Showing posts with label Scandinavia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scandinavia. Show all posts

Friday, June 28, 2019

La Festa Di Cornucopia 2019 - Part 1

La Festa Di Cornucopia - August 1st

Stregheria

The First Harvest

"August Eve" - July 31st


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"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." -- Albert Einstein


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Gotska Sandön - Northern Paradise Isle

Gotska Sandön (literally translated as Gotlandic Sand Island) is an uninhabited Swedish island north of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. It has been a national park since 1909.


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The night sky at the old gallows, Visby, Gotland


Flag of Gotland
Gotland has historically been associated with Teutonic pagan artifacts, the Teutonic Order which was Christian, as well as with the origins of the Goths. The Goths later went marauding just about everywhere in Europe, including the establishment of the Ostrogothic Kingdom which included all of the Italian peninsula, most of the Balkans, and a part of southern France, and the Visigothic Kingdom which included all of the Iberian peninsula and a part of southern France.


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August Eve - Ghost

August Eve

http://augusteve.com

https://soundcloud.com/august-eve


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via GIPHY


Two ideas concerning the character of the nature and the universe

 
Nature has no "words" nor neurological associations.... it just "IS"

When thinking about life, nature, and the earth... people are very word-driven. As if trying to make sense of nature's order and the order of their own lives. Nature has no words as such; it just moves forward with it's own laws. A person can jump off of a cliff and deny gravity. Nature does not care. What we see and experience just "IS," regardless of how any and all societies try to institute their own order of thought control.


Universal spinning; "regeneration"

All things in the universe are spinning and changing, not just life forms. Even a rock, at the sub-atomic level; there is "movement," however small. Nature is in constant flux, the endless cycle of building, destroying, building, etc. When I go hiking, there is no real danger. There are coyotes, which are very unlikely to attack; there could be a rattlesnake, although I've personally only seen one in the wild. There are no bears, wolves, nor mountain lions. This taming of nature is an illusion, as Nature or the Universe could wipe us out at any time.


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Lake Edith below Mount Edith Cavell massif in Jasper National Park (Alberta, Canada)





Fryatt Valley, also in Jasper National Park



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Wolfsangel

The Wolfsangel is a German heraldic charge inspired by historic wolf traps, consisting of two metal parts and a connecting chain. The top part of the trap, which resembled a crescent moon with a ring inside, used to be fastened between branches of a tree in the forest while the bottom part, on which meat scraps used to be hung, was a hook meant to be swallowed by a wolf. The simplified design based on the iron "wolf-hook" was often heavily stylized to no longer resemble a baited hook hung from a tree or an entire wolf traps.

Other names included Wolfsanker ("wolf-anchor") or Wolfsjagd as well as hameçon or hameçon de loup, a half-moon shape with a ring, or as cramp or crampon in English with a ring at the center, sometimes also called Doppelhaken ("double-hook"), or a crampon with a transversal stroke. All of these symbols are still found in a number of municipal coats of arms in Germany. The crampon is also found as a mason's mark in medieval stonework.

In early times, believed to possess magical powers, it became a symbol of liberty and independence after its adoption as an emblem of a peasant revolt in the 15th century against the oppression of the German princes and their mercenaries.


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Gothic architecture

Gothic architecture (latin : francigenum opus) is a style that flourished in Europe during the High and Late Middle Ages. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture. Originating in 12th-century France, it was widely used, especially for cathedrals and churches, until the 16th century.





Gothicism

Gothicism or Gothism (Swedish: Göticism; Latin: Gothicismus) was a cultural movement in Sweden, centered on the belief in the glory of the Swedish Geats, who were identified with the Goths. The founders of the movement were Nicolaus Ragvaldi and the brothers Johannes and Olaus Magnus. The belief continued to hold power in the 17th century, when Sweden was a great power following the Thirty Years' War, but lost most of its sway in the 18th. It was renewed by the Viking revival and Romantic nationalism in the early 19th century, this time with the Vikings as heroic figures.





Gothic art

Gothic art was a style of medieval art that developed in Northern France out of Romanesque art in the 12th century AD, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, and much of Southern and Central Europe, never quite effacing more classical styles in Italy. In the late 14th century, the sophisticated court style of International Gothic developed, which continued to evolve until the late 15th century. In many areas, especially Germany, Late Gothic art continued well into the 16th century, before being subsumed into Renaissance art. Primary media in the Gothic period included sculpture, panel painting, stained glass, fresco and illuminated manuscripts. The easily recognizable shifts in architecture from Romanesque to Gothic, and Gothic to Renaissance styles, are typically used to define the periods in art in all media, although in many ways figurative art developed at a different pace.


