r/Norse

I felt like mythological accuracy was missing from the media I consumed so i decided to take it into my own hands and made it both culturally, historically, and mythically accurate! (Or at least I tried to.)

For a little bit of context for the picture:
Thor was poring himself a drink at home in Bilskirnir, and Sif came barging in after a long day of milling grain, bragging about how big her arms have gotten.

Thor isn’t wearing his gloves because he’s at home btw, he doesn’t have any use for them right then and there.

Curious what people’s thoughts are on my recent Odin piece.

Would love to colour it but not in my wheelhouse 😫

Researchers had long puzzled over how the vast Pacific island network of Polynesia was first populated. But in 1947, Thor Heyerdahl proposed the radical idea that the islands of the South Pacific had been populated by seafarers from all the way in South America. Heyerdahl noted similarities between the cultures of these two regions, including myths, legends, and even food like the sweet potato. But experts nevertheless disagreed with Heyerdahl, claiming that ancient peoples would not have had the technology to make such a long and arduous ocean voyage. So, Heyerdahl set out to prove them wrong — by sailing from Peru to French Polynesia himself in a homemade wooden raft.

Read more of the unbelievable true story of the adventurer who successfully traveled 4,300 miles across the Pacific on a craft made of logs and rope: https://allthatsinteresting.com/thor-heyerdahl

Not sure about the artist sadly. I only found out that it was probably drawn for some kind of educational history book

No power tools whatsoever. Axe, gouge, chisel,knife. Figured if you are going to make one may as well make it like they did in their time.

Linseed oil and beeswax finish.

Minnesota Basswood.

One of the best looking runestone I know about. It's made of limestone in the late Viking era.

Inscription: Sigmund had the stone erected after his brothers and the bridge made after Sigbjärn - Saint Michael help his soul - and after Botraiv and after Sigraiv and after Aibjärn, father of them all, and he lived in the village (or farm) furthest south. Gairvid drew (eg. laid) the serpentine coils ... Sigmund has thus accomplished the care. For men it is a well-known memorial. Here the stone shall stand as a mark, shining on the mountain, the bridge beside it. Rodbjärn carved these runes, some (however) Gairlaiv, he knows them well. 

sigmutr let rasa sain eftiʀ bruþr : sina : auk : bro : kierua : eftiʀ : sikbiern : santa mikal hie[lbi] ... ...ans auk : at : botraif auk at sigraif : auk : at aibiern : faþur þaiʀa : altr : auk bikui han : i by : sunarst kaiʀuiþr lekþi ormaluʀ nemʀ : in[t]i uʀ ¶ sikmutr [--fiʀ :] sliku : unit kuml ¶ karmanum : þet aʀ [:] ... kun : hier : mun : stanta stain : a[t] : merki bietr a : bierki in bro furiʀ ¶ roþ(b)iern risti run(i)ʀ [þ]esa kaiʀl-ifʀ sumaʀ aʀ karla kan

A depiction of Thor with his belt of strength Megingjörð.

Inscription; stur-akʀ + sati + stin + þasi + (i)ftiʀ + kaur + faþur + sin

Stursagr set this stone after Gaur, his father.

ᛋᛏᚢᚱ╵ᛅᚴᛦ × ᛋᛅᛏᛁ × ᛋᛏᛁᚾ × ᚦᛅᛋᛁ × ᛧᚠᛏᛁᛦ × ᚴᛅᚢᚱ × ᚠᛅᚦᛁᚱ × ᛋᛁᚾ

Unusual discovery of a picture stone in Hölö! During our survey in Ekeby outside of Hölö, we have made an unusual discovery in a grave that can likely be dated to the Migration Period, approx. 400–550 AD. When Tamara and Karolina examined the grave, they saw that there was ornamentation on a large limestone. On one side, there were three identical circular figures, each with a pit in the middle surrounded by two concentric rings. Similar circular figures were present on the other side, and it is possible that further ornamentation will emerge once the stone has been cleaned and analyzed properly. The upper edge of our stone also had a finely rounded shape that we believe is worked. The stone is a so-called picture stone, which is an unusual find; there are only about forty previously known in the Mälardalen region. They were often made of red sandstone or, as in our case, white crystalline limestone. That type of limestone occurs naturally in our local area, but within the survey area, this primary limestone has not been encountered in the bedrock, so our stone has likely been moved to Ekeby, though perhaps not from very far away. Picture stones from Mälardalen generally have geometric patterns, just like our new find, but there are also some other figures. The circle motifs from our picture stone are also found on other picture stones and have sometimes been suggested to be representations of the sun, shields, or wheels. Our stone was lying on the ground when we found it, but it was likely originally standing. The stone has now been brought into our office for documentation, and it will be cleaned carefully and then 3D-scanned so that we can identify all ornamentation and any tool marks.

