[Ansteorra] RE: Jewelry

Sat May 4 04:54:27 PDT 2002

You will often find Vikings wearing belt tips or square necklaces with
Christian symbols early on when they were not Christian.  These were
actually the silver or gold hinges torn off Bibles they acquired during
raids.  They thought anything important should be carved in stone, so they
used the leather, made jewelry from the hinges and used the paper for fire
tender.  So if you have a viking persona, you can wear Christian jewelry.
Just say you got it the last time you sacked an Abbey.

Botolf
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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Children (A Brauer)
   2. RE: Mundanes, missing beers and threats (Jane Sitton)
   3. Re: Re: [Ansteorra] Jewelry (IagoAH at aol.com)
   4. Re: Re: [Ansteorra] Jewelry (Delphina Champeaux)
   5. Re: A thought about why people leave for feast... (Stefan li Rous)
   6. RE: History/Enculturation/Cliquishness.... (Paul DeLisle)
   7. RE: weird food(was Stolen (Borrowed?) Items) (Samuel jernigen)
   8. RE: Mundanes, missing beers and threats (Olivia G. Rodrigues)
   9. Re: Landlocked? (housedragonstar)
  10. Period Religious Jewelery (L T)
  11. Re: Period Religious Jewelery (Jayme Michaels)
  12. RE: Period Religious Jewelery (C. L. Ward)

--__--__--

Message: 1
From: "A Brauer" <mabrauer at hotmail.com>
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Children
Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 12:23:50 -0500
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

My dear lady,

I take it from another post that you are also a parent?  Am I to take it
that your children are promiscuous?

I found your comment quite insulting to the parents of our fair kingdom.
Not only do you refer to the morals of our children but of the parents
themselves.

While obviously this is your opinion and you are entitled to your opinion it
is most certainly wrong.

I take an active interest in my daughters life.  We talk daily.  I also set
guidelines for the boys that she dates.  They know that when she says no,
that is exactly what it means.  They understand that her dad carries a big
stick and is not afraid to use it.  We offer to take them to fighter
practice so they understand.  And yes at 17 she is still a virgin. And just
like at home she has a curfew when at an event.

The parents that I am close with take the same interest in their childrens
lives.  The boys are taught to respect the girls.  The girls are taught to
behave like ladies. While they may not always act like young lords and
ladies when at an event they still know right from wrong.

In Service

HL Mary Elisabeth

From: "Olivia G. Rodrigues" <ladyoliviar at lycos.com>
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Mundanes, missing beers and threats
Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 21:35:57 -0500

Crucified "VIRGIN"????? In the SCA???  Okay, I'll grant that there are a few
around the age of 12, but older than that, I have my doubts.

And no, I'm not talking about (insert your name here)'s darling daughter
*CMOAWEA*

Olivia
---
Carpe Diem Ex Illo Vitae Opprime!

On Thu, 2 May 2002 09:26:08
  iainmacc wrote:
I must admit, I don't expect Stefan to have a recipe for Crucified Virgin
Marinated in Beer.
But I wouldn't bet money on it, either.

       Yours,

               Iain MacCrimmon
 >_______________________________________________
 >Ansteorra mailing list
 >Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
 >http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
 >

_______________________________________________
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--__--__--

Message: 2
From: Jane Sitton <jane.sitton at radioshack.com>
To: "'ansteorra at ansteorra.org'" <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Mundanes, missing beers and threats
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:56:43 -0500
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

Aside from the fact that virgins are highly overrated, you just haven't been
looking in the right places.  I can promise that if any young man were
foolish enough to deflower my daughter before the age of 18 AND without
paying a proper bride price, he would have his skull flattened by a large,
irate blacksmith with a 16-pound sledge.  Her father is Scottish, and I
wonder if any young man would be able to raise the bride price, but I
suppose if the suitor started saving now (as my daughter is only 9)....

LOL

Madelina

-----Original Message-----
From: mike young [mailto:uther at lcc.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 8:03 PM
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Mundanes, missing beers and threats

Only because it's so hard to FIND a virgin these days:)
gwyneth
(trying to make a joke again?)

--__--__--

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 14:41:40 -0400
From: IagoAH at aol.com
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: Re: [Ansteorra] Jewelry
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

I don't know who made exactly it was, but someone in the Shire of LaMarche =
Savauge (sp?) made some absolutly fantastic buttons for the shirt they gave=
 away as a prize for their Golden Hart tourney this past year.  It's a long=
 drive, but their events are worth goint to for the food alone.

