committing crimes along this road. Ironically, the fort’s remoteness and pre-supplied defenses made it a hiding spot for criminals in later centuries, after the Romans had left Britain.

If these soldiers were not engaged in combat during their stay at Housesteads, why did it become a cult site for a war God? Well, quite simply, Mars Thincus would have been predisposed to protecting soldiers in any situation, given his status as a deity of war, but the answer also lies in the name. “Thincus”, or “Thing”, refers to a meeting of community leaders in Germanic cultures (the details of what happened here may vary from tribe to tribe). Mars Thincus was not Mars the Warrior or Tiw the Hero, but rather he was Tiw, Lord of the Thing. He protected the Roman soldiers on a legal and social level, perhaps favored due to their duty as the “ancient cops” of this area, or perhaps he was offered to do that he may preside over certain military procedures or rituals.

Back on the continent, Mars Thincus or Tiw may have been invoked at the Thing, or petitioned before a trial for good luck in court. Tacitus claims the Germanic tribes laid down laws in accordance to the will of the God of battle (that is, Tiw), so he could have been turned to for guidance, or by lawmakers and Kings, and his perceived will could be used as justification for what is deemed “right” or “wrong”.

On a final note, it should be said that Mars Thincus was not worshipped alone. Inscriptions at Housesteads link him to the alaisiagae, a pair of Celtic Warrior godesses. I’ll be looking more into this connection in the future, and then combine the information on these deities into a workable practice.

#heathenry #franks #war #paganism #mars #rome #reconstruction #gods #britain #housesteads

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Potential Offerings

There's a wide variety of things you could potential offer to deity. Here I'm going to collect a masterpost of various potentially historically accurate Frankish offerings. This list will be expanded as time goes on, and it's currently up just to let you know I'm not dead. FOOD -Beef: Always a favorite, and particularly apt since bulls are associated with a wide variety of deities in the Rhineland. If you practice animal sacrifice, cows are a classic, albiet unwieldy and expensive, choice for a blot beast. -Pork: Possibly associated with Ingvo (Freyr), we know that certain pigs were set aside for sacrifice by the frankish pagans. What exactly made a pig appropriate for sacrifice is up in the air. DRINK -Wine: Wine was available to the Franks, and was popular in Roman ritual. The Franks did not have mead, and wine is classy, so if you're looking to make a historic fermented beverage this may be your drink of choice. While Germany and France are both well known for white wine today, there's evidence that red wine was the original Frankish poison. -Beer: Beer wasn't hugely popular until the sixteenth century, but it was present. I don't have a lot to say on beer. Knock yourself out, I guess. -Milk: Milk was used in Roman ritual and was commonly gifted in German folklore. Be careful with milk, it spoils easily. MISC. -Incense: A Roman influence, there are carvings throughout Germany of rituals performed in a Roman style with incense being offered. Frankincense is the classic, but I use dragons blood on occasion because I am a filthy witch. -Gold: Gold is valuable. The Norse would toss a gold coin to Ran before a voyage, and you may want to do something similar with Nehallenia. It also makes a very valuable supplement if you feel like your initial offering doesn't have enough "oomph". -Idols: Most of can't afford to erect a giant stone monument, so you may wish to make do with creating a small idol and dedicating it to a divinity. To what extent this is considered an "offering" may vary from person to person, but it's certainly not discouraged.

#frankish #heathenry #pagan #reconstruction #offerings #Rome #Germany #Rhineland #I can't format from my phone #ritual

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Establishing The Hearth Cult

It may be best to envision heathenry as a series of cults. The lowest, foundational cult would in such a model be the hearth cult, the home. This is where the family comes together and worships, and where we live out our ideals day to day. Recognizing that many heathens are solitary, this will be written from the perspective of the individual, for the individual, though it should be easily adapted for the family, and uses germanic, roman, and gallo-roman inspirations for practice.

The Ancestors

The Veneration of ancestors is one of the foundational practices of modern heathens. This, more than any other hearth practice, should be personal and regionalized. You know best what would please your family.

I suggest paying respect to the religion of your ancestors; as I come from a Catholic family, my altar includes a bible, a rosary, and saint medallions, and I sometimes say a hail mary over the altar. Also recommended is leaving offerings that would be appreciated by the recently deceased, those you knew in life. I like to leave my grandmother offerings of coffee and dew berries, and sometimes I share my morning coffee with her as I tell her about my week.

That being said, the ancestor altar should also have the basic rudiments of ritual in order to be conducive to contact with the deceased. An altar, at minimum, should have a candle, white or of a color enjoyed by a certain ancestor, a glass for leaving simple drink offerings, and photos of the deceased, as an icon. I also choose to leave items I received as gifts for the recently deceased.

