Various styles of Anglo Saxon buildings, from the early pit-house to later wattle and daub.
photos by Hāmasson
photos by Hāmasson
Attested in Old English is a form of chant once know as Sygegealdor or Sige-galdor, a magical chant used to gain Victory. We still occasionally use a victory galdor during our rites, Sige Tîr! The chant invokes the 'one who brings victory' or Siggautr, a kenning for Odin. In OE the name appears in the kingslist as Sigegeat, perhaps a byname of Woden.
An idol of the god Lytir was said to be placed in a wagon and when the goðar were sure that the spirit of the god had inhabited the weoh, it was paraded around parts of central Sweden. It was reckoned that the weoh would increase in weight when it had become possessed. Afterwards it was presented to the king who sought answers from the weoh by asking it questions.
It is thought that Lytir may well be another name for Freyr. Freyr, like the English Frēa are connected with the wagon. Author A Liberman claims the Icelandic term Litr meant ‘phallic’ and as we know Freyr is symbolised in such manner. Others suggest Lytir comes from liuta, meaning casting lots or divination. Whoever Lytir is they must have been important as there are place names in Sweden once named after him, Lytisberg and Lytislunda for example.
Image - Weoh of Freyr
It is thought that Lytir may well be another name for Freyr. Freyr, like the English Frēa are connected with the wagon. Author A Liberman claims the Icelandic term Litr meant ‘phallic’ and as we know Freyr is symbolised in such manner. Others suggest Lytir comes from liuta, meaning casting lots or divination. Whoever Lytir is they must have been important as there are place names in Sweden once named after him, Lytisberg and Lytislunda for example.
Image - Weoh of Freyr
The OE name Sinnihte meant ‘Ever night’ and came from PGmc *sinnahtī. The name looks like it could be related to the largely unknown goddess Sinhtgunt who is mentioned in the Merseburg Incantation. The meaning of her name is disputed and many translations are suggested, though nearly all associate her with either a star or the night sky. The element -gunt is connected with the idea of birth (from the proto Germanic kuntǭ). If Sinhtgunt’s name is rooted in *sinnahtī it may mean she is Nott (OE *Niht) the Night Goddess herself, which is why she is paired with Sunne in the Merseburg Incantation. This would suggest Sinhtgunt and Sunne are the twin-goddesses of night and day.
It’s the Sunstede today and my family-hearth have travelled to a Wodenist folk-moot this weekend, where we will be holding our Susntede-Blot in honour of (amongst others) Sunne and Bældæg. The word Sunstede comes from the OE Sunne 'sun' and stede meaning ‘in its position’. This is the OE word for the solstice. There was also the OE word midsumor meaning midsummer (which traditionally falls around the 24th).
Glæd sunstede!
Art by Elin Manon
Glæd sunstede!
Art by Elin Manon
Forwarded from The Lady Trēowwyrhta
Wayland’s Smithy
I’ve dreamt of visiting this place for a long time and finally got there!!
It goes without saying an offering was left, it seems fitting that I drew Woden from the bag.
My husband made a troll cross for me to leave somewhere on our travel and what better place than the smithy!
I’ve dreamt of visiting this place for a long time and finally got there!!
It goes without saying an offering was left, it seems fitting that I drew Woden from the bag.
My husband made a troll cross for me to leave somewhere on our travel and what better place than the smithy!
ᚠᛁᛋᚳ ᚠᛚᚩᛞᚢ ᚪᚻᚩᚠᚩᚾᚠᛖᚱᚷ ᛖᚾᛒᛖᚱᛁᚷ ᚹᚪᚱᚦᚷᚪ ᛋᚱᛁᚳᚷᚱᚩᚱᚾᚦᚫᚱᚻᛖᚩᚾᚷᚱᛖᚢᛏᚷᛁᛋᚹᚩᛗ ᚻᚱᚩᚾᚫᛋᛒᚪᚾ
fisc flodu ahofonferg enberig warþga sricgrornþærheongreutgiswom hronæsban
The flood cast up the fish on the mountain-cliff. The terror-king became sad where he swam on the shingle. Whale's bone.
The Franks Casket contains a denoscription that tells of where the whale-bone used to make the casket came from.
Photos by Hāmasson.
fisc flodu ahofonferg enberig warþga sricgrornþærheongreutgiswom hronæsban
The flood cast up the fish on the mountain-cliff. The terror-king became sad where he swam on the shingle. Whale's bone.
The Franks Casket contains a denoscription that tells of where the whale-bone used to make the casket came from.
Photos by Hāmasson.
The image above is believed to be Vidar ripping open the jaws of the Fenris wolf, taken from the Gosforth Cross, St Mary’s church in Cumbria England. It’s suggested his name comes from the Proto-Norse *Wīdagaizaz (wide-spear, OE Wīdgār). ‘Wide-spear’ from *wida "wide" (víð) + *gaizaz or *gaiRaR meaning ‘spear’ where *widugaiRaR can result in víðgeirr but as a single name contracted as víð’arr. This is the most common explanation for his name.
Another possible idea is from the root *wīdaz that can mean ‘set apart or separate into two’. Vidar is known for his role of splitting or separating the jaws of Fenris apart, whilst a third idea gives us the reconstructed English name *Wīdhere coming from the root víðr/wīd (wide) and herr/here (army).
Another possible idea is from the root *wīdaz that can mean ‘set apart or separate into two’. Vidar is known for his role of splitting or separating the jaws of Fenris apart, whilst a third idea gives us the reconstructed English name *Wīdhere coming from the root víðr/wīd (wide) and herr/here (army).