Iago

In a message dated Fri, 3 May 2002 11:52:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time, L T <=
ldeerslayer at yahoo.com> writes:

>Ld. Waylen in Seawinds does casting and told me he would be
>willing to teach classes...
>
>he was talking about casting buttons...so he probably knows
>how to intricate enough casting to do jewelery...
>
>I believe Mistress Hillary has done some casting as well
>she's probably closer...
>
>--- Biatrichi di Palermo <Biatrichi at ansteorra.net> wrote:
>> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
>> --
>> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
>> Does anyone do any casting that would be willing to do one or two pieces=
 for me? =A0Or...is there
>> anyone in the Eastern Coastal area who would be willing to teach?
>> __________________________
>> HL Biatrichi di Palermo
>> Seer to the nobility of since 1492
>>
>> Non essiri duci sinno tu mancianu, non essiri amaru sinno ti futanu
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ansteorra mailing list
>> Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
>> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
>
>
>__________________________________________________
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>Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
>http://health.yahoo.com
>_______________________________________________
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>Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
>http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
>

--__--__--

Message: 4
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 11:49:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Delphina Champeaux <lady_rapier at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Re: [Ansteorra] Jewelry
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

I think that it was HL Caitlin (their Hospitiler and
one of the many great cooks there)

Delphina
(who seconds Iago's endorsement for their events. )

--- IagoAH at aol.com wrote:
> I don't know who made exactly it was, but someone in
> the Shire of LaMarche Savauge (sp?) made some
> absolutly fantastic buttons for the shirt they gave
> away as a prize for their Golden Hart tourney this
> past year.  It's a long drive, but their events are
> worth goint to for the food alone.
>
> Iago
>
>
> In a message dated Fri, 3 May 2002 11:52:33 AM
> Eastern Daylight Time, L T <ldeerslayer at yahoo.com>
> writes:
>
> >Ld. Waylen in Seawinds does casting and told me he
> would be
> >willing to teach classes...
> >
> >he was talking about casting buttons...so he
> probably knows
> >how to intricate enough casting to do jewelery...
> >
> >I believe Mistress Hillary has done some casting as
> well
> >she's probably closer...
> >
> >--- Biatrichi di Palermo <Biatrichi at ansteorra.net>
> wrote:
> >> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> >> --
> >> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> >> Does anyone do any casting that would be willing
> to do one or two pieces for me? =A0Or...is there
> >> anyone in the Eastern Coastal area who would be
> willing to teach?
> >> __________________________
> >> HL Biatrichi di Palermo
> >> Seer to the nobility of since 1492
> >>
> >> Non essiri duci sinno tu mancianu, non essiri
> amaru sinno ti futanu
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Ansteorra mailing list
> >> Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> >>
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
> >
> >
> >__________________________________________________
> >Do You Yahoo!?
> >Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
> >http://health.yahoo.com
> >_______________________________________________
> >Ansteorra mailing list
> >Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> >http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Ansteorra mailing list
> Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra

__________________________________________________
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--__--__--

Message: 5
Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 14:26:07 -0500
From: Stefan li Rous <stefan at texas.net>
To: Ansteorra mail list <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] A thought about why people leave for feast...
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

Thora commented:
> A couple of tuppence from my direction......    While it is important to
> make sure that a feast one eats is paid in full, I don't see any problem
> with bringing ones own if one has allergies or lack of money.  Have a
> seat where available.  Tell the server that comes to your group "no thank
> you we brought our own" and proceed to keep good company with the other
> attendees.  I believe after all is said, most would agree above all we
> are more concerned with having one's company rather than one's cash.

Yes, I agree with what you've said. However, please be aware that in
many parts of the Known World, you are not allowed to eat with the
folks enjoying the feast unless you've paid for it. The usual reason
given is that often the halls/rooms available are not large enough to
hold more than those who have paid for the feast. It also complicates
serving since food is often set up to serve a table of eight.

This choice of having strict offboard/onboard divisions has been
debated on the SCA-Cooks list numerous times.

I commend the Ansteorra headcooks and servers who are able to work
around serving a miscellaneous arrangement of tables which can have
between two and eight people.

Stefan

--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas          stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****

--__--__--

Message: 6
From: "Paul DeLisle" <ferret at hot.rr.com>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] History/Enculturation/Cliquishness....
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 17:05:04 -0500
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

> > One of the lines I use when trying to sell the SCA to people is
> > that in the SCA a lady is teated like a Lady.
> > > your servant,
> > > mahee

Ahh, yes...there goes Lady Sewingcircle....*HUGE* tracts of titles on *that*
one!