Those longer dead may be referred to simply as “the ancestors”. It is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to recall and honor the entirety of one’s lineage by name. You may also choose to include particularly notable ancestors of the distant past in your more in depth worship. For Americans of Old World descent, you may choose your First American Ancestor.

The House Wihte

There are questions to answer when discussing house wihtes. In my personal opinion, these are not animistic representations of the house, as some may argue. Rather, when looking at the fairy tales of Europe, or even the religion of the Romans, the house seems to be inhabited by a variety of spirits, although their existence is often intricately linked with the home itself.

With that in mind, it is possible that a given house may not have wihtes. In British folklore, we can observe certain rituals performed during or shortly after the construction of a home to bind or attract a spirit to the house, such as a practice of nailing a worker’s shadow to the wall of the new home. In the Roman tradition, certain deities associated with the hearth may bring a retinue of spirits with them. A home could very well be “spirit-dead”.

There can be a vast manner of ways to bring a wihte into the home. One could argue that this is a function of the land taking ritual, or they could observe some sort of ritual to bind a spirit to the home, such as a sacrifice, or they could even perform some sort of modern ritual to attract spirits, such as those popular among Wiccans and witches.

Once the home is inhabited by a wihte, I believe that, like the ancestors, it is the duty of the homeowner to establish how the relationship is best maintained. In some folktales, it is an insult to thank the spirit for the work done in the home. In other sources, it is a prerequisite. One may choose to simply leave a bit of food out, or have an entire altar dedicated to the household spirits. The head of the house or the lady of the house may be designated to deal with the wihte. There is very little written on this aspect of the hearth cult in germanic cultures, so one may want to look towards Rome for inspiration.

Hearth Goddesses

There are numerous Goddesses associated with the hearth and home. These watch over the housework, traditionally the woman’s work, and therefore the lady of the house, and in some cases the children. When establishing the house altar, it may be preferable to put an icon of a chosen hearth goddess in a place of especial honor, such as the center of the altar. She may be invoked to watch over religious rites in the home.

There are a variety of hearth goddesses to choose from. I personally worship Berhta (Berchta/Holda) in my home, and give her offerings at the beginning of every major household ritual. One may also be attracted to some iteration of Frigga, or to the Gallo-Roman Matronae (while not necessarily hearth goddesses, they should fill the role quite nicely). After choosing a certain goddess, I suggest studying them in depth to find appropriate offerings, or else leaving simple offerings, such as a bit of the family meal or a stick of incense.

The Altar

While there is little evidence of household altars in most Germanic societies, it has become a staple of modern paganism and was certainly present among the Romans. Ideally, the altar will be placed in the foyer, or the main room of the home. If this is not possible, place it in the kitchen or near the fireplace, should you have one. If this also proves impossible, the bedroom will suffice (if you have an altar in the foyer or kitchen, you may wish to put a second altar in the bedroom anyway). The altar should not be somewhere so out of the way you forget it, but also not in the way where it may be jostled. Only items to be used in religious ritual should be stored on the altar.

The altar can be made of any flat surface; I use a book shelf. Other options may be an end table, a countertop, or a nightstand. An altar with shelves or drawers will be ideal for holding ritual supplies when not in use. Over the surface should be laid an altar cloth; this can be a cloth specially purchased and blessed for this purpose, or it can simply be a nice, clean towel or blanket.

The altar should at very least have a bowl in which to receive offerings, a candle or oil lamp, an incense burner and a case in which to store incense, and a vessel (preferably a pitcher) to hold drink offerings prior to being poured. This is based off a Roman household altar, and if you perform more Roman-style rituals in your home, it would also be nice to include a container for salt.

You may wish to place icons of the Gods on the altar. Excellent choices would be your hearth goddess, a god or goddess designated for frequent worship by your family (I personally worship Nertha (Nerthus) heavily, and am in the process of procuring an icon for her), or various deities you have a particular attraction to. My own altar includes icons to Sunna and Manno (Mani).

There is an excellent outline for use of the altar in ritual here. I prefer to only burn the candle while I am present and performing the ritual; others may prefer to burn it until it extinguishes itself.

#heathenry #Frankish #Practice #Ritual #Pagan #Altar #Hearth Cult #Reconstruction #Wihte

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Charisma, Luck, Heil, ect.

Charisma can simply be defined as “that which is divinely given”. Specifically, in heathen context, it refers to what other groups may call “luck”. This is something of a resource, earned by us and our group (should you prefer the terms of tribe, kindred, guild, or other) through appropriate actions and ritual dedication to divinity, as well as being built through one’s relationships and familial roots. This resource determines success or failure, built up by our decisions, actions, and skills.

