Alba Heathen Celebrant

03/09/2024

Keys, we see them mentioned regarding the passing of the household keys to the bride during the marriage ceremony, but why?

We first see the imagery of keys associated with women in Þrymskviða when Þór disguises himself as Freyja after Mjolnir is stolen:

Keys around him | let they rattle,

And down to his knees | hung woman's dress;

With gems full broad | upon his breast,

And a pretty cap | to crown his head. - Þrymskviða 19, Bellows Translation.

The emphasis of mentioning the keys in regards to Þór dressing as a high-born woman suggests that the wearing of keys was not usual for men, although the link to it being associated with marriages is tenuous as the keys are worn before ór’s arrival at the ceremony.

We see the key being associated with the dress of a woman during a wedding in Rígsþula in regards to Snör:

Home did they bring | the bride for Karl,

In goatskins clad, | and keys she bore;

Snör was her name, | 'neath the veil she sat;

A home they made ready, | and rings exchanged,

The bed they decked, | and a dwelling made. - Rígsþula 23, Bellows Translation.

Again, we see Snör described before the wedding to be carrying keys. So where did this assumption that the key was passed to the bride as a signal of the beginning of married life? In terms of literary sources I CAN NOT FIGURE IT OUT. Dr Mary Wilhelmine Williams points to Corpus Poeticum Boreale for reference of the wedding being the first time a bride would carry keys, which is again the Þrymskviða reference. Williams argues for the symbolism of the bride holding the keys as her power over the indoor domain:

In spite of the fact that they were, in a sense, sold into matrimony and were the wards of their husbands, the legal wives really hold an honored position; and within their own homes they enjoyed much independence of action. The bunch of keys at the matron's belt was a real symbol of her control of matters indoors. Though the husband succeeded the father as guardian, he, like the former, showed a certain consideration for his wife's wishes, and even consulted her with reference to matters of weight. - Social Scandinavia in the Viking Age, Dr Mary Wilhelmine Williams.

In asserting this, Williams references; The Civilisation of Sweden, which is the repeat of the Þrymskviða reference; and the Origines Islandicae and Flóamanna saga which reflect the relationship between husband and wife.

Origines Islandicae seems to be an indication of Williams position of the woman's place within the household, though none to do with keys. The section referred to starts with a man seeking her approval to accept guests to over winter with them, to which she consents. Throughout the section, it becomes clear that an outbreak occurs of some sort of sickness and many die, including the hostess whose actions are spoken of by the guest as such:

“In a wonderful way is our hostess behaving now, for she is struggling upon her elbow, and is moving her feet from the bed stock and feeling after her shoes”

While I haven’t been able to secure an English translation of Flóamanna saga in a pdf or book form, the citation may be to do with Þorgils seeking advice from his wife Þóreyja regarding his dream of Þór trying to force his hand to convert, or his impending expedition may well go wrong. Another matter could be asking her if she wants to go to Greenland with him, to which she declines.

What about archeology? While it’s hard to tell with no international database for tumulus finds and contents, a majority of the keys found in grave mounds have been from those containing womens remains, some of which were highly stylised on the bow and chain which suggests one would wear them on display as a possible status symbol. Yet this doesn’t fully cement the idea of the exchange of the key at the wedding.

So what about today? I am not a fan of using two literary sources that are quite vague on the relationship between key and bride, had the sources been more varied or had been more clear of that relationship I would be happier with making certain leaps. But the archeology at least provides at least a physical realness to this possibility. It would also make sense, practically, to give your wife the keys to your household especially if you were one to go on frequent expeditions.

Now, obviously the historian's analysis will look into how Norse society was in the past in a way to try and understand it. This would obviously mean that the outcome would be that they would argue that the wife's domain would be generally domestic. This generally wouldn’t hold up today, particularly with younger generations who have to rely on multiple income sources in order to survive, we see today a general sharing of domestic duties at home.