Alden
...who watches *far* too much Monty Python
(even if it *is* only a model...)

--__--__--

Message: 7
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 15:21:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Samuel jernigen <sirsdg at yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] weird food(was Stolen (Borrowed?) Items)
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

barring flood, a trip out of nessessity to CO, or
other disasters yes im going.

--- L T <ldeerslayer at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> --- Samuel jernigen <sirsdg at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > things to do in Ansteorra...
> >
>
> Does this mean you are goint to Steppes Warlord?
>
>
> Lorraine
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
> http://health.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> Ansteorra mailing list
> Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
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__________________________________________________
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--__--__--

Message: 8
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 18:09:20 -0500
From: "Olivia G. Rodrigues" <ladyoliviar at lycos.com>
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Mundanes, missing beers and threats
Organization: Lycos Mail  (http://www.mail.lycos.com:80)
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

*sigh*...we truly are living in 'The Dream' if we think we can control what=
 our teens do with their bodies....

I will admit to thinking, nay, would have SWORN, my daughter was a virgin u=
ntil her 18th but, alas, I was mistaken....she didn't last quite that long,=
 no matter how many promises I extracted from her.  I'm just glad she wasn'=
t 14 like one of her acquaintances I know of!

Olivia
---
Carpe Diem Ex Illo Vitae Opprime!

On Fri, 3 May 2002 12:56:43
 Jane Sitton wrote:
>Aside from the fact that virgins are highly overrated, you just haven't be=
en
>looking in the right places.  I can promise that if any young man were
>foolish enough to deflower my daughter before the age of 18 AND without
>paying a proper bride price, he would have his skull flattened by a large,
>irate blacksmith with a 16-pound sledge.  Her father is Scottish, and I
>wonder if any young man would be able to raise the bride price, but I
>suppose if the suitor started saving now (as my daughter is only 9)....
>
>LOL
>
>Madelina
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mike young [mailto:uther at lcc.net]
>Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 8:03 PM
>To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
>Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Mundanes, missing beers and threats
>
>
>Only because it's so hard to FIND a virgin these days:)
>gwyneth
>(trying to make a joke again?)
>_______________________________________________
>Ansteorra mailing list
>Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
>http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
>

--__--__--

Message: 9
From: "housedragonstar" <housedragonstar at prodigy.net>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Landlocked?
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 18:36:30 -0500
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

Well, you know...there are rumors floating about that Pirates, privateers,
and the like will be gathering at Steppes Warlord this year.

I have had several messages from my, hum, er...friends, yeah that its,
_friends_, that many of them have pledged to cause some sort of trouble
there involving the usual pirate stuff....drinking, singing, whatever
strikes their fancy.

Seems that you may get your raids after all.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chass Brown" <chass at cox.net>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Landlocked?

> Woohoo we could stand some good raids lol...
>
> Chass Brown aka Charinthalis Del Sans Autocrat Margrave/Vormund VIII
> Owner Dwarvenhome Armory    www.dwarvenhome.com
> Minister of A&S of Canton of Rundel
>
> Get a Taste for Religion, Lick a Witch.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jane Sitton" <jane.sitton at radioshack.com>
> To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 3:10 PM
> Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Landlocked?
>
>
> > After thinking about it, we really are technically landlocked, as none
of
> > the rivers is navigable all the way to the Gulf.  But you might be able
to
> > get around a bit in a very flat bottomed boat (or canoe) when the creeks
> are
> > up like they are now.
> >
> > I think you just advertised to the pirates and privateers.  After all,
> they
> > are opportunists, eh?
> >
> > Madelina
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Chass Brown [mailto:chass at cox.net]
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 1:31 PM
> > To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> > Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Landlocked?
> >
> >
> > Shesh tell me about it. I asked Crown last year what our boundries for
our
> > canton was, This is the response i got From North of Muskogee to the
Texas
> > Line West of Ada to the Arkansas Line.
> >
> > Hmm that is a huge hunk o land.
> > The reason I had asked was I was informed that Hugo was in our groups
> > boundries... None of us here knew this. We are far from land locked
though
> > Huge lake.. but no pirates.. alas.. mayhaps can we borrow some of yours?
> lol
> >
> > Chass Brown
> > _______________________________________________
> > Ansteorra mailing list
> > Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> > http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ansteorra mailing list
> Ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/ansteorra

--__--__--

Message: 10
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 16:55:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: L T <ldeerslayer at yahoo.com>
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: [Ansteorra] Period Religious Jewelery
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]

I know that the pentagram most Wiccans/Pagans wear was a Christian emblem in
period...(Sir Gawain...I believe... carried it on his shield as a symbol of
his dedication to the Christian God)

So what would be period appropriate jewelery for non-christians?

