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The 15th International Saga Conference

Sagas and the Use of the Past
5th 11th August 2012, Aarhus University
Preprint of Abstracts
Edited by
A. lotnios Volntin Nordviq ond lisbtn H. Tornnq
with Pernille Hermann, Jens Peter Schjdt and Ulla Loumand
Sponsored by:
A.P. Mller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Mllers Fond til almene
Formaal; 15. juni Fonden; Forskningsrdet for Kultur og Kommuni-
kation (FKK); Kungl. Gustav Adolfs Akademien fr svensk folkkultur;
Letterstedtska Freningen; Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University; The De-
partment of Aesthetics and Communication, Aarhus University; The
Department of Culture and Society, Aarhus University; Salling; Bryg-
geriet Sct. Clemens.
Published by
Department of Aesthetics and Communication
Department of Culture and Society
Faculty of Arts
SUN-Tryk
Fllestrykkeriet for Sundhedsvidenskab og Humaniora, Aarhus Universitet
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2012, the Contributors.
ISBN: 978-87-995444-0-0
nttp.//soqoconfrnc.ou.dk/nlodnin/soqoconfrnc/lr-print.pdf
The cover image is the so-called Aarhus Mask, a depiction on a ru-
nestone found in the district of Hasle in Aarhus. It has been dated to the
period 970-1020.
Design by Nichlas Tougaard, Det Nye Sort.
124
Papers
Bad Death in the Viking Age
Apotropaic Practices Related to the Burial of the Dead
Leszek Gardela, University oI Aberdeen, Scotland
The concept of bad death refers to situations when a person passes away in unusual
circumstances, which might cause fear among the community. The aim of this paper is
to examine selected cases, which could be interpreted as bad death in the Old Norse lit-
erature and Viking Age archaeology, with particular attention paid to various apotropaic
measures that were undertaken to protect the community against the dangerous powers
of the dying or the deceased.
Among the relevant saga narratives is the description of the funerary procedures
associated with the burial of rlf bgiftr (Eyrbyggja saga) and Skalla-Grmr (Egils
saga Skalla-Grmssonar). In both instances, it appears that the people responsible for
the burial were afraid of walking in front of the corpse and ensured to close the eyes and
other orifces oI the deceased. Furthermore, they carried the corpse not through the door,
but through an artifcially made hole in the wall oI the house. In the sagas there are also
other examples of apotropaic rituals employed in dealing with malevolent individuals
(e.g. sorcerers) or animated corpses.
The fear of evil eyes as well as (re)burying the dead with the employment of
apotropaic rituals or objects may also have some refection in the available archaeologi-
cal material. In this paper three types of special or deviant burials will be considered:
prone burial, decapitation and stoning.
1. Prone burial
Prone burial occurs rarely at Viking Age cemeteries and mostly males were buried in
such a way. Sometimes the prone burial could be supplemented by other, apparently
apotropaic rites such as decapitation or stoning. In most cases the deceased are not
accompanied by any artefacts and if these are present, they seem to have played a very
special role. One illustrative example is grave P found at the Viking Age cemetery in
Bogvei in Langeland, Denmark. There a man was buried in a prone position and his
body was covered with large stones. At his feet was a knife, which was intentionally
thrust into the ground.
2. Decapitation
Graves of decapitated individuals, similarly to prone burials, are not very common at Vi-
king Age cemeteries. Predominantly men were subject to decapitation, but there are also
some examples of female graves. Decapitation may also be noted in the case of some
double graves in which the deceased were buried in a wooden chamber or in which the
124 125
Papers
bodies were superimposed.
Among the best known examples is the chamber grave FII from Stengade in Langeland,
Denmark. In this grave two males were buried side by side in a supine position. The man
in the northern part of the chamber was decapitated and it seems that his limbs were tied.
Interestingly, the only artefact that accompanied the deceased was a spearhead whose
shaft originally lay diagonally over their bodies. One may speculate if this weapon had
some special role in the funerary rituals and whether it is possible to connect it with
some practices related to inn cult.
Another grave worthy of considering is Bj. 959 from Birka. In this grave a decapitated
female was buried in a supine position, with legs slightly fexed. In contrast to many
other deviant graves she was well dressed and equipped. What seems most striking is
that the womans jawbone appears to be missing and instead a pigs jawbone was placed
above her neck. Perhaps the act of severing the womans jawbone was intended to pre-
vent her from speaking or uttering curses? It may also be argued that the pigs jawbone
played the role of a musical instrument employed at the funeral. Similar instruments
are known from many cultures and they were used by rubbing a piece of wood or bone
against the teeth.
3. Stoning
Stones of varying sizes which were deliberately placed or thrown upon the dying or
deceased are known from a number of Viking Age cemeteries mainly from Denmark,
Sweden (Gotland) and Iceland. The Old Norse sources suggest that stoning was a way of
getting rid of malevolent sorcerers, but it is not unlikely that the act of stoning also had
some associations with Old Norse mythology (e.g. orr fghting with giants) and fre. In
this paper several stoned graves will be considered, especially the Gerdrup grave and
grave A505 from Trekroner-Grydehj in Sjland, Denmark.
References:
Gardela L. 2011: Buried with Honour and Stoned to Death? The Ambivalence of Viking
Age Magic in the Light of Archaeology, Analecta Archaeologica Ressoviensia 4(2009),
339-375.
Gardela L. in press: Deviants and decapitations. Heads and apotropaic practices in the
Viking Age, [in:] The head motif in a comparative perspective, Interdisciplinary Meet-
ings Motifs Through the Ages, L. Gardela & K. Kajkowski (eds.), Bytow

Picture:
Artistic reconstruction of grave P from Bogvej, Langeland, Denmark. Drawing by
Miroslaw Kuma. Leszek Gardela & Miroslaw Kuma