That being said, what we can focus on instead is a precedent set within the sources cited. The key is not only the symbol of domain over the domestic, but a symbolic gesture that your wife has access to your concerns, trust, plans and secrets. That by giving her a key at your wedding, you will involve her in the decision making process in regards to your household. That should you have concerns over an upcoming life obstacle, you will confide in her.

The symbology of doing so would seem relevant in today's world, to tackle that one must be “stoic” from even the ones you love as it would be deemed “unmasculine” to do so in the eyes of others. That it would be normalised to be open about all matters regarding your oath and bond, that should be normalised once again.

01/09/2024

I would like to post a quick correction to this, as I seem to have glossed over Þrymskviða stanza 29:

Soon came the giant's | luckless sister,
Who feared not to ask | the bridal fee:
"From thy hands the rings | of red gold take,
If thou wouldst win | my willing love,
(My willing love | and welcome glad.)"

However, I would argue this doesn’t put any spiritual currency into the bridal price, but uses a common exchange between families to highlight the greed and lack of humility of the family of Thrym. It would also line up for a poetic telling of her death moments later by Thors hands:

32. The giant's sister | old he slew,
She who had begged | the bridal fee;
A stroke she got | in the shilling's stead,
And for many rings | the might of the hammer.

Edit of the correction:

Tacitus also mentions the dowry, however the main emphasis is put on the exchanging swords. So I would put more stock in the sword exchange than the mention of dowry.

29/08/2024

Our September conference, Exoterica September Conference, is almost here!

We want our conferences to be accessible to all Pagans. Our venue is in a central location with great accessibility, it will be live streamed, and we will have a quiet space for people on the day. We know how powerful community and connection can be so we don't want anyone to be excluded because of money.

Therefore, to support the Scottish Pagan community, we have decided to make some tickets available for free to Pagans who would otherwise be unable to attend.

If you are a Pagan who would like to attend our conference but would not be able to pay for a ticket, please email us at [email protected] and we will be able to offer you a ticket.

Please feel free to share this with any Pagans you know who may find this helpful.

29/08/2024

The Helsblot is concluded, the post made sacred through blot. The last altar and post to be removed from the Vé, she will stand once more in the Vé at the Asatru UK winternights moot, Hail Hel!

29/08/2024

Autumn and Winter weddings

As I watch the leaves start to brown and wither in the trees lining the roads on my way through Aberdeen, it makes me think of where we are in time and what impact this had on Heathen weddings in the past as well as what impacts it could have today.

So while there we can was a usual time for weddings in Norse society, this was largely due to a combination of factors to do with geography and weather, such as summer being the best time to sail for trade and raiding in the North and Baltic sea (Both seas generally get rough for even modern vessels from around October to March). Winters were also likely restrictive due to food scarcity or impediment to travelling longer distances because of snow and ice. This leaves Autumn as the most likely time, due to the abundance of food during the harvest season, returning traders who may carry some desirable goods such as good wines and generally when everyone would be home. There may have been some outliers, particularly with the wealthy who could probably afford holding larger feasts during the winter and were important enough that many would make the effort to travel for the occasion.

So instead of having a proscribed time in modern Heathenry, we should instead emphasise to couples to self-reflect on their own circumstances and make wise choices to account for them. Our struggles today are not the struggles of the past, and we should be mindful not to put ourselves in hardship in order to join the families together as it generally is a misstep in starting a new chapter in your lives.

To those living comfortably, a summer wedding can provide more opportunities for accommodation (in the form of camping) and is generally nicer for outdoor ceremonies and activities for all. For this reason, venues and suppliers tend to be busier making it hard to secure if you leave it until a year or under to book.

If you have a tighter budget, but still want to bring your close ones together, then autumn and winter weddings would probably be better suited. While the weather tends to be more versatile, venues generally cut their prices down by up to half and suppliers are less in demand so can be booked with ease. Provided with a suitable venue, firepits, fireplaces, candles, woollen blankets and gluhwein could build an atmosphere of frith and cosiness that shields from the cold outwith.