What exactly is Charisma and how does it manifest? Charisma may be best rationalized as a sort of “blessing”, particularly when it is gathered through religious devotion, although this is not necessarily the case. It could also be read as a bit of a skill, albeit one with moral leaning, to be cultivated through effort. Perhaps a good way of looking at would be where skill and divine will meet. By being diligent in ones faith, and forming healthy and beneficial relationships, and in exercising natural talents in order to develop them, one increases their chances of success, and therefore their charisma. By wasting their natural abilities, or failing to form relationships, or angering the divine, one lowers their chances of success, and ruin their charisma, and if one is the member of a group, they will drag down the charisma of that group (a sort of “weakest link” type of scenario).

Charisma can manifest in a variety of ways. One notable and incredibly tangible example would be material wealth. Here the familial aspect is incredibly notable, as wealth is generational and tends to remain in families. A parent will often provide for their children, and one who maintains a good relationship with their parents may receive a healthy inheritance. However, through certain circumstances, whether these be spiritual (Divine will, fate, ect.) or more mundane (Hard work, “dumb luck”, ect.) it may be possible to overcome one’s birth and obtain for oneself wealth despite being born into a poorer family, just as poor decisions made with one’s fathers money can quickly put a young heir into a less favorable position. Capital gain and losses offer a very visible means of determining charisma, but it is far from the only one.

The Franks traditionally held to a divine right to rule, at the very least since Clovis united the Frankish Empire. Perhaps retroactively, Clovis’s various roman titles and the letters of Bishops that were sent to him after his coronation also signify something of an allegiance to the Roman Empire, particularly to Caesar. The right to rule was one of the highest forms of Charisma, and bore heavy responsibilities. The king, more than any other person, was responsible for the well-being of the group. Religiously speaking, the king was most responsible for the charisma of those he ruled. In Scandinavian sources, we even have examples of the king literally giving his luck to those who needed it. In a sort of bizarre ritual of trickle down economics, the charisma flowed from the leader, to those under his rule, and this relationship was not abolished after death. The king forever had the responsibility to his subjects to provide for their wellbeing, without fail.

But the wealthy and powerful did not have a full monopoly on charisma. Skills and seemingly supernatural powers also fell under the purview of charisma. Some may be inexplicably lucky at sea; this arises from a combination of knowing about sailing, often from years of experience, as well as divine will, providing one with the appropriate winds; one could be lucky in love, naturally charming, and skilled at maintaining or beginning relationships. Charisma, in some form or another, has the potential of impacting every aspect of one’s life, it is simply that wealth and power are their most visible forms. Anyone, heathen or not, can have a great deal of luck in one field, maintained through dedication, while heathens can also accumulate charisma through worship. If one both worships properly and develops their skills and circumstances, they will naturally have a massive build up of Charisma. If one fails to exercise their skills, or to form proper relationships, or angers the powers that be, their charisma will flag and fade, leaving them under developed and easily overcome by the cruelty of life.

#Heathen #Pagan #Reconstruction #Luck #We Regret To Inform You The Gods Are Capitalist #Franks #Frankish #Charisma

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Frankish Cosmology

(please read the following: http://aldsido.blogspot.com/2011/04/cosmology.html?m=1. It lays the groundwork for what I’ll be discussing here.)

“ Therefore from among the men four were chosen who were named as follows: Wisogast, Arogast (Bodogast), Salegast and Widogast from places beyond the Rhine named Bodeheim, Saleheim, and Widoheim. These men meeting together in three different courts and discussing the cause of all disputes, gave judgement in each case in the following fashion.”

The above describes three mysterious lands from which four mysterious men orginated. Like the Norse had 9 world’s, and the Anglo-Saxons had 7, this has been taken to mean the Franks had 3, and unlike the worlds of the other cultures, these 3 places are given clear and distinct names, but leave us to wonder at their attributes.

To begin unravelling the mystery of these three worlds, we have to understand what exactly a world is. There’s going to be quite a bit of a debate on this in the heathen community, with some people intepreting the worlds as something as simple as metaphors for geographical regions (wildlands for jotunheim, mounds for Hel, ect. To use Norse examples) to things as outlandish as parallel dimensions. It is my personal opinion that the worlds of the Germanic cultures described locations that were simultaneously a part of our everyday life, while also being distinct, spiritual realms. For example, Jotunheim would in fact be the wildlands of this Earth, but it would stretch far beyond that, into it’s own reality. The woods and tundra present in our day to day lives are merely a sliver of the entirety of Jotunheim, just like the seashore is only a sliver of ocean.

Secondly, we’d need to look at a constant in the cosmology of the Germanic peoples, namely the axis mundi, the “center pillar” of the universe. This is represented in northern Europe as a tree (Yggdrasil) or as a pole (Irminsul), along which the worlds are arranged. The image of a tree or pole will be vital to keep in mind as we discuss the three frankish worlds.

