COA07 - Chieftains and Temples

Viking Age Podcast

History, Society & Culture

4.9 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 2 January 2018

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode we begin to explore Pagan practice in Iceland, focusing on the religious roles of the goðar. In this first episode we will be discussing:

- The role played by the goðar in the conversion of Iceland.
- A rune stone attesting to an early Danish goðar.
- A remarkable cult building at Uppkåra in South Western Sweden.
- The close ties between political and religious power in Viking Age Scandinavia.

Recommended reading for this episode is Pre-Christian cult at aristocratic residences and settlement complexes in Southern Scandinavia in the 3rd – 10th centuries AD by Lars Jørgensen. It provides an excellent overview of major Scandinavian Central Places and possible cult activities which took place at them. There are also some fantastic illustrations.

For more information and a full accounting of sources check out the website: http://vikingagepodcast.com/chieftains-and-temples

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Today we begin our story on the island of Moster, a small sheltered island, situated just off the coast of Hortholand and southwestern Norway.
0:17.0	In the late 800 CE, a man named Rolfe lived on master and about him we are told quote
0:27.5	Besides running a good farm this Rolf was a chieftain of considerable standing.
0:34.3	He was a close friend of Thor, and had charge of Thor's temple there on the island.
0:39.8	So people called him Thorolfe. A tall powerful man. Thorolf was very handsome and his long
0:48.8	beard got him the nickname, Monsterbeard. He was respected above all other men on the island.
1:01.0	Now, as we have seen before, at this time many chieftains were fleeing from Norway in the wake of King Harold Fine Hare in his conquests.
1:12.0	One of these refugees was a man named Bjorn, who was actually the brother of Une the deep-minded.
1:22.0	Thorolf decided to shelter Bjorn at his home and he helped him to arrange his affairs
1:28.4	before Bjorn eventually departed first seeking shelter with his sister in the Hebrides, and then settling down in Iceland.
1:40.0	When King Harold learned of this, we are told, quote,
1:45.0	When King Harold heard that Thorolf Mosserbeard had been sheltering his outlaw
1:50.4	Bjorn Kettlesome, he sent messengers dismissing Thoral from his estates, with the warning
1:57.0	that unless he gave himself up and placed himself in the King's hands, he would be outlawed like his friend Bjorn.
2:06.6	This was ten years after Engulf Arner Sun had sailed off to settle in Iceland, a voyage that was on everyone's lips.
2:16.8	People coming back from Iceland had nothing but good to save it.
2:22.1	Thorolf Mosserbeard held a great feast and ask the advice of his friend
2:26.9	Thor about what he should do. Either make peace with the king or leave the country and try his luck elsewhere.
2:36.1	As it turned out, Thoroth was advised to go to Iceland, so he bought a sizable ocean-going ship, prepared it for the voyage, then sailed off with his
2:47.5	goods, his household, and those of his friends who had decided to go with him.
2:53.6	He dismantled the temple, and along with most of its timbers,
2:58.3	put aside some of the earth from under Thor's pedestal. Hello everyone and welcome back to the Viking Age podcast.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Viking Age Podcast, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Viking Age Podcast and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.