Dr. Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, skeptic, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.
So you're a metal detectorist and you find a silver figurine at storied Lejre in Denmark. It depicts a person sitting in a high seat whose posts end in two wolves' heads. And on either arm rest sits a raven. The style is typical for about AD 900. So when you hand the thing over to the site manager, he of course exclaims, "Holy shit! It's Odin!". And that's what he tells the press.
Until somebody like me comes along and points out that it's a woman.
She's wearing a floor-length dress. And a shawl. And four finely sculpted bead strings. This is a standard depiction of an aristocratic lady of the later 1st Millennium. The Lejre figurine is a direct counterpart to the Aska pendant (below), which is universally understood as the effigy of a goddess. The high seat is Odin's, allright. But the occupant is most likely Frigga or Freya. Or maybe, just maybe, Thor in drag during the hammer reclamation mission. That is so cool! This find will mess with everybody's mind!
Congratulations to detectorist Tommy Olesen who found the piece two months ago! And thanks to Tobias Bondesson for the heads-up.
[More blog entries about odin, paganism, aesir, religion, denmark, vikings, freya, goddess, silver, figurine; oden, freja, hedendom, religion, vikingar, danmark, silver, figurin.]
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
Den nedre skulle jag gärna ha som smycke! :-D
Posted by: Gealach | November 13, 2009 4:28 PM
Oooookay. So, how did she get on his throne? What juicy background story am I missing?
Posted by: David Marjanović | November 13, 2009 4:48 PM
Weren't there a story about the time Odin went missing and Frigga stepped in for him?
It's fantastically cute anyway - the best little figurine since Aska no doubt.
Posted by: ArchAsa | November 13, 2009 4:59 PM
Wow.
Posted by: The Ridger | November 13, 2009 5:51 PM
I forwarded this piece to my friend Susan, who likes to mess with people's heads even more than you do, and thus would like to remind you that Odin too dressed up as a woman to seduce Rind, and that there's always Loki...
Posted by: Christina | November 13, 2009 7:18 PM
Why does the high seat have to belong to Odin? The vala sits on a seidhhjallr, and Freyja presides over assemblies.
Posted by: Max | November 13, 2009 11:17 PM
the ravens, at least, are associated with Odin. the wolfheads may be too, but i'm not too clear on Odinistic symbology.
Posted by: Nomen Nescio | November 13, 2009 11:20 PM
Yeah, nobody else in the codified Medieval version of the mythology is associated with a pair of ravens and a pair of wolves.
Posted by: Martin R | November 14, 2009 5:12 AM
That is one interesting find! The archaeological evidence supporting that the aristocratic ruler of the late Iron Age may be a woman is quite firm in my opinion, looking at the burial evidence from Tuna in Badelunda, Köpingsvik, Oseberg, Aska etc. This further support this idea if you ask me. The idea, however, don´t have too many Danish supporters. Quite funny that when an image of a possible aristocratic ruler in Lejre is found it turns out to be a woman...
Posted by: Fredrik Svanberg | November 14, 2009 6:26 AM
I like the theory that maybe it is actually Odin in drag... there is the suggestion that he has "unmanly" magical proclivities related to seidh in I think Volsunga Saga, after all.
Insofar as he uses Hlidskalf to see out across the worlds (a metaphor for some kind of seidh-trance vision or the like, perhaps), well, doesn't take too much to add up.
Total speculation of course, but certainly fits with the available evidence....
Posted by: Henry Lauer | November 14, 2009 9:15 AM
900 C.E. was a very fluid time. It may be a Frisian goddess. Also, there is a strong possibility of Celtic influence. Ravens were associated with Lugh and the Morrigan in Celtic mythology. Denmark, being a coastal country, is right at the center of many different influences. Also, I can think of at least 3 examples from the lore of other Aesir or Vanir hanging out around Hlithskalf while Odin wasn't there.
Posted by: Ben Bresett | November 14, 2009 12:01 PM
Cool post Martin!
Posted by: Mike Olson | November 14, 2009 2:32 PM
It is indeed a marvelous find! The closest parallel I know of is a small silver amulet chair from a grave by Haithabu. It's published by, among others, Vierck in the "Ausgrabungen"-series - But it's way simpler and there's no one sitting in it...
/N B
Posted by: Ny Björn | November 14, 2009 4:36 PM
The Eddas mention specifically that the only other person allowed to sit on Odin's High Seat other than He Himself, was Frigga. Therefore, my vote is that this is Frigga.
(Yes, there is one story in which Freyr sits on Hlidskjalf, without "official" sanction. That doesn't really fit with the revelation of this being a woman, though.)
