Papers by Klas Wikström af Edholm
RIG Kulturhistorisk tidskrift, May 31, 2023
Brepols Publishers eBooks, 2022
Religion och Ratt : Folke Stroms syn pa forhallandet mellan religion och ratt i doktorsavhandling... more Religion och Ratt : Folke Stroms syn pa forhallandet mellan religion och ratt i doktorsavhandlingen On the Sacral Origin of the Germanic Death Penalties (1942)
Denna avhandling analyserar förekomsten av människooffer i fornnordisk religion. Huruvida rituell... more Denna avhandling analyserar förekomsten av människooffer i fornnordisk religion. Huruvida rituellt dödande och offer av människor ska ha förekommit i fornnordisk religion har debatterats inom religionshistorisk och arkeologisk forskning sedan dessa ämnen etablerades som vetenskaper. Denna avhandling bidrar med en samlad överblick och analys av denna tidigare forskning och hur man då har förhållit sig till källmaterialet. I stora drag har man i dagens forskning delade åsikter; några pekar på förekomsten av människooffer hos äldre germanska folkslag, medan andra menar att vi saknar pålitliga uppgifter från det vikingatida Skandinavien. Denna avhandling visar att det finns spår av en tradition med människooffer även i det äldre, säkrare källmaterialet, och det läggs i studien större vikt vid vikingatidens dikter än vad man i tidigare forskning har gjort. Även arkeologiska fynd och vikingatida bilder tas med i analysen och analysens resultat pekar mot att människooffer har varit en aktiv och levande religiös tradition fram till slutet av vikingatiden. Utifrån att det rituella dödandet av människor sätts in i sitt sociala och religiösa sammanhang ger studien nya slutsatser kring hur människooffer har påverkat och påverkats av den sociala strukturen, samt hur idén och bruket av människooffer återspeglas i fornnordiska myter. Människooffer knyts i fornnordisk religion till två olika religiösa sammanhang: till krigarnas kult av Oden och till den regelbundna kulten vid centrala helgedomar. I avhandlingen analyseras vem som offrade och vem som offrades, var och när offren utfördes och vem offret riktade sig till. Vissa beskrivningar av människooffer i källtexterna återger ett verkligt ideal och minnet av ett en gång levande kultbruk, trots att texterna är nedskrivna långt efter att offerbruket hade upphört.This doctoral thesis analyses the occurrence and context of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. The aim of this study is to investigate the written sources that mention human sacrifices in the Late Iron Age Scandinavian cultures and discuss the interpretation of these sources. An analysis of the archaeological sources from Sweden, dated to the Late Iron Age, which have previously been interpreted as traces of human sacrifices have also been conducted and discussed in comparison with the written sources. The contextualisation of the human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is in focus and a structural categorisation of the social and religious contexts where human sacrifice occurred, as well as how this theoretical structure entails new interpretations of the phenomenon of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is conducted. One question in focus in the study is how to interpret and use the term human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. This includes a discussion of the definition of the term sacrifice and human sacrifice and their potential application in the study of Old Norse religion. An overview of previous research about the topic of human sacrifice in each discipline, from the first beginning of the disciplines in the early 19th century to this day is presented. The study also includes a discussion of whether human sacrifice was a living practice in Old Norse societies, in which contexts it appears, which conceptions are connected to the practice, and how it was reflected in the Old Norse myths. The contextualisation of the human sacrifices in the sources includes a discussion of who sacrificed, where and when the sacrifices were performed, which divinities were the intended receivers, who the victims were, as well as the potential results of the sacrifice within the society, what conceptions the sacrifice was connected with, and how the sacrifice is mirrored in the Old Norse mythology. The primary source material has been given a prominent position in the analysis and the conclusion of the study is that the occurrence of human sacrifice as a living tradition in Old Norse religion up until the end of the Viking Age is confirmed. From a social perspective, human sacrifices have been useful to consolidate and confirm a prevailing or new power hegemony in the martial contexts where the victorious part use the vanquished enemy as a sacrificial gift to, prominently, the god Óðinn. Besides the religious experience, the sacrifice has also been able to confirm the political structure as the warlord affirms his claim and right to his social position. It concludes with the result that human sacrifices have been useful to maintain and confirm an older social order, when this has been exposed to pressure. A political development, connected to the Christianisation, occurs during the Viking Age and finally leads to the extinction of the human sacrifices as a living practice in the North