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Far Cry 5: The Hope County Choir - "Oh the Bliss" (Choir Version)

Miseyxo


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Oh The Bliss (Far Cry Wiki)

Far Cry is a video game series, which featured this song. Apparently the Hope County Choir covered it with something of a Christian message. Actually, numerous concerns have adopted this song. I prefer this choir background version more than the original.

'Oh The Bliss' (original version)


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'The Bizarre Story Behind The Suicide Bombing Of A SoCal Cult'

By Matthew Duerstein - LAist.com - December 10, 2018

The killers arrived before dusk in a rickety pickup truck, stopping at a cheap, no-name motel on the outskirts of Tarzana. Hunkered down in their room, Brother Elzibah wrote farewell letters to his loved ones, including his young son ("I am willing to give up my life to free you"). Then the monks pressed "RECORD" and made their martyr statements as the tape whirred.

"It is now 7:30pm," noted Brother Jeroham. "Within the next four hours, we will drive to Box Canyon, see Krishna... and the demand a right adjustment be made... This may be our last night in the world. Dear God, give us freedom or death."

Twenty sticks of dynamite, three detonators, batteries, blasting caps and electric cable sat in their truck. The clock ticked. It was December 10, 1958.

con't....


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This story was featured on an episode entitled "The Cult" on The Dead Files last year.

Fountain of the World cult

Krishna Venta


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Teal Swan








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“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.” --George Orwell


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The Irminsul rock carving at Externsteine


The carving, which shows a sacred Odinic Irminsul being destroyed, must have been carved after Charlemagne's reign of terror against anything non-Christian during the eighth century. Prior to that time Externsteine, which is located within Germany's Black Forest, had been a most sacred location.


















 "The destruction of Irminsul by Charlemagne" by Heinrich Leutemann, 1882






Externsteine - Between Neo-Pagans and Neo-Nazis, these strange rock formations have a curious cult following and a very strange history

Atlas Obscura

Horn-Bad Meinberg, Germany

Externsteine, translated variously as “stones of the Egge” or, less convincingly, the “Star Stones,” is a series of pillar-like rock formations that jut up from the surrounding Teutoburg forest. No mere geological curiosity, Externsteine is also reputed to be an ancient and sacred palaeolithic worshiping ground, an astronomical calendar, and the location of a sacred pagan pillar known as an “Irminsul.” Externsteine is a current mecca for Neo-pagans, Neo-Nazis and neo-pagan-Nazis.

In actuality, the pre-history of these rocks is largely unknown, and archaeological digs have turned up little to suggest they were of any great meaning to Paleolithic peoples. The odd rock formations were probably used as an occasional shelter until the late 700s when Christian monks settled at Externsteine and carved stairs and reliefs into the great stones. The site would continue to change purpose, serving as a fortress, pleasure palace, and prison before becoming something even stranger: a place famed for its history and spiritual significance despite the fact that the “history” is largely a fiction created by Nazi Occultists.

con't....


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The Process Church of the Final Judgement Documents

This is a 520-page PDF document, apparently compiled by an anonymous source, which details the complex beliefs of the decades old group. These records come from the below website.

Process Church Of The Final Judgment Resource site for The Process Church and the works of Robert De Grimston


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Process Church of the Final Judgment

The Process Church of the Final Judgment, commonly known as the Process Church, was a religious group established in London in 1966. Its founders were the British couple Mary Ann MacClean and Robert de Grimston and it spread across parts of the United Kingdom and United States during the latter 1960s and 1970s.

The Process Church was established by MacLean and de Grimston in London in 1966. The pair had met several years previously, when they were both members of the Church of Scientology. The duo were ejected from the Church in 1962 and married the following year. They started a Scientology splinter group called Compulsions Analysis, which gained new religious elements and developed into the Process Church. Its members initially lived in a commune in Mayfair before moving to Xtul in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. They later established a base of operations in the United States in New Orleans. Prosecutors investigating the Los Angeles murders committed by the Manson Family in 1969 suggested that there were links between Charles Manson and the Process Church. Although no proof of such a connection was ever provided, the allegations damaged the Church's reputation.

In the early 1970s, the sociologist William Sims Bainbridge studied the group, producing an in-depth account of its activities. In 1974, MacLean and de Grimston separated. The latter tried to continue the group with a small following, but this folded in 1979. MacLean retained the allegiance of the majority of Church members, reforming the group as the Foundation Church of the Millennium and taking it into an explicitly Christian direction. It was later transformed into the Best Friends Animal Society, based at Kanab, Utah.


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'Former NYPD Talks Process Church Allegations and “Son of Sam” Murders'

Serial killer Sam Berkowitz claims that he was a part of the Process Church, an allegation which even Wikipedia thought was too hot to handle. If they were involved even remotely in what they have been accused of over the years, then they most certainly would still be operating underground. I know for a fact that there are Satanic groups, like what they allegedly were, all around. It's just part of the human social contract. When the Christian inquisitors were killing people to "stamp out Satan," they literally created "Biblical-style Satanism" through the power of suggestion (as well as their gruesome deeds). There were no such groups before that. It's just part of the world; I don't think they can be stopped.