Posted by: Laure Lynch | November 14, 2009 8:47 PM
Oooo, when I first read about this find, wouldn't it be great to find Odin sitting on Hlidskalf? But on second thought, it may be Frigga instead she also sits on Hlidskalf while Odin is away. The statue looks like it is wearing a necklace and what looks like a shawl and skirt.
But the eyes are different. The Right eye is staring (as expected) while the Left eye is "marred"/closed. So, I have to agree with Mr. Lauer. In either case, a very important find.
Saxo Grammaticus tells that Odin dressed as a woman and practiced "seidr" magick to seduce Rind in "The History of the Danes" But Saxo didn't think highly of the Danish pagans and their myths anyway. However, in Havamal 97-102, the Odin courtship of Rind is outlined. In Lokasenna 24, Loki accuses Odin of dressing as woman and
"knocked at houses as a Vala. (Vala: seeress)
In likeness of a fortune teller,
thou wentest among people;
Now that, methinks, betokens a base nature." (Thorpe's translation)
Posted by: Laurie | November 15, 2009 1:40 AM
In my opinion we should let the female attire trump the ownership of the high seat, and interpret the figure as a goddess. Or we will end up in a situation where all human figures are men, dressed either in male or female attire.
Also, remember that the Medieval versions of the mythology are most likely just a sample of the innumerable versions floating around and constantly mutating during the period of oral tradition.
Posted by: Martin R | November 15, 2009 7:46 AM
It's clearly a womans dress with apron dress and all, but what about the birds? Are we sure they are ravens, waht about Falcons? Could it be Freja with falcons? The percular rings around the nech and half the face could be Brisingamen, the heads behind her doesn't look like wolves to me, what about dragonheads on a highseat? - And the thingie in her head could be a helmet, that would also eplain the bignose, a helmet with noseprotector. - and the funny clothing on the upper body under the cape, how about a chainmail?
Freja in wardress sitting in a highseat - To me this makes so much more sence than Odin.
Posted by: Helena Valorinta | November 15, 2009 12:28 PM
Those ribbed arcs on her chest are usually interpreted as bead necklaces.
Posted by: Martin R | November 15, 2009 3:16 PM
Hello all. I would have to say that it is Frigga, not Freya, and without a doubt it is not Asa Thor.
I belive that it would be Frigga, wife of Odin. In the Mythos of the people, Freya is a Goddess of love and war. Frigga is a Goddess of magic and a weaver of deeds. She has been known to go and sit on the High Seat (Death of Baldur).
In the story, one version anyway, Odin goes to a seer and sees the death of their beloved son, the most shining of all the Gods, Baldur. Odin returns home and tells his wife Frigga about it. She is so upset that she decides to try and change the weaving of the Norns (fate)
Frigga goes to the High seat and looks about the world, than ventures out and receives an oath from all things of the nine worlds, that they would not harm Baldur, all execpt for the mistletoe. The mistletoe is too young to understand it's oath, so she does not solicit one from it. When all the other Gods find out that Baldur is impervious to all things, they all gather and take sport in throwing axes and spears, arrows and stones at him. All the missles fall to the floor. All are participating in the sport except for one god who is blind. Loki tricks the god into shooting a bolt of mistletoe at Baldur, killing him.
It is my opinion that this is a depiction of that story, when Frigga turns to the high seat to gain her information about all things. Well that is my two cents.
sources:
Poetic Edda
Snorri
Poetic Saga
Snorri
Myths of the Norsemen
Helene A. Guerber
Gods and myths of Northern Europe
H.R. Ellis Davidson
Posted by: William Shelbrick | November 15, 2009 10:55 PM
I can't see how this could be any other god than Odin. Two wolves (Gere & Freke) and two ravens (Hugin & Munin). And most important of all, the figure has only one eye. No other norse god than Odin has one eye.
I'm not so in to 900 AD fashion, so I don't have any special comments about the clothing. Even if Odin was known for his witchcraft (seid), which was a woman thing, I would doubt that any would make a figure of him in drag. So this is most probably some kind of mens clothing as well.
And why put another god than Odin on a throne? In this case Hlidskjalv. Even if other gods are known to have used Hlidskjalv, this isn't their used position. Well, it could be Frøya, but then there should be two cats with her on the throne, and no birds. And she would for sure have had two eyes.
Posted by: Stig Tjelle | November 16, 2009 12:33 PM
"Bead strings"? Who wears "bead strings" *across* their chest? I would rather see it as a chainmail, and then Hängekäft as Odins chainmail is called. I too think it looks like there is one eye missing, and I can't recall Freja missing one eye either.