Discussion of the ritual known as the ‘blood-eagle’ in Old Norse religion has a long tradition be... more Discussion of the ritual known as the ‘blood-eagle’ in Old Norse religion has a long tradition behind it. In the disciplines of philology and literary history there has been much scepticism as to whether such a ritual ever actually existed. Orkneyinga saga, ch. 8, describes the carving of a blood-eagle on the back of an enemy, presenting this as a sacrifice to Óðinn following the celebrant’s victory in battle. The description has parallels in other sources, including a skaldic verse by Sigvatr Þórðarson, but the question of their authenticity is problematic. The Orkneyinga saga episode shows several important similarities to other accounts of human sacrifices in Old Norse sources. The overall picture seems to stengthen the supposition that the ritual known as the blood-eagle was a genuine Old Norse religious practice, albeit an exceptional one, and was perhaps bound up with the overthrowing of a ruling personage
The discussion of ritual killing and sacrifice of humans in Old Norse religion has a longtraditio... more The discussion of ritual killing and sacrifice of humans in Old Norse religion has a longtradition. In the more text oriented discipline of history of religions, the opinion hassometimes been very ...
En vetenskapshistorisk och komparativ studie av föreställningar och gestaltningar kopplade till d... more En vetenskapshistorisk och komparativ studie av föreställningar och gestaltningar kopplade till den fornnordiske guden Tyr Klas af Edholm Religionshistoriamasterkurs Examensarbete (30 hp) Höstteminen 2014
The War god Tyr and Tisso This article discusses the archeological site Tisso on western Zealand,... more The War god Tyr and Tisso This article discusses the archeological site Tisso on western Zealand, Denmark, and some possible interpretations of it, from a perspective of comparative religion. It in ...
Stockholm Studies in Comparative Religion (SSCR) (ISSN 2002-4606) is a peer-reviewed series initi... more Stockholm Studies in Comparative Religion (SSCR) (ISSN 2002-4606) is a peer-reviewed series initiated by Åke Hultkrantz in 1961. While its earlier emphasis lay in ethnographic-comparative approaches to religion, the series now covers a broader spectrum of the history of religions, including the philological study of discrete traditions, large-scale comparisons between different traditions as well as theoretical and methodological concerns in the study of cross-cultural religious categories such as ritual and myth. SSCR strives to sustain and disseminate high-quality and innovative research in the form of monographs and edited volumes, preferably in English, but in exceptional cases also in the French, German-, and Scandinavian languages. SSCR was previously included in the series Acta Universitatis Stockholmiensis (
Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries in Studies of the Viking Age
This thesis has two aims. One is a discussion of the history of the study of Old Norse religion a... more This thesis has two aims. One is a discussion of the history of the study of Old Norse religion and related aspects, centered on how general tendencies within the area of research have affected the interpretations of the god *Tīwaz/Tyr. Thereby, it treats a selection of influential trends of interpretation, and a selection of prominent scholars of the field. The second aim is an empirical and comparative analysis of the Old Norse source material and, to some degree, the continental Germanic, the Baltic, and the other Indo-European material. Tyr has been interpreted according to trends of research in the field; the mythological character has been used as a projection screen of the theories. Already from the beginning, Tyr was interpreted as a sky god; connected to this was the conception of an original high god. The interpretations of Tyr as a sun god, sky god, and/or law god are close related to this high god conception. These interpretations of the god Tyr has built their arguments...