With the prescribed festival of Jól being a time of coming together, feasting, swearing great oaths and celebrating, it would be fitting to have a wedding to coincide for those closest to you to do just that. Depending on your geography, luck, and how you measure the date of Jól, you could very well find yourself performing the ceremony in the snow.

So should you fall in love with the colours of autumn, the biting cold of winter, or find it difficult to afford a summer wedding, then grab your blankets and start the fires to begin your new saga in the long night.

28/08/2024

Love this, an unique historical replica.

Would be perfect for the high table at the feast for the bride and groom!

The blue of this claw beaker is so vibrant! Believe it or not, this glass is based off a 5th century find that's on display in the British museum! 😆
Grab yours here: https://loom.ly/tN8YYeg

27/08/2024

Good morning Heathens

What a weekend we have just had, our heartfelt thanks to all who attended Helsmoot this year! Blots and Sumbels observed, frith shared, feasts a plenty and the joy and merriment was palpable throughout! The weather was... interesting but made it all the more memorable.

Congratulations to the North West Heathens for winning the kindred games and the most sincerest gratitude to all the events team, the committee and the various volunteers who made the Great Heathen Gathering possible, your tireless work all year round to make AUK events possible is inspiring!

For now we are all going to take a week off to relax and realign before throwing ourselves into our next events, our community projects, the Nerthus Initiative and (drum roll please) Tyrsmoot!

That's right, next year we will be consecrating a Godpost in honour of Tyr!

Watch our spaces for updates!

Want to support Asatru UK in growing? Consider becoming a patron member for an annual fee of only £16!

https://www.asatruuk.org/patron

26/08/2024

Dowry

When initially researching for our own wedding, the topic of dowry kept on being mentioned everywhere I looked with no context or source, taking a lot of effort to just find mentions of this.

So, having read the sources they came from and my understanding of the translation, I have found no spiritual basis for paying a dowry. In the time of these laws and customs, the dowry seemed to be a measure the groom was capable of looking after themselves, for the father of the bride to set up the bride and groom (as usually they were between 12 and 20 years old when getting married) and for the bride to have a contingency fund should she need a divorce or was to be widowed.

There are three main words used regarding dowries I can find reference to:

Mundr - This is the only instance I could find a reference in a saga and not a lawbook, however the translation can be quite demeaning. The word meaning payment and brides being described as “bought and paid for”: mundi keypt

“So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but loved him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure meted to her.”

“Sigurðr óx þar upp með Hjálpreki, ok unni hvert barn honum. Hann fastnaði Álfi konungi Hjördísi ok mælti henni mund.” - Volsunga Saga, Chapter 13, Bellows Translation.

In the context of the use of the word, one would assume that it is the price from the groom to the family of the bride.

Heimanferð - This word seems to be used more frequently, however the mentions are more in relation to the handling of the dowry paid by the father to the groom. In Guta Lag, there are multiple references to this and how to handle it after the groom passes on, but also the handling of livestock portions of dowry. In Grágás the only mention of dowries I could find was regarding the settlement of debts and how the dowry could not be touched unless the wife willingly entered into debt along with her husband.

Haim Fylgi - This is the closest I could see to something customary, and more akin to a gift than a price tag. This portion of the dowry was given by either the groom or the brides closest kin to the bride. Depending on the mention, this was an advance on her inheritance, a substitute for it, or an outright gift. Has multiple variations, but found in Grágás, Guta Lag, Jónsbók, The Frostathing Law, The Younger Law of the Västgötar and The Older Law of the Västgötar.

What does this mean for us in today's world? Well, nothing. At least in the UK.

These laws and the custom seemed to serve as a means of ensuring a family didn’t starve should something befall the legal head of the house, and the laws are incredibly out of place for our world. In the UK a widow (of any gender) is entitled to a bereavement support payment immediately after their spouses passing, and are usually the recipient of the widowers pension pot. Our society has now advanced enough that a practice that could very well offend one party serves no spiritual, legal or functional purpose is out of place.