Link to Swedish text

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02PhE2MfvfEoMEjV2VBrRj7fxduPUYLKejkxDMTyaRrESXm9YYmDy7zNj2LwydRUVml&id=100063727833555&mibextid=wwXIfr

The image is consistent with Snorri Sturluson's depiction in the Edda . According to Snorri, Thor was baiting with the head of an ox belonging to the giant Hyme or Hymer , and the Midgard Serpent  took the bait. The fight was so fierce that Thor's feet went straight through the bottom of the boat. According to Snorri, Hymer (Hyme) (not pictured) cut the reef with the Midgard Serpent, and Thor escaped unharmed.

There's another picture on the stone of a bird of prey striking prey. This is possibly another myth that's been lost to time.

Inscription: Vifastr, Folkaðr, Guðvarr(?) letu ræisa stæin æftiʀ sinn faður Holmfast, Arnfast.

Baðiʀ fæðrgaʀ brunnu, a [þæi]ʀ Balli, Frøystæinn, lið Lifstæin[s ristu].

Baðiʀ fæðrgaʀ brunnu, a [þæiʀ] Balli, Frøystæinn, lið Lifstæinn.

Vifast, Folkad, the Kuþar, had the stone erected after their father Holmfast (and after their brother) Arnfast.

Father and son both burned to death. And Balle and Frösten, Livsten's companions, (carved)

This large runestone is located next to Högby church, a 12th century church were 3 runestones have been found in the church walls.

The stone was used in the church wall with the cross facing into the church.

The place where the church is situated is most likely on an ancient burial mound.

The inscription on the backside is written in meter (fornyrðislag).

Inscription;

Front: Þorgærðr(?) ræisþi stæin þannsi æftiʀ Assur,/Assur sinn/Sæinn moðurbroður sinn, eʀ ændaðis austr i Grikkium.

Back: Goðr karl Gulli gat fæm syni. Fioll a Føri frøkn drængʀ Asmundr, ændaðis Assurr austr i Grikkium, varð a Holmi Halfdan drepinn, Kari varð at Uddi(?)

ok dauðr Boi. Þorkell ræist runaʀ

Front:

Torgärd erected this stone after Assur, his maternal uncle.

He was ended eastwards in Greek-land.

Back:

The good farmer Gulle

had five sons. The brave warrior Åsmund

fell on Föret , Assur was ended eastwards in Greek-land, and was killed in Holmgång (duel, but unsure interpretation)  by Halvdan. Kåre was killed [interpreted as also killed] Boe is also dead. Thorkel carved the runes. 

There's debate on the exact meaning of the writing (as always with these stones). Holmgång might be Holme meaning island, some think it's referring to Bornholm (a danish island). "Fell on föret" might mean killed in the battle at Fyrisvallarna outside Uppsala in 985.

It might also say that Kåre was killed at the Zealand cape.

Greek-land is referring to the Byzantine empire.

Somewhere around the year 450-510 , the ringfort of Sandby borg on the Swedish island of Öland was the scene of a brutal massacre. The dead were left where they fell and the treasures of the fort was never plundered, neither by the attackers or anyone else later on.

The migration period were violent times for the inhabitants of the Swedish island of Öland. There were at least 15 ringforts built on the island during this time. However Sandby borg sticks out.

The fact that the fort is located by the water has caused a headache, as the fort has not fit into the traditional picture of the history of the ancient forts. Traditionally, the ancient forts of Öland have been interpreted as places of refuge in times of unrest, and a location by the sea has meant that there was not much time to gather your valuables and get to the castle before a sea-borne enemy had already landed and started plundering.

Thoughts have therefore been raised that the castle may have been built by Wendish pirates or that they wanted to defend themselves against attacks from land. However, in terms of its layout and appearance, the castle is very similar to the other castles, which speaks in favor of a native builder.

When archaeologists started to excavate the site , they found another surprising thing. The evidence of a brutal massacre.

The results included some fascinating snapshots from everyday life at the fort as well as the gruesome evidence of a brutal mass killing, with a minimum number of 26 individuals identified of which nine are represented by more or less complete bodies.The victims range in age from small children to elderly adults.Many of the skeletons show clear evidence of sharp force and blunt force trauma, typically inflicted from above or from behind. 

The skeletons had clear signs of violence testify to a sudden and brutal attack in which the inhabitants were surprised and killed on the spot, without the possibility of defending themselves. The dead were left where they fell, along with their belongings, suggesting that no one survived to care for the dead. The castle was then abandoned and never reused, creating an almost untouched picture of life on Iron Age Öland .

The archaeologists found caches of exclusive costume buckles and glass beads from the Roman Mediterranean region, showing that the castle's inhabitants were not only wealthy but also had trade contacts far beyond Öland's borders.

What are your thoughts on this mystery? I'm thinking vampires or something...jk.