Conversion and Identity in the Viking Age

268 Pages·2014·15.986 MB·English

by  Ildar Garipzanov

Conversion and Identity
in the Viking Age
MedIeVAl IdentItIes: soCIo-CulturAl spACes
Editorial Board under the auspices of the
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Hull
Adrian p. tudor, University of Hull
Anu Mänd, Tallinna Ülikool (Tallinn University)
lesley A. Coote, University of Hull
Ildar H. Garipzanov, Universitetet i Oslo
sophie Cassagnes-Brouquet, Université de Toulouse-II-Le Mirail
Catherine emerson, National University of Ireland, Galway
previously published volumes in this series are listed at the back of the book.
Volume 5
Conversion and Identity
in the Viking Age
edited by
Ildar Garipzanov
with the assistance of
rosalind Bonté
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Conversion and identity in the Viking Age. -- (Medieval identities ; 5)
1. Vikings--Religion.
2. Christianity and other religions--Norse.
3. Conversion--Christianity--History--To 1500.
4. Identification (Religion)--History--To 1500.
5. Religion and culture--Scandinavia--History--To 1500.
6. Religion and culture--Scandinavia--Colonies--History--To 1500.
7. Decoration and ornament, Viking.
I. Series
II. Garipzanov, Ildar H. editor.
III. Bonte, Rosalind, editor.
274.8'03-dc23