What seems to have happened with the spiritual bloggers is they have picked up references from reenactment and history pages that haven’t stated their sources and ran with it instead of checking up on the origins of where all of this has come from. This could be an innocent mistake, or it could be “shock” value of these blogs to attract more readers as the more fringe acts come with an air of “authenticity”.

This is with one exception. The giving of Haim Fylgi is the only part of all of this that can serve as a spiritual bonding, with the caveat it serves only as a gift and not a payment. In this, it fulfils the “gift-givers’ friendship”:

“Friends shall gladden each other | with arms and garments,

As each for himself can see;

Gift-givers' friendships | are longest found,

If fair their fates may be.” - Hávamál Stanza 41, Bellows Trans.

23/08/2024

An interesting snippet of history in the surrounding area of Weddings at Comrie Croft that caught my eye during wedding planning.

In the late 800s, the Ua Ímair (Ivar the Boneless' dynasty in Dublin) was becoming largely unstable. Two rival Irish Kings of Breda and Leinster saw an opportunity in the rise of Ímair Ua Ímair (son of Bardur Ivarsson) and seized Dublin, exiling him and his brother along with their retinue.

Forced to retreat to lands held in Scotland, and presumably penniless to establish another settlement, Ímair was likely forced to raid more locally than it was wise to.

Ímair went forth and started skirmishing with Constantine II of Scotland, leading to a raid on Dunkeld.

It's not clear whether Ímair over wintered in Dunkeld, or the skirmishes continued for another year before Ímair and one of his brothers were felled in the Battle of Strathearn by the Fortriu from the North.

This led to 50 years of peace from viking skirmishes on mainland Scotland. And so happens to be at least within 30 miles of our wedding venue!

22/08/2024

A Name

I don’t think I need to go into depth about the importance of ancestor worship in Germanic Paganism, and if you wish to delve into that then I would suggest reading The Road to Hell: A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature.

Instead I will be dialling into one aspect of a ritual you may want to include in your marriage ceremony. I am going to give a quick overview of Uþal and how it relates to customs such as expanding your family via marriage or birth.

When you look up this concept, you may find more references to land inheritance and connections with legendary rulers or gods. By declaring your lineage going back 3, 6 or 9 generations back, you solidify your claim or land or rulership (See runestones U 130, Sö 145, Sm 71, Hs 14, and Sö 176). However there is an element here in which I would like to discuss, Hamingja.

By calling back on ancestral lineage, they didn’t just call upon a memorised family tree to prove legitimacy but to invoke the reputation of those invoked to backup their claim, or as some could characterise it as inciting the luck or hamingja those recited worked to cultivate in their lifetimes. In fact we see this sort of invocation throughout the sagas and poems throughout Germanic Paganism. The attestations are mostly of naming rituals, or Ausa Vatni, but not limited to.

In Vatnsdæla, Chapter 7, it states: “Thorstein had a son by his wife, and, when the boy was born, he was brought to his father. Thorstein looked at him and said: ‘That boy shall be named Ingimund, after the father of his mother, and I expect him to be lucky on account of his name.”

In Svarfdæla, Chapter 5 Thórólf says to his brother, Thorstein, to name his future son after him before dying: “... I want thee to give him the name of Thórólf, and all the luck which I have had I will give to him…”

Even in Beowulf, the second sentence we see him utter he invokes his fathers prowess: “and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac.

In his day, my father was a famous man,

a noble warrior-lord named Ecgtheow.

He outlasted many a long winter

and went on his way. All over the world

men wise in counsel continue to remember him.”

Now let’s focus on that last one a little, and I’ll begin to speculate. Beowulf never outright states luck, but we can infer it as his fathers reputation as a warrior that he is invoking that reputation for himself to add foundation for his later claims of personal prowess, getting his foot in the door with the name of his father in order to rend his own services as a warrior. Which would prove successful with Hrothgar's recognition later on:

"I used to know him when he was a young boy. His father before him was called Ecgtheow. Hrethel the Geat gave Ecgtheow his daughter in marriage. This man is their son, here to follow up an old friendship.”