Åbo Akademis förlag - Åbo Akademi University Press, Dec 4, 2020
PDF Download: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-765-977-2
Denna avhandling analyserar förekomsten ... more PDF Download: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-765-977-2
Denna avhandling analyserar förekomsten av människooffer i fornnordisk religion. Huruvida rituellt dödande och offer av människor ska ha förekommit i fornnordisk religion har debatterats inom religionshistorisk och arkeologisk forskning sedan dessa ämnen etablerades som vetenskaper. Denna avhandling bidrar med en samlad överblick och analys av denna tidigare forskning och hur man då har förhållit sig till källmaterialet. I stora drag har man i dagens forskning delade åsikter; några pekar på förekomsten av människooffer hos äldre germanska folkslag, medan andra menar att vi saknar pålitliga uppgifter från det vikingatida Skandinavien. Denna avhandling visar att det finns spår av en tradition med människooffer även i det äldre, säkrare källmaterialet, och det läggs i studien större vikt vid vikingatidens dikter än vad man i tidigare forskning har gjort. Även arkeologiska fynd och vikingatida bilder tas med i analysen och analysens resultat pekar mot att människooffer har varit en aktiv och levande religiös tradition fram till slutet av vikingatiden. Utifrån att det rituella dödandet av människor sätts in i sitt sociala och religiösa sammanhang ger studien nya slutsatser kring hur människooffer har påverkat och påverkats av den sociala strukturen, samt hur idén och bruket av människooffer återspeglas i fornnordiska myter. Människooffer knyts i fornnordisk religion till två olika religiösa sammanhang: till krigarnas kult av Oden och till den regelbundna kulten vid centrala helgedomar. I avhandlingen analyseras vem som offrade och vem som offrades, var och när offren utfördes och vem offret riktade sig till. Vissa beskrivningar av människooffer i källtexterna återger ett verkligt ideal och minnet av ett en gång levande kultbruk, trots att texterna är nedskrivna långt efter att offerbruket hade upphört.This doctoral thesis analyses the occurrence and context of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. The aim of this study is to investigate the written sources that mention human sacrifices in the Late Iron Age Scandinavian cultures and discuss the interpretation of these sources. An analysis of the archaeological sources from Sweden, dated to the Late Iron Age, which have previously been interpreted as traces of human sacrifices have also been conducted and discussed in comparison with the written sources. The contextualisation of the human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is in focus and a structural categorisation of the social and religious contexts where human sacrifice occurred, as well as how this theoretical structure entails new interpretations of the phenomenon of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is conducted. One question in focus in the study is how to interpret and use the term human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. This includes a discussion of the definition of the term sacrifice and human sacrifice and their potential application in the study of Old Norse religion. An overview of previous research about the topic of human sacrifice in each discipline, from the first beginning of the disciplines in the early 19th century to this day is presented. The study also includes a discussion of whether human sacrifice was a living practice in Old Norse societies, in which contexts it appears, which conceptions are connected to the practice, and how it was reflected in the Old Norse myths. The contextualisation of the human sacrifices in the sources includes a discussion of who sacrificed, where and when the sacrifices were performed, which divinities were the intended receivers, who the victims were, as well as the potential results of the sacrifice within the society, what conceptions the sacrifice was connected with, and how the sacrifice is mirrored in the Old Norse mythology. The primary source material has been given a prominent position in the analysis and the conclusion of the study is that the occurrence of human sacrifice as a living tradition in Old Norse religion up until the end of the Viking Age is confirmed. From a social perspective, human sacrifices have been useful to consolidate and confirm a prevailing or new power hegemony in the martial contexts where the victorious part use the vanquished enemy as a sacrificial gift to, prominently, the god Óðinn. Besides the religious experience, the sacrifice has also been able to confirm the political structure as the warlord affirms his claim and right to his social position. It concludes with the result that human sacrifices have been useful to maintain and confirm an older social order, when this has been exposed to pressure. A political development, connected to the Christianisation, occurs during the Viking Age and finally leads to the extinction of the human sacrifices as a living practice in the North