What prompted my looking into the Cosmo of the Franks was the realization that at first glance, it seems like something is missing in the three worlds model presented by Erik LaCharity in blog post provided. If these worlds were merely representations of social strata, where do the dead go? Where are the Gods? (Keep in mind, these issues may have been less pressing for Erik as he presented the worlds as purely social, as opposed to the social-geographical-spiritual model I will present.) Either there was much more to these worlds than meets the eye, or there were more worlds, ones for dead and the divine. As I looked closer, I began to lean towards the concept that the three worlds were, in fact, much more complex than might initially be thought.

First, let’s look at Saliheim. As the realm of nobility, it would likely be placed at the top of our world tree. Physically speaking, it would blur into our world not only in the Halls of kings and nobles, but also on the shore of water. Water had a special significance to Frankish royalty; Merovech, the grandfather of Clovis, was born of a bull that rose out of the water, and the Kings often built their homes on the shore of the sea or the rivers, while the Rhine was a very sacred river and something of the pride of the Franks. All in all, there was something special about the water to the Frankish nobility, which leads me to imagine Saliheim as a coastal region, snakes with waterways and decorated with Halls. But it was not only the Kings and nobles who lived here. As the highest point on the tree, and the place where the nobility would gather, this would also be the most logical place to call the home of the Gods. Here, the gods would transfer to the Kings their right to rule, their Heil, translatable to “charisma” and roughly synonymous to the Luck of other heathens. Here the heil was transferred from the Gods, to the Kings, who then had the duty to distribute it among their people. To put it more succinctly, Saliheim, in my understanding, was the shoreside home of Kings and Gods at the top of the world tree.

In the center was Bodeheim. This would be the world of the commoner and the spirits he dealt with. The average man spends nearly all his life in Bodeheim, only occasionally venturing into other worlds (perhaps actively seeking out Saliheim, and constantly avoiding Widuheim). This was the farm and the settlement around it, but it was also roughly equivalent to “Midgard”, and as such stretched beyond the confines of city walls or pig stys and encompassed our whole world, this Earth. This was the home of the Men, and the wights (or wihtes) of the land and home.

Finally, we come to Widuheim. Process of elimination would tell us that this is the land of the dead, but first, let’s look at what it is. Etymologically, it’s almost immediately apparent that this is a forested place. Widuheim can be roughly translated as “Home of Woodland (Creatures)”. But these are not necessarily fluffy Disney bunnies. In Widuheim, you’d likely meet the Big Bad Wolf before Stomper the Rabbit. In Widuheim, Bambi’s mom was dead before the movie even started. Heavily wooded spaces represented much in the way of treachery. One could easily get lost, or stumble upon a pack of starving wolves, or an outlaw, and in the minds of the more imaginative Franks, upon monsters and Giants. Roughly equivalent to the Norse Jotunheim, Widuheim represented all that was dangerous in the world, and it bled into our reality in the form of wooded spaces. However, we still need a place to lay our ancestors, and Widuheim does have a precedent for harboring the dead despite its ferocity.

In Beowulf, the go-to Anglo Saxon poem, we receive a description of a watery underworld. This submerged hellscape was home to monsters, including Grendel, and things that stared from the shadows. But it was still likely the resting place of the dead. Similarly, Widuheim at first seems inhospitable, but is ultimately the home of the ancestors as well as the monsters. The Franks also buried their dead, as opposed to cremation or burial at Sea, therefore returning their bodies to the earth, making as somewhat “earthly” afterlife a logical assumption (others may prefer to hold that the dead merely remain in the mound; although the tradition of burying those that could afford it with horses seems to contradict this). This is well represented by its place at the bottom of our world tree; it is a true “underworld”, the bottom of the universe, full of dangers, but also of those we’ve lost. While the presence of the ancestors may mitigate the danger of Widuheim somewhat, the forest would also be prowled by angry or insane ghosts, forgotten by their descendants and searching for revenge (the narrative of an angry spirit returning from the dead is not an uncommon one in northern Europe). Quite simply, Widuheim was the forested underworld, crawling with monsters and angry spirits, but also where one would go to meet their ancestors.

#frankish #cosmology #saliheim #widuheim #bodeheim #heathen #pagan #reconstruction

[badfrankishheathenry-blog]

Welcome!

My name is Gwendolynn and I am literally the worst possible reconstructionist ever born. I’ve been having trouble getting into the Frankish Heathenry Facebook group, where most of the resources are, so I decided I’ll make my own Frankish heathenry.

This is going to be a learning experience for all of us, mostly me. You’re probably going to be stupider after being exposed to this.

That being said, let’s establish some ground rules.

1. Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I’m bad at this.

2. I retain the right to revoke any previously made statements as new information comes to light. Theories change. Deal with it.

3. I am not folkish, and folkish people disgust me. Do not be folkish in my presence.

4. I will cite as many primary sources as possible, so you can judge for yourself how wrong I am.

Let’s have a wonderful time and learn something together!

#welcome #frankish #pagan #heathenry #rules