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"Political correctness is fascism disguised as politeness." -- George Carlin


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'40,000-Year-Old Severed Wolf's Head Found in Siberia'

By Tim Binnall - Coast To Coast AM - June 12, 2019

A Siberian man searching for mammoth tusks amid melting permafrost was taken aback when he stumbled upon the severed head of a wolf that turned out to be 40,000 years old. The remarkable find was reportedly made last year as Pavel Efimov walked along the shore of a river in the district of Yakutia. He subsequently turned it over to scientists, who kept the discovery under wraps until they unveiled it this week at an event in Tokyo.

According to experts who examined the remarkable remains, the wolf likely roamed the Earth during the Pleistocene era and was considerably bigger than its modern-day counterparts that reside in the region today. The head of the animal, alone, they say measures 16 inches, which is around half the size of a modern gray wolf's whole body. Scientists were particularly excited about the discovery because of its well-preserved nature. To that end, not only were the animal's teeth and fur still intact, but so was its brain.

As to how or why the wolf's head wound up being severed from its body, experts postulated that the ancient decapitation was probably not the work of human hands, because the region where it was found was not settled by people until a period long after the event likely took place. Despite only having the head to work with, scientists hope to reconstruct the complete creature for some kind of display in the future while also studying the DNA of the ancient wolf to gain new insights into the long-departed canines which once called Siberia home.

con't....


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This song will always remind me of the film 'Boogie Nights' and the crazy "drug deal gone bad" scene with Alfred Molina aka "Rahad Jackson." I suppose it reminds me of places that I was when I was about 19-23, where you just wander into places and situations... often due to the recklessness of those around you. I was shot at several different times. At that age people either really want you around, or they really don't want you around; not much neutral, at least where I was hanging out.


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Gabilan Mountains, Pinnacles National Park, near Monterey, California


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Mothballs are actually toxic and dangerous


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'Mothballs: Why you don’t actually need it'

Ayu Larasati - Treeusable - July 10, 2018

The smell of mothballs, although pungent, is admittedly somewhat nostalgic. For me, it brings me back to my grandmother’s teak wardrobe, a custom-made gift she had received on her wedding day with my late grandfather. I would watch her as she perused through her clothes, picking out which top would best fit the day’s occasion, forever the fashionable woman that I know and love. In the recesses of her wardrobe shelves were white, spherical crystals, hidden away from plain sight but could be smelled upon opening the wardrobe. If either my little sister or I managed to find one and played with it, we would be reprimanded and made to wash our hands twice before being reprimanded again. It doesn’t happen very often, the mothball playing, but from the handful of times that it did happen, both my sister and I knew and understood that we shouldn’t touch mothballs and we definitely shouldn’t put out hands in our mouths if we touched one.

con't....


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Some old graffiti resurfaces

Recently while walking some trails nearby where I grew up, I saw some graffiti on the back of some old commercical light industrial buildings. I was amazed that it was the same as it was forty or more years earlier! There was AC/DC, Van Halen, WPOD ("White Punks On Dope"), along with swastikas and SS symbols. These were not old taggings, but fairly recent. It was like a time warp; so different than the endless gang-banger taggings in so many places. Some of the old hard rock bands have numerous generations of fans, and there has not been any new ones which have been heavily promoted for at least twenty-five years now. Quite frankly, I suppose it's due to disenchanted white youth, told how evil they are in the modern school curriculum. When youths are told how bad they are, often they will just become it. When young males are frequently treated disrespectfully (aside from dicipline) by adults, their school, the police, etc... they do not respond well to it. I would guess that in this case, it was more like goofing off though.


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Musical allegory

For me this is one of those songs, as I put it once, with "subjective symbolism and metaphoric meaning." Just on the surface, to me, it's a song about a time of hardship, and looking for some inspiration to make it through. Even if you're not in hardship, there may have been a time in which you were, and it could be a metaphor for that. The "boys" could be a reference to someone or something which you admire and/or wish to be a part of. However, in your present state, that may be far off. Getting lost "in your rock and roll" could symbolize a culture, a value, a place, anything associated with them. "Free my soul" could represent the need for momentary inspiration, or a far off goal... or both.

"And when my mind is free
You know a melody can move me"


These lines are interesting in that they seem to suggest the strength of one's inner spirit and heart. That all they need is some nexus to what they're striving or hoping for... both metaphorically and literally in the song. There are other lines which further drive all of these points home. Of course, being a great song helps cement the concept for anyone who may identify with a possible meaningful allegorical connection to it. To me, it doesn't at all sound like a love song; but one of male energy... "brotherhood." It could even tie into a theme of irredentism... more personal than political.