The combination of declaration and acknowledgement could be set aside as a simple proceeding between nobles and “not that deep”, but the importance of names and lineage across many sources would pull weight into the significance.

I could (And plan to at some point) go into more detail about all the sources around names and reciting of, but what does this mean now? Where does this recital fit into our world where we may not be know or be proud of our genetic lineage, where many of us don’t have direct royal lines?

The names we invoke are a reflection of the very person we want to be presented as. An aspiring warrior will call upon the names of warriors within their ancestry. One on a quest for wisdom will call upon the wisest of them. Someone who seeks renown, would recite the name of those who had already earned it. This does not need to be family though. Our ancestors were not shy of fostering and those bonds may have proved stronger than that of blood. You can call upon the names of those who have inspired you to be the person you are today, dead or alive, honouring them as your spiritual ancestors.

In reciting the names of those we have lost, and the ones who contributed to our very being, they never truly leave us:

Cattle die, | and kinsmen die,

And so one dies one's self;

But a noble name | will never die,

If good renown one gets. - Havamal 77, Bellows Translation

In a wedding, I believe a good time to recite would be when the parties arrive at the Ve for the ceremony, declaring who they are and who they are from to invoke the luck accumulated by that line in order to weave it with the others. This, I believe, would bind the families together in Hamingja and fate.

As I write this, Asatru UK are at The Great Heathen Gathering, preparing to consecrate the godpost of the keeper of our ancestors Hel. While I am not able to attend myself, I hope those that are will have the memories of absent friends in their hearts, and maybe recite their names so they may never die.

13/08/2024

Now for the main event, the reason there is a wedding in the first place and why there’s calling of witnesses from friends and family to gods themselves. Oaths.

The legality of oaths is still prevalent today within our sectors of government such as the House of Commons and the courts, with consequences still being severe in some cases. In antiquity and Heathenry there is another aspect of this practice though. Entwined with the legality is the oath's deep connection to your virðing and hamingja, honour and luck respectively, with the more impactful oaths bolstering them and breaking an oath drastically eroding them.

I would always suggest to anyone making any oath to consider the wording carefully. Gods are seen as breaking oaths in the Eddas, however these cases are met with mild ridicule to an arm being bitten off. For mortals, the price may have been more drastic:

“Then second I rede thee, | to swear no oath
If true thou knowest it not;
Bitter the fate | of the breaker of troth,
And poor is the wolf of his word.” - Sigrdrífumál Stanza 23, Bellows Translation.

Interestingly, the Icelandic of that stanza uses the word “Vargr” for wolf, related to outlawry where one would be sentenced to live outside of society. Obviously, we are beyond that point in modern times, however breaking an oath could see you unwelcome in certain circles as they do not want to be associated with someone with no integrity.

Oaths in Ancient Germanic Society is a huge subject, with many great authors and academics that have written extensively into the subject, but what does it mean for you?

Think deeply about what you intend to oath at your wedding, is it manageable? Is it reasonable? What are the impacts of not being able to hold to it? While this is a celebrants page, I would like to point out divorce is very much allowed in Heathenry, but in my view the oath needs to allow for it. Some couples may opt to put a time limit on the oath and renew them periodically. Some may put a condition in which the oath becomes null.

However you want to go about declaring your oaths is up to you, and I’ll happily be there to guide and advise you in writing them if you’re unsure.

Sylwia and I are writing our oaths separately, but we have both agreed to including a single line:

“Until the last ‘I love you’”.

07/08/2024

Jewellery in weddings today are often an accessory rather than an item of solemnity, however we still see elements of honouring ancestors in more recent traditions such as wearing rings passed down generations. Conventionally, the wearing of jewellery, and any family traditions surrounding such, seems to be more centralised around the bride with jewellery being seen widely as effeminate. I’m going to argue against that in the case of Heathen weddings.

From grave finds to hoards, we see many examples of necklaces, rings, brooches, belts, hair beads and much more, and not just for women, but for men too. In fact what we know from those times, due to these finds and eye witness accountings, even the men dressed to show off some bling. Theories do point to jewellery not being just a sign of wealth, but was also used as a wearable currency in itself.