Lorraine DeerSlayer

---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness

--__--__--

Message: 11
From: "Jayme Michaels" <branapgruffydd at sbcglobal.net>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Period Religious Jewelery
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 19:12:34 -0500
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

Good Question.

--__--__--

Message: 12
From: "C. L. Ward" <gunnora at vikinganswerlady.org>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Period Religious Jewelery
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 19:54:30 -0500
Reply-To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

Lorraine said:
>I know that the pentagram most Wiccans/Pagans wear
>was a Christian emblem in period...(Sir Gawain...I
>believe... carried it on his shield as a symbol of
>his dedication to the Christian God)
>So what would be period appropriate jewelery for
>non-christians?

The pentagram as a Christian symbol is explained in full in Sir Gawain and
the Green Knight, a poem in Middle English, in lines 619-669:

then =FEay schewed hym =FEe schelde =FEat was of schyr goulez
wyth =FEe pentangel depaynt of pure golde hwez
he braydez hit by =FEe bauderyk aboute =FEe hals kestes
=FEat bisemed =FEe segge semlyly fayre
and quy =FEe pentangel apendez to =FEat prynce noble
I am in tent yow to telle =FEof tary hyt me schulde
hit is a syngne =FEat salamon set sumquyle
in bytoknyng of traw=FEe bi tytle =FEat hit habbez [fol. 99]
for hit is a figure =FEat haldez fyue poyntez
and vche lyne vmbelappez and loukez in o=FEer
and ayquere hit is emdelez and englych hit callen
oueral as I here =FEe endeles knot
for=FEy hit acordez to =FEis kny3t and to his cler armez
for ay faythful in fyue and sere fyue sy=FEez
gawan watz for gode knawen and as golde pured
voyded of vche vylany wyth verertuez ennourned

in mote
for=FEy =FEe pentangel nwe
he ber in schelde and cote
as tulk of tale most trwe
and gentylest kny3t of lote

fyrst he watz funden fautlez in his fyue wyttez
and efte fayled neuer =FEe freke in his fyue fyngres
and alle his afyaunce vpon folde watz in =FEe fyue woundez
=FEat cryst ka3t on =FEe croys as =FEe crede tellez
and quere soeuer =FEys mon in melly watz stad
his =FEro =FEo3t watz in =FEat =FEur3 alle o=FEer =FEyngez
=FEat alle his forsnes he fong at =FEe fyue joyez
=FEat =FEe hende heuen quene had of hir chylde
at =FEis cause =FEe kny3t comlyche hade
in =FEe inore half of his schelde hir ymage depaynted
=FEat quen he blusched =FEerto his belde neuer payred
=FEe fyft fyue =FEat I finde =FEat =FEe frek vsed
watz fraunchyse and fela3schyp forbe al =FEyng
his clannes and his cortaysye croked were neuer
and pite =FEat passez alle poyntez =FEyse pure fyue
were harder happed on =FEat ha=FEel =FEen on any o=FEer
now alle =FEese fyue sy=FEez for so=FEe were fetled on =FEis kny3t
and vchone halched in o=FEer =FEat non ende hade
and fyched vpon fyue poyntez =FEat fayld neuer
ne samned neuer in no syde ne sundred nou=FEer
withouten ende at any noke I quere fynde
whereeuer =FEe gomen bygan or glod to an ende
=FEerfore on his schene schelde schapen watz =FEe knot
ryally wyth red golde vpon rede gowlez
=FEat is =FEe pure pentaungel wyth =FEe peple called

with lore
now gray=FEed is gawan gay
and la3t his launce ry3t =FEore
and gef hem alle goud day
he wende for euermore.

[Then they showed him the shield of shining gules and the pentangle painted
with pure golden hues. He brandished it by the belt, and about his neck he
cast it, that he was seemly and fair to look upon. And I am intent to tell
you, though I may weary you somewhat, why that pentangle belonged to that
noble prince. It is a symbol that Solomon set up some while for betokening
of truth, as its name doth show. For it is a figure that hath five points,
and each line overlaps, and is locked in the other, and everywhere it is
endless, and the English call it, as I hear, the endless knot. Therefore wa=
s
it befitting this knight and his clean armour. For Sir Gawain was known as =
a
knight both good and true and faithful in five and many times five, and pur=
e
as gold, and void of all villany was he, and adorned with virtues

in the mote,
For the pentangle new
He bears in shield and coat,
And is a knight most true
And gentle man, I wot.

