File:Hurstwic- Approaching Old Norse Religions

Approaching Old Norse religions: What the available sources can tell us about the pre-Christian religions of the North

A presentation and discussion with Ólöf Bjarnadóttir at the Hurstwic Heathen Study Group

The two main written sources on Old Norse, pre-Christian religions are the Eddic poems and Snorra Edda written in Iceland in the early thirteenth century, a time when Iceland, along with most of Europe and Scandinavia, had converted to Christianity. Though undoubtedly largely originating in pre-Christian mythological material, these sources can therefore only confidently be said to reflect the contemporary knowledge of the subject at the time in which they were compiled. This reality has forced scholars of Old Norse religions to re-evaluate the evidence and broaden their field of research to include a wider range of extant written sources as well as the results of archaeological projects and place name research.

In this presentation, Ólöf introduces the main sources on Old Norse religions as well as discussing the problems and limitations of their use.

Ólöf Bjarnadóttir received the degree of Master of Arts from the University of Iceland. This presentation is, in part, based on her MA thesis.

The Hurstwic Heathen Study Group is an organization that meets monthly for informal presentations and discussions on topics of interest to heathens and to anyone with a passion for Norse-related topics. http://www.hurstwic.com/training/classes/heathen/index.htm