Scripta Islandica: Isländska Sällskapets Årsbok, 2018
Discussion of the ritual known as the ‘blood-eagle’ in Old Norse religion has a long tradition be... more Discussion of the ritual known as the ‘blood-eagle’ in Old Norse religion has a long tradition behind it. In the disciplines of philology and literary history there has been much scepticism as to whether such a ritual ever actually existed. Orkneyinga saga, ch. 8, describes the carving of a blood-eagle on the back of an enemy, presenting this as a sacrifice to Óðinn following the celebrant’s victory in battle. The description has parallels in other sources, including a skaldic verse by Sigvatr Þórðarson, but the question of their authenticity is problematic. The Orkneyinga saga episode shows several important similarities to other accounts of human sacrifices in Old Norse sources. The overall picture seems to stengthen the supposition that the ritual known as the blood-eagle was a genuine Old Norse religious practice, albeit an exceptional one, and was perhaps bound up with the overthrowing of a ruling personage
Stockholm Studies in Comparative Religion (SSCR) (ISSN 2002-4606) is a peer-reviewed series initi... more Stockholm Studies in Comparative Religion (SSCR) (ISSN 2002-4606) is a peer-reviewed series initiated by Åke Hultkrantz in 1961. While its earlier emphasis lay in ethnographic-comparative approaches to religion, the series now covers a broader spectrum of the history of religions, including the philological study of discrete traditions, large-scale comparisons between different traditions as well as theoretical and methodological concerns in the study of cross-cultural religious categories such as ritual and myth. SSCR strives to sustain and disseminate high-quality and innovative research in the form of monographs and edited volumes, preferably in English, but in exceptional cases also in the French, German-, and Scandinavian languages. SSCR was previously included in the series Acta Universitatis Stockholmiensis (
The discussion of ritual killing and sacrifice of humans in Old Norse religion has a longtraditio... more The discussion of ritual killing and sacrifice of humans in Old Norse religion has a longtradition. In the more text oriented discipline of history of religions, the opinion hassometimes been very ...
Religion och Ratt : Folke Stroms syn pa forhallandet mellan religion och ratt i doktorsavhandling... more Religion och Ratt : Folke Stroms syn pa forhallandet mellan religion och ratt i doktorsavhandlingen On the Sacral Origin of the Germanic Death Penalties (1942)
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Papers by Klas Wikström af Edholm
Denna avhandling analyserar förekomsten av människooffer i fornnordisk religion. Huruvida rituellt dödande och offer av människor ska ha förekommit i fornnordisk religion har debatterats inom religionshistorisk och arkeologisk forskning sedan dessa ämnen etablerades som vetenskaper. Denna avhandling bidrar med en samlad överblick och analys av denna tidigare forskning och hur man då har förhållit sig till källmaterialet. I stora drag har man i dagens forskning delade åsikter; några pekar på förekomsten av människooffer hos äldre germanska folkslag, medan andra menar att vi saknar pålitliga uppgifter från det vikingatida Skandinavien. Denna avhandling visar att det finns spår av en tradition med människooffer även i det äldre, säkrare källmaterialet, och det läggs i studien större vikt vid vikingatidens dikter än vad man i tidigare forskning har gjort. Även arkeologiska fynd och vikingatida bilder tas med i analysen och analysens resultat pekar mot att människooffer har varit en aktiv och levande religiös tradition fram till slutet av vikingatiden. Utifrån att det rituella dödandet av människor sätts in i sitt sociala och religiösa sammanhang ger studien nya slutsatser kring hur människooffer har påverkat och påverkats av den sociala strukturen, samt hur idén och bruket av människooffer återspeglas i fornnordiska myter. Människooffer knyts i fornnordisk religion till två olika religiösa sammanhang: till krigarnas kult av Oden och till den regelbundna kulten vid centrala helgedomar. I avhandlingen analyseras vem som offrade och vem som offrades, var och när offren utfördes och vem offret riktade sig till. Vissa beskrivningar av människooffer i källtexterna återger ett verkligt ideal och minnet av ett en gång levande kultbruk, trots att texterna är nedskrivna långt efter att offerbruket hade upphört.This doctoral thesis analyses the occurrence and context of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. The aim of this study is to investigate the written sources that mention human sacrifices in the Late Iron Age Scandinavian cultures and discuss the interpretation of these sources. An analysis of the archaeological sources from Sweden, dated to the Late Iron Age, which have previously been interpreted as traces of human sacrifices have also been conducted and discussed