Medieval History
A fascinating discovery is shedding light upon pre-Christian Scandinavian religion and early Christian inroads into Norway. In the Norwegian press, this highly important find is being called "unparalleled," "first of its kind" and "unique," said to have been "deliberately and carefully hidden" - from invading and destructive Christians.
Located at the site of Ranheim, about 10 kilometers south of the Norwegian city of Trondheim, the astonishing discovery was unearthed while excavating foundations for new houses and includes a "gudehovet" or "god temple." Occupied from the 6th or 5th century BCE until the 10th century AD/CE, the site shows signs of usage for animal sacrifice, a common practice among different peoples in antiquity, including the biblical Israelites. (E.g., Num 7:17-88) Over 1,000 years ago, the site was dismantled and covered by a thick layer of peat, evidently to protect it from marauding Christian invaders. These native Norse religionists apparently then fled to other places, such as Iceland, where they could re-erect their altars and re-establish the old religion.
Click here to read this article from Examiner.com
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Medieval History
Archaeologists uncover pre-Christian temple in Norway
Located at the site of Ranheim, about 10 kilometers south of the Norwegian city of Trondheim, the astonishing discovery was unearthed while excavating foundations for new houses and includes a "gudehovet" or "god temple." Occupied from the 6th or 5th century BCE until the 10th century AD/CE, the site shows signs of usage for animal sacrifice, a common practice among different peoples in antiquity, including the biblical Israelites. (E.g., Num 7:17-88) Over 1,000 years ago, the site was dismantled and covered by a thick layer of peat, evidently to protect it from marauding Christian invaders. These native Norse religionists apparently then fled to other places, such as Iceland, where they could re-erect their altars and re-establish the old religion.
Click here to read this article from Examiner.com
- New Viking Village Discovered
Norwegian archeologists have discovered the foundations of at least 15 buildings, an 80-meter long street and a harbour near Gokstadhaugen burial mound in Sandefjord. So far, the ground hasn?t even been broken into. The remains that could potentially...
- Ninth-century Temple Being Restored In China
An ancient royal temple dating back to the ninth-century Gaochang Uygur kingdom in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is being repaired. Sculptures and murals in the Xida Temple, located in the town of Beiting, are being repaired by...
- Research Uncovers Connections Between Charcoal And The Church In Medieval Norway
Norway?s more than 1,000 year-old-city and historical capital, Trondheim, was a beehive of activity in medieval times. Recent archeological research in the city?s popular public forest, ?Bymarka?, has uncovered more than 500 charcoal pits, tell-tale signs...
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Norwegian scientists have found ?mummified? pine trees, dead for nearly 500 years yet without decomposition. The discovery could lead to a wealth of information for scholars examining the medieval environment. Dated to the early 1200s, the 40 dead Scotch...
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I?d like you to know that my new book Gods and Worshippers is now available. In this book, I have tried to take a fresh look at pre-Christian Scandinavia and the wider Germanic world. I wanted to give an overview of the machinery and the material culture...