ISBN-13: 9782503549248

© 2014, Brepols Publishers n.v., Turnhout, Belgium
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publisher.
D/2014/0095/53
ISBN: 978-2-503-54924-8
e-ISBN: 978-2-503-55004-6
Printed on acid-free paper
Contents
Illustrations vii
Introduction: networks of Conversion, Cultural osmosis,
and Identities in the Viking Age
IldAr GArIpzAnoV 1
The two ‘Modes of religiosity’ in Conversion-era scandinavia
CHrIstopHer ABrAM 21
The Conversion and Christianization of scandinavia:
A Critical review of recent scholarly Writings
HAkI Antonsson 49
shopping for Identities: norse and Christian
in the Viking-Age north Atlantic
orrI VésteInsson 75
Conversion and Coercion: religious Change in the Faroe Islands
rosAlInd Bonté 93
The Conversion of the Viking settlers in the Isle of Man
dAVId M. WIlson 117
Christian Identities, social status, and Gender
in Viking-Age scandinavia
IldAr GArIpzAnoV 139
vi Contents
Crossbreeding Beasts: Christian and
non-Christian Imagery in oval Brooches
søren M. sIndBæk 167
late Viking and early Medieval ornaments: A Question of Faith
Anne pedersen 195
Conversion and Identity in the Viking-Age north:
some Afterthoughts
Jón VIðAr sIGurðsson 225
Index 245
Illustrations
Graph
Graph 1, p. 84. date ranges of twenty-one Icelandic burials, based on typo-
logical dates of beads.
Figures
Figure 1, p. 85. dragon head of a bone pin from sveigakot, Iceland, reykjavík,
Forn leifastofnun Íslands. one of several objects with norse symbolism
found in post-940 deposits.
Figure 2, p. 109. two wooden crosses from toftanes, tórshavn, Føroya Forn-
minnisavn. tenth century.
Figure 3, p. 121. Burial of a woman in a lintel-grave, st patrick’s Isle, peel. tenth
century.
Figure 4, p. 124. Inscriptions on stone at onchan 141 [133], Isle of Man.
Figure 5, p. 125. Comparison of the Crucifixion on stones from kirklevington,
Yorkshire and kirk Michael 129 [101], Isle of Man.
Figure 6, p. 128. Cross carved by Gautr, kirk Michael 101 [74], Isle of Man.
tenth century.
Figure 7, p. 131. sigurd on fragmentary stones, Malew 120 [94] and Andreas
121 [95], Isle of Man. tenth century.
Figure 8, p. 132. scenes on either face of the cross fragment representing Christ
and the doom of the norse gods, Andreas 128 [102], Isle of Man.
viii ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 9, p. 134. Animals and rider, representing a hunting scene, Andreas 131
[103], Isle of Man.
Figure 10, p. 153. Coin-pendant from Birka grave Bj 963 (imperial denier of
louis the pious, 822–40), stockholm, kungliga myntkabinettet.
Figure 11, p. 154. Coin-pendant from Birka grave Bj 978 (imperial denier of
louis the pious, 822–40), stockholm, kungliga myntkabinettet.
Figure 12, p. 155. Coin-pendant from a female grave, søndre Bø, norway
(Mercian penny of Coenwulf, 815–21), universitetet i oslo, kulturhistorisk
museum.
Figure 13, p. 158. Fragment of a rune stone (sö 101) from ramsund, söderman-
land, sweden.
Figure 14, p. 172. oval brooch from nørre randlev, denmark, Høybjerg, Moes-
gaard Museum. early eighth century.
Figure 15, p. 175. Brooch from svennevig, Aust-Agder, southern norway,
universitetet i oslo, kulturhistorisk museum. late eighth century.
Figure 16, p. 178. Brooches from Birka grave Bj 655, Birka, sweden, stockholm,
statens Historiska Museum. late eighth century.
Figure 17, p. 183. Brooch of type p11, nysom, ravnkilde, denmark, Høybjerg,
Moesgaard Museum. C. 800–50.
Figure 18, p. 186. Brooch of type p37, Borbjerg parish, denmark, Holstebro,
Holstebro Museum. Mid-ninth century.
Figure 19, p. 196. Christ triumphant depicted on king Harald’s rune stone in
Jelling, Jutland, denmark. tenth century.
Figure 20, p. 201. Thor’s hammers from Mande mark, Møn, denmark, køben havn,
nationalm useet. tenth century.
Figure 21, p. 203. Arm ring of gold sheet, depicting a stylized mound with
two crosses and a tree of life from råbylille, Møn, denmark, københavn,
nationalmuseet.
Figure 22, p. 205. Copper-alloy brooches of Continental origin from (a) selsø,
sjælland; (b) kirke Hyllinge-steensgård, sjælland; (c) nyvang, Bornholm;
and (d) Gammel Hviding, southwest Jutland, denmark, københavn, national-
museet. ninth/tenth century.
ILLUSTRATIONS ix
Figure 23, p. 208. silver-gilt bird brooch from toftegård sydøst, Funen, and copper-
alloy brooch from Vejleby skov, lolland, denmark, københavn, national-
museet. eleventh century.
Figure 24, p. 209. Granite tympanon, Balle Church, Jutland, denmark. twelfth
century.
Figure 25, p. 210. Copper-alloy animal brooches from sønderholm, north Jut-
land, and krammark, south Jutland, denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet.
eleventh/early twelfth century.
Figure 26, p. 211. Agnus Dei brooch of silver from sønder tranders, northern
Jutland and distorted Agnus Dei of copper alloy from Avnslev, Funen,
denmark, køben havn, nationalmuseet. eleventh/early twelfth century.
Figure 27, p. 212. ‘seraph’ brooches from kællingebygård and st kannikegård,
Bornholm, denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet. eleventh/early twelfth
century.
Figure 28, p. 213. seraph from the frontal of the lisbjerg golden altar, Jutland,
denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet. twelfth century.
Figure 29, p. 214. ‘lattice’ brooches from korsagergård and Himmelev, sjæl-
land, denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet. eleventh century.
Figure 30, p. 215. Animal brooches from roskilde, st  Hans, and Gerlev,
sjælland, denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet. eleventh/early twelfth
century.
Figure 31, p. 215. Medallions with animal and bird figures from the lisbjerg
altar, Jutland, denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet. twelfth century.
Figure 32, p. 216. Adapted silver coins of æthelred II (978–1016) and Basil II/
Constantine VIII (976–1025), københavn, national museet.
Figure 33, p. 217. silver brooches from Harndrup skov, Funen, denmark,
københ avn, nationalmuseet.
Figure 34, p. 218. Copper-alloy brooches from (a) Herredsbækgård, sjælland;
(b) store Gadegård, Bornholm; and (c) revninge Church, Funen, denmark,
køben havn, nationalmuseet. eleventh/early twelfth century.
x ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 35, p. 219. two animal brooches of silver and one of copper alloy from
sandbjerggård, Funen; poulsker, Bornholm, and trelleborg Gårde, sjælland,
denmark, københavn, nationalmuseet eleventh/early twelfth century.
Figure 36, p. 220. Copper-alloy brooch from ringsted, sjælland, denmark,
køben havn, nationalmuseet. eleventh/early twelfth cen tury.
Maps
Map 1, p. 95. Map of Faroe Islands featuring sites named within the text.
Map 2, p. 162. dissemination of the Ulfberht swords.
Map 3, p. 199. sites of known churches in denmark before ad 1100.