in comparison with the written sources. The contextualisation of the human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is in focus and a structural categorisation of the social and religious contexts where human sacrifice occurred, as well as how this theoretical structure entails new interpretations of the phenomenon of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is conducted. One question in focus in the study is how to interpret and use the term human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. This includes a discussion of the definition of the term sacrifice and human sacrifice and their potential application in the study of Old Norse religion. An overview of previous research about the topic of human sacrifice in each discipline, from the first beginning of the disciplines in the early 19th century to this day is presented. The study also includes a discussion of whether human sacrifice was a living practice in Old Norse societies, in which contexts it appears, which conceptions are connected to the practice, and how it was reflected in the Old Norse myths. The contextualisation of the human sacrifices in the sources includes a discussion of who sacrificed, where and when the sacrifices were performed, which divinities were the intended receivers, who the victims were, as well as the potential results of the sacrifice within the society, what conceptions the sacrifice was connected with, and how the sacrifice is mirrored in the Old Norse mythology. The primary source material has been given a prominent position in the analysis and the conclusion of the study is that the occurrence of human sacrifice as a living tradition in Old Norse religion up until the end of the Viking Age is confirmed. From a social perspective, human sacrifices have been useful to consolidate and confirm a prevailing or new power hegemony in the martial contexts where the victorious part use the vanquished enemy as a sacrificial gift to, prominently, the god Óðinn. Besides the religious experience, the sacrifice has also been able to confirm the political structure as the warlord affirms his claim and right to his social position. It concludes with the result that human sacrifices have been useful to maintain and confirm an older social order, when this has been exposed to pressure. A political development, connected to the Christianisation, occurs during the Viking Age and finally leads to the extinction of the human sacrifices as a living practice in the North
Denna avhandling analyserar förekomsten av människooffer i fornnordisk religion. Huruvida rituellt dödande och offer av människor ska ha förekommit i fornnordisk religion har debatterats inom religionshistorisk och arkeologisk forskning sedan dessa ämnen etablerades som vetenskaper. Denna avhandling bidrar med en samlad överblick och analys av denna tidigare forskning och hur man då har förhållit sig till källmaterialet. I stora drag har man i dagens forskning delade åsikter; några pekar på förekomsten av människooffer hos äldre germanska folkslag, medan andra menar att vi saknar pålitliga uppgifter från det vikingatida Skandinavien. Denna avhandling visar att det finns spår av en tradition med människooffer även i det äldre, säkrare källmaterialet, och det läggs i studien större vikt vid vikingatidens dikter än vad man i tidigare forskning har gjort. Även arkeologiska fynd och vikingatida bilder tas med i analysen och analysens resultat pekar mot att människooffer har varit en aktiv och levande religiös tradition fram till slutet av vikingatiden. Utifrån att det rituella dödandet av människor sätts in i sitt sociala och religiösa sammanhang ger studien nya slutsatser kring hur människooffer har påverkat och påverkats av den sociala strukturen, samt hur idén och bruket av människooffer återspeglas i fornnordiska myter. Människooffer knyts i fornnordisk religion till två olika religiösa sammanhang: till krigarnas kult av Oden och till den regelbundna kulten vid centrala helgedomar. I avhandlingen analyseras vem som offrade och vem som offrades, var och när offren utfördes och vem offret riktade sig till. Vissa beskrivningar av människooffer i källtexterna återger ett verkligt ideal och minnet av ett en gång levande kultbruk, trots att texterna är nedskrivna långt efter att offerbruket hade upphört.This doctoral thesis analyses the occurrence and context of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. The aim of this study is to investigate the written sources that mention human sacrifices in the Late Iron Age Scandinavian cultures and discuss the interpretation of these sources. An analysis of the archaeological sources from Sweden, dated to the Late Iron Age, which have previously been interpreted as traces of human sacrifices have also been conducted and discussed in comparison with the written sources. The contextualisation of the human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is in focus and a structural categorisation of the social and religious contexts where