So what does that generally mean for you? Well, it’s simple really. Do what you want and forget about conventionality. However, I won’t leave it there, let's go into some inspiration for all and not just the bride.

If you’re the sort that doesn’t want to cover yourself in rings for no purpose, then I would suggest borrowing or using jewellery that you’ve inherited bringing a token of your ancestors into a space filled with symbology dedicated to gods. A brooch from a past grandmother to secure your buttonhole if you wish to have one. A signet ring passed down from parent to child. A necklace said to be in the family for decades, if not centuries.

If you’re not opposed to adorning yourself then, like me, the world is your oyster. Hair and beard beads if you have sufficient length. Gold, silver and bronze rings. Necklaces with iconography. Brass plating on a belt.

If you’re pierced, like myself, then you may be asking, would earrings and piercings be keeping with Heathen tradition? Well it’s likely not traditional to have piercings in Heathenry.

However, a culture with evidence of other body modifications such as filed teeth and skull shaping possibly for aesthetic opposed to necessity, I would not say it would be against Heathen tradition to adorn your body further with piercings. More in addition to rather than against.

So personally I will be decorating my lips and ears with some golden rings, wearing some rings, my arm ring, hair beads and a Mjolnir.

One thing I would like to point out though, is be wary of where you source your jewellery from. Be sure to source your jewellery from ethical sources, as some online “Viking” stores tend to get their wares from unethical sweatshops. Personally Sylwia and I will be going to smaller jewellers and Heathen traders to source our wedding day jewellery.

31/07/2024

Godposts, while not essential, can be a brilliant addition to the marriage ceremony. Unfortunately what we know about godposts is limited to written sources and small statues due to the fact that Ólafur Tryggvason (and other Christian leaders in Scandinavia and Iceland) forcibly imposed Christianity, burning temples and destroying idols.

But the spectrum presented to us in the timeline and region of these sources and archeology suggests that having at least a small idol was commonplace across the time period, probably having small personal altars in your home for private use.

However, I want to focus on the larger examples given, which have only survived in written material so far.

I’ll start with the two most outright mentions of idols larger than a small statuette that sits atop your drawers, Ibn Fadlan and Ólafur Tryggvason.

In Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness, he recounts his travels as part of an envoy to the Slavs and Rus Vikings. In one section he describes an offering to a godpost:

“As soon as their boats arrive at this port, each of them disembarks, taking with him bread and meat, onions, milk and nabidh, and he walks until he comes to a great wooden post stuck in the ground with a face like that of a man, and around it are little figures. Behind these images there are long wooden stakes driven into the ground. Each of them prostrates himself before the great idol” - Ibn Fadlan And The Land Of Darkness, Arab Travellers In The Far North, Offering to the Idols - Translation by Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone.

This presents a clearly painted picture of a wooden pole carved into what is likely the visage of a god surrounded by smaller statuettes of possibly other deities. The act of giving offering and prostrating themselves before them is a clear indicator of what these are. While some may dispute the veracity of some of Ibn Fadlan's claims in certain areas discussed in his writings, some would argue his neuter language in this section with no embellishment suggests this to be accurate, especially when compared to other sources.

In Óláfs saga helga we see something similar.

“And when he got to the assembly, then some of the farmers had arrived.

Then they saw a great multitude of farmers coming to the assembly and

carrying between them a huge image of a person, adorned with gold and

silver. And when the farmers that were at the assembly saw that, then they

all leapt up and bowed down to this monstrosity. After that it was placed in

the middle of the assembly field.” - Chapter 113, Heimskringla Saga - Translated by Alison Finlay and Anthony Faulkes.

The idol being adorned with gold and silver suggests that it may have been made out of a more fragile material. The size may be exaggerated for the story, however if it did have mice and snakes as is suggested a couple of paragraphs later, then it wouldn’t be too far to imagine how big it was.

For our less direct references, we start to talk about pillars. Referred to in Landnámabók as öndvegissúlur (high-seat pillars) the name suggests that these pillars would be set up bracketing the high-seat where the Jarl would sit.