And "shawl"? Didn't Brisingamen fit better into this queer theory? After all, Freja has got a necklace, so if there's ANYTHING here resembling Freja, that's it.
The clothes are among the only thing I can agree seems a little strange, and making it worth questioning if this really is Odin.
The throne, the wolves, the ravens, the missing eye and the chainmail makes it a lot more likely that this is Odin, and not Freja.
Posted by: Bockas | November 17, 2009 5:22 AM
Look at a few tens of high-status female representations from the period, and I'm sure you will agree.
Posted by: Martin R | November 17, 2009 5:36 AM
I fully agree with Martin R that the person on the throne is a women/goddess. Possibly Freya/Frigg manifested as the great goddess (symbol. the throne) ruling the heavens (symbol. ravens/birds) and the earth (symbol. wolvs/dragons). I also think as Martin that the Lejre figurine is depicting the same individual as the Aska pendant from Hagebyhöga, Östergötland, Sweden. She is also wearing a helmet/cap; the beads/necklace can be interpreted as Freya’s famous necklace Brísingamen; she wears the same kind of cloak and apron. My personal research material is the Gotlandic Picture stones and on them we also have depictions of seated women, women associated with birds, and wearing the same kind of clothing. The figurine also reassembles other silver pendants and gold foils found in Scandinavia. Frankly, I cannot understand how anybody could have interpreted this figure as male when we have so many analogies. Does anybody know if the museum and the Danish scholars involved have put out any amendment?
Kind Regards
Alexander Andreeff
PhD-student
University of Gothenburg
Posted by: Alexander Andreeff | November 18, 2009 8:10 AM
Den siddende person har en god parallel i en lille, nu forsvundet guldfigur, 1.95 cm høj, fra Danmark (jf. både kappe, perlekæder og det karakteristiske rektangulære 'nedhæng' med prikkerne). Denne figur har været fastgjort til noget. - Den er gengivet fra tre sider i min bog 'Danmarks vikingetid' (København 1980) s. 20. - Jeg tolkede den som en spillebrik, der havde været fastgjort til en fod - men det kunne jo også være en stol. Jeg opfattede den som snarest en kvinde. - For mange år siden er den også afbildet andetsteds, men jeg husker ikke hvor.
Posted by: Else Roesdahl | November 19, 2009 12:36 AM
Welcome to Aardvarchaeology, Else!
(Prof. Roesdahl is one of Scandinavia's foremost Viking Period authorities.)
Posted by: Martin R | November 19, 2009 2:32 AM
The Museum in Roskilde has put the piece on public display - see http://www.roskildemuseum.dk/Default.aspx?ID=310 - with a close up of the face (remember the piece is only 17.5mm [0.7"] high).
They seem to stick with their interpretation of the figure as a depiction of Odin.
Posted by: Henrik | November 19, 2009 6:53 AM
Is it a weakness in the modelling, or does the figure actually have the lower part of his / her head hidden by two socking great rings – as if a scarf or gag were wrapped around the face?
Posted by: Al | November 19, 2009 10:17 AM
Looks like a ring or collar to me. The piece is tiny. And the period's artists didn't care much about faces, concentrating on gesticulation and material attributes like those bead strings.
Posted by: Martin R | November 19, 2009 11:19 AM
He looks pretty grim to me. OK one eye lookes somewhat blinded and someone took his nose away and it looks as if his mouth is tied up strictly!
Maybe it is new???
Posted by: Brita Poulsen | November 21, 2009 3:13 AM
Hi,
Is it possible that the eye damage is, well, damage?
Not part of the original casting at all?
Just a thought.
Cheers,
Cliff
Posted by: Cliff Eastabrook | November 22, 2009 5:40 AM
Yep. Looking at excavated figurines from all parts of the world and all time, one eye is usually more damaged than the other. Means nothing.
Posted by: Martin R | November 22, 2009 5:44 AM
I do agree with Prof. Roesdahl - I also think there is an interesting resemblance between the throned figurine and the small piece from Trønninge, somewhat further to the west of Lejre. Pictures of that find is also to be found in Flemming Bau's "Seler og slæb i vikingetid. Birka's kvindedragt i nyt lys" (in Kuml 1981) - his line-up there shows perfectly well that the Lejre find without doubt is to be interpreted as female (or in drag if you're a die-hard disbeliever).
As for the would-be helmet: Keep in mind that we're dealing with an object no more than 20 mm high! The smooth appearance could easily be the result of wear due to repeated polishing, as seen on, for example, the Aska pendant
Posted by: Ny Björn Gustafsson | November 22, 2009 7:57 AM