A silver figurine from Lejre
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1080/21662282.2013.808403Keywords:
Viking Age, Lejre, pre-Christian religion, Odin, aristocracy, rites of initiation, clothing customsAbstract
The current article describes in detail the Lejre figurine found in 2009, inside the mail hall-area at the settlement. The silver figurine depicts a small, anthropomorphic person seated on a throne, with a larger bird on each side. The description includes the context and circumstances of the find location – the aristocratic settlement of Lejre – as well as a thorough evaluation of the attributes of the figurine itself. In the article it is argued that the figurine presents a male personality, which presumably is of a noble status, dressed in a ritual garment and placed on a high seat, thus bearing similarities with the historic descriptions of the Norse god Odin. The garment might even be that of a coronation costume as it has been described and depicted in contemporary continental sources.
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