We first see this with Ingólfr, who’s pillars were carved with the face of Þórr:

“... but when he came west, off Broadfirth, he threw overboard the high seat posts, whereon Thor was carved. And he prayed thus over them that Thor as he called the posts or pillars might there come to land where the god wished him to settle,...” - The Book of the Settlement of Iceland, Page 49 - Translated and commented on by Rev. T. Ellwood.

This wouldn’t be the last time we see this sort of practise to decide where to settle, with it occurring again with Lodmund in the same source, but also in Eyrbggja Saga:

“Then Thorolf cast overboard the pillars of his high-seat, which had been in the temple, and on one of them was Thor carven; withal he spake over them, that there he would abide in Iceland, whereas Thor should let those pillars come a-land.” - Chapter 4, Eyrbyggja Saga - Translated by William Morris & Eirikr Magnusson.

With these two mentions, we know that “Öndvegissúlur” suggests that these pillars were common due to the assigned name given to them. Not only common, but seen as being temporary vessels for the gods will notified by the behaviour demonstrated here but also the act of offering and prostration to said statues.

It’s interesting though, the use of the word pillar. Irminsûl, meaning “Great Pillar”, seems to mirror this (with hints of World Tree mythos in there in areas) with Widukind of Corvey describing them laying out an altar to their god of victory, depicted on a wooden column.

In Kjalnesinga Saga we see the word “stóð” meaning pillar or stood interchangeably depending on context while describing the temple built by Þorgrímur. It describes a hall with “many pillars”. Now a common explanation is the context of pillars could just be the supporting columns of the long hall, but another theory is that these pillars are actually carved god posts worthy of mention given supporting columns would be commonplace in a long hall.

In the same saga, Búi is sued for “false-worship” for not prostrating himself before Thor, and sentenced to exile. This coupled with the previous quote from Ibn Fadlan suggests a universal veneration for these totems.

Now, we don’t have a surviving example of a Heathen pillars, but cultures are not in a vacuum. We have an example of a god pillar that has survived from a close neighbour to the Germanic Pagans, the Slavs. In what is now North-West Ukraine, a Polabian Slav (a precursor to Western Slavic nations) pillar made of limestone was found in 1848 in Galicia.

Initially has four faces, each with a different figure on them in different poses. Those figures have another figure below them and all seemingly held up by a man at the bottom. At first, this was thought to be Sviatovid associated with war and abundance. Later a Russian archeologist, Boris Rybakov, proposed a different theory.

Rybakov proposes that the faces represent different gods and goddesses entirely. The female face with the horn being Mokosh, the Mother Goddess. The female with the ring being Lada, which arguments suggest she is the Slavic equivalent of Freyja. The man with the sword and horse being Perun, a Slavic mirror of Thor, and the last side being Dazhbog, suggested to be a god of light. With the further figure holding them up being Veles, the god of the underworld. The pose Veles is in would suggest Mokosh being the front of the pillar.

In recent history, public pillars are extremely rare, most being owned privately by individuals or kindreds. However, there are national community owned pillars. I’m of course talking about the godposts by Asatru UK. Currently they have four posts, Odin, Freyja, Thor and Hel who is to be consecrated later this month. By the time of my wedding, it’ll be five, with Tyr looking to be leading in the community vote.

While you do not need godposts to call to the gods to witness your oaths, having the pillars is an extra step to imbue the ceremony with their presence in the sacred space.

What do we plan to do for this though? Well, Sylwia is an eclectic Slav/Heathen Pagan, so we’re looking into options to carve a reconstruction of the Zbruch Idol. With the Heathen gods though, from the community thyng, it has been hinted that Asatru UK will be hiring their posts for Naming Ceremonies, Weddings and other events in order to raise money for the Nerthus Initiative.

The Nerthus Initiative aims to raise money in order to secure land in order to build an Inclusive Heathen temple in the UK, a worthy cause that I would love to see achieved in my lifetime.