"Drift Away"

Day after day I'm more confused
Yet I look for the light through the pouring rain
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
And I'm feelin' the strain
Ain't it a shame

Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away

Beginning to think that I'm wastin' time
I don't understand the things I do
The world outside looks so unkind
And I'm countin' on you
To carry me through

Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Yeah, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away

And when my mind is free
You know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue
The guitar's comin' through to soothe me

Thanks for the joy that you've given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
And rhythm and rhyme and harmony
You've helped me along
Makin' me strong

Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away

Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Hey, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away

Na na na, won't you, won't you take me
Oh, take me


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Sunday, March 20, 2016

Countdown to the Pagan New Year - Part 4



Aleister Crowley In Search Of The Great Beast 666

illuminati Exposed

Music: 'The Call Of The Second AEthyr' by Aleister Crowley

This is a 2007 documentary entitled 'In Search of the Great Beast 666' by Robert Garofalo (Disinformation Company). I have mixed feelings about Crowley, but he did develop real meta-technology albeit via dark forces. He initially came out've the Hermetic-Alchemical camp.



When fantasy and anime trample over real history or mythology

In the last few days I conducted google image searches of "aradia" and "lunar star." As you can see in both cases, some anime or fantasy program has overwhelmed the images as well as even standard text searches.


The Moon-Star














 The Moon-Star depicted along with Julius Caesar, on a Roman coin.

Forum thread with similar Roman-Pagan coins 



Quote

"Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance." 

-- Albert Einstein





Arctic ancestral survivalism: on extreme weather Sami wisdom

Kirsten Dirksen

The Sami people are one of the oldest semi-nomadic indigenous groups in the world. Traditionally herding reindeer in the Arctic regions of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula (the region is known as Sapmi), they learned to work with the rhythms of nature in order to survive the harsh climate. 





Almost Famous - Tiny Dancer

belfeguz

From the 2000 film 'Almost Famous', the timeless "1973" scene depicting the fictional band "Stillwater" on a tour stop in Kansas, Nebraska, or almost any state; featuring the Elton John song 'Tiny Dancer'. This movie was so rich with subtle provocative aspects of life and culture. Just in this scene, I can recall as a kid being in situations far from home with very vagabondish children who were totally oblivious to my life stresses and responsibilities. A truly great film, not devoid of a dark side.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs in the film "Almost Famous." All scenes.



Vernal Equinox and Full Worm Moon

Today is Ostara already; while Wednesday is the Full Worm Moon. Actually, it occurs at 8:01 AM EST/5:01 AM PST, therefore for practical purposes it would be Tuesday evening. Today is Easter week; Palm Sunday today and Easter next Sunday.


First of season’s 4 full moons March 23

Bruce McClure - EarthSky.org

This March 2016 full moon presents the first of the season’s four full moons. Moreover, this full moon ushers in the Northern Hemisphere’s first full moon of spring and the Southern Hemisphere’s first full moon of autumn. Tonight, no matter where you live on Earth, look for the moon to look plenty full as it shines from dusk till dawn.

Tonight’s moon (after sunset March 23) might look full, but for us in North America, the crest of the moon’s full phase came on the morning of March 23, 2016 at 7:01 a.m. Central Daylight Time (12:01 Universal Time). In other words, the March full moon may have passed by the time that you’re reading this post.

In the Northern Hemisphere, we often call the March full moon the Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Worm Moon or Easter Moon.

con'd


Springtime








Lagertha aka Katheryn Winnick



GlobalMarchAgainstChemtrailsAndGeoengineering.com

April 23, 2016

facebook page







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Taylor Swift an 'obnoxious Nazi Barbie', writes Camille Paglia

There would always be so-called "celebrities" who may rub one the wrong way as they're endlessly pitched and force-fed to us every day against our will. However, I think it would be more productive to have a critical judgement on all of them rather than just choose one random person. Whether a Hollywood standing ovation for Roman Polansky, some kid from a rich family (Mily Cyrus) doing a super-raunchy routine in front of the impressionable children of working class parents struggling to raise them, or someone worth over a hundred million dollars like Samuel L. Jackson's unprovoked taunting of some small time reporter to call him a negative term; this larger social menace should be addressed by common people. Taylor Swift, comparatively, must be pretty far down the list.



Americana - The BIC 4-Color Ballpoint Retractable Pen

I can recall using these pens as a small child. They're still around. I recently purchased the exact same pen! The old black, blue, red, and green classic.







Twistin' The Night Away - "Animal House" - Soundtrack

anrifaga


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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Italy runestones and Langbarðaland




Guðlaug had the stones raised in memory