human sacrifice occurred, as well as how this theoretical structure entails new interpretations of the phenomenon of human sacrifice in Old Norse religion is conducted. One question in focus in the study is how to interpret and use the term human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. This includes a discussion of the definition of the term sacrifice and human sacrifice and their potential application in the study of Old Norse religion. An overview of previous research about the topic of human sacrifice in each discipline, from the first beginning of the disciplines in the early 19th century to this day is presented. The study also includes a discussion of whether human sacrifice was a living practice in Old Norse societies, in which contexts it appears, which conceptions are connected to the practice, and how it was reflected in the Old Norse myths. The contextualisation of the human sacrifices in the sources includes a discussion of who sacrificed, where and when the sacrifices were performed, which divinities were the intended receivers, who the victims were, as well as the potential results of the sacrifice within the society, what conceptions the sacrifice was connected with, and how the sacrifice is mirrored in the Old Norse mythology. The primary source material has been given a prominent position in the analysis and the conclusion of the study is that the occurrence of human sacrifice as a living tradition in Old Norse religion up until the end of the Viking Age is confirmed. From a social perspective, human sacrifices have been useful to consolidate and confirm a prevailing or new power hegemony in the martial contexts where the victorious part use the vanquished enemy as a sacrificial gift to, prominently, the god Óðinn. Besides the religious experience, the sacrifice has also been able to confirm the political structure as the warlord affirms his claim and right to his social position. It concludes with the result that human sacrifices have been useful to maintain and confirm an older social order, when this has been exposed to pressure. A political development, connected to the Christianisation, occurs during the Viking Age and finally leads to the extinction of the human sacrifices as a living practice in the North
Chaos. Skandinavisk tidsskrift for religionshistoriske studier 69 (2018).
Chaos. Skandinavisk tidsskrift for religionshistoriske studier 68 (2017). ISSN 0108 4453. ISBN 978-87-997539-7-0.
Frågan om nordborna offrade människor har länge varit kontroversiell. Klas Wikström af Edholms prisbelönta forskningsinsats har givit oss flera viktiga pusselbitar. Här sveper han över praktiskt taget allt tillgängligt material – källtexter såväl som arkeologiska fynd, och inte bara från vikingatid utan även längre tillbaka – och fram träder en föreställningsvärld som visar sig vara djupt präglad av människooffrande.
One question in focus in the study is how to interpret and use the term human sacrifice in Old Norse religion. This includes a discussion of the definition of the term sacrifice and human sacrifice and their potential application in the study of Old Norse religion. An overview of previous research about the topic of human sacrifice in each discipline, from the first beginning of the disciplines in the early 19th century to this day is presented. The study also includes a discussion of whether human sacrifice was a living practice in Old Norse societies, in which contexts it appears, which conceptions are connected to the practice, and how it was reflected in the Old Norse myths. The contextualisation of the human sacrifices in the sources includes a discussion of who sacrificed, where and when the sacrifices were performed, which divinities were the intended receivers, who the victims were, as well as the potential results of the sacrifice within the society, what conceptions the sacrifice was connected with, and how the sacrifice is mirrored in the Old Norse mythology.
The primary source material has been given a prominent position in the analysis and the conclusion of the study is that the occurrence of human sacrifice as a living tradition in Old Norse religion up until the end of the Viking Age is confirmed. From a social perspective, human sacrifices have been useful to consolidate and confirm a prevailing or new power hegemony in the martial contexts where the victorious part use the vanquished enemy as a sacrificial gift to, prominently, the god Óðinn. Besides the religious experience, the sacrifice has also been able to confirm the political structure as the warlord affirms his claim and right to his social position. It concludes with the result that human sacrifices have been useful to maintain and confirm an older social order, when this has been exposed to pressure. A political development, connected to the Christianisation, occurs during the Viking Age and finally leads to the extinction of the human sacrifices as a living practice in the North.
Åbo: Åbo Akademi University Press. ISBN 978-951-765-977-2