And first he was found faultless in his five wits. Then he failed not in hi=
s
five fingers. And all his trust on earth was in the five wounds suffered by
Christ on the cross, as the creeds do tell us, so that when the knight was
placed in the melee, his thought was ever upon them above all other things.
And so it was that all his strength he found in the five joys that the fair
Queen of Heaven had in her child. And for this cause it was that the knight
had made to be painted her image in comely fashion on the greater half of
his shield, so that when he looked upon it his valour never failed him. Now
the fifth five that this knight excelled in were frankness and fellowship
above all others, his cleanness and courtesy never were crooked, and
compassion, that surpasseth all else. These five pure virtues were fixed in
this knight more firmly than in any other. And all five times were so joine=
d
in him that each one held to the other without any ending and fixed at five
points, nor did they ever fail, for they were joined at no point nor
sundered were they at all, nor could one find any end thereof at any corner
when the games began or were gliding towards an ending. Therefore the knot
was shaped on his strong shield, all with red gold upon red gules, called
the pure pentangle among the people

of love.
Now geared is Gawain gay,
He brandished the lance he bore,
And bade them all good day,
And went forth evermore.]

As for period pagan jewelry, the Norse wor the symbol of the Hammer of
Thorr.  The vast majority of the more than forty Thor's hammer amulets know=
n
date from the late tenth and early eleventh centuries and were found
primarily in Denmark, south-eastern Sweden and southern Norway, in those
areas particularly subject to strong Christian influence. It seems quite
likely that the popularity of these amulets came about as a heathen respons=
e
to the crucifixes worn by increasing numbers of Christians in Scandinavia.
Indeed, some of the early crucifixes are quite similar in design to the
hammer, and in one example from Foss in southern Iceland, features of both
are incorporated into the overall design (see illo at
http://www.vikinganswerlady.org/graphics/IcelandCrossHammer.jpg). Graves
have been found with hammers and crosses side by side and from Jutland,
Denmark, there is a stone mold from which both hammers and crosses could be
cast (see illo at http://www.vikinganswerlady.org/graphics/cros&hmr.jpg),
indicating a certain level of acceptance of both religious symbols, perhaps
in the interest of spiritual pragmatism.

Earlier Thorr's hammer amulets are known, primarily from Anglo-Saxon graves
in Kent which date to the sixth or seventh centuries, although these would
still correspond to a similar period of growing Christian influence amongst
the largely heathen Anglo-Saxons. The evidence for the great antiquity of
the hammer as a religious device lies in its close relationship with the
axe. Many Viking Age graves contain axes deposited alongside hammers or
crosses, and axe amulets, many of which are virtually indistinguishable fro=
m
hammers, have been found throughout the Baltic area dating from the Viking
Age back to much earlier periods. Bronze Age (c1600-450 BCE) rock carvings
abound with axe and hammer wielding figures, mirrored by a number of bronze
figurines with axes and horned helmets found at Grevens Vinge, Denmark, mos=
t
of which are now lost and only known from drawings made in 1778. These
examples attest to the importance of the axe, the prototype of the hammer,
as a cultural and religious symbol long before the advent of iron
metallurgy, as does a richly decorated bronze axe-head from Vasteras,
Sweden, which is far too massive for ordinary use.

The swastika is also closely connected to Thorr's hammer and it is found as
a prominent motif in Scandinavian art from Bronze Age rock carvings to Iron
Age brooches, from Migration period swords and bracteates (see illo at
http://www.midhnottsol.org/lore/swastika/figs/fig236.gif) to Anglo-Saxon
cremation urns, and so on to the Viking Age and beyond. In Iceland a form o=
f
swastika called a Thorshammar was used until recent times as a magical
device to detect thieves. It is noteworthy that the majority of Thorr's
hammer amulets were found in hoards and house-sites rather than graves,
perhaps as a dedication to Thorr, but more likely as a measure of protectio=
n
from thieves.  This *is* a period type of pagan jewellry, but probably one
which would *not* be appropriate for the Current Middle Ages.

The Statens Historiska Museum in Sweden has a number of Viking Age Thorr's
Hammers in their photo database:

http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==4098
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==4102
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==4107
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==4324
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==5151
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==5263
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==5264
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==5267
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==5268
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==7328
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==6015
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==6271
http://www.historiska.se/collections/shm-bild/visa_stor.asp?ID==6978

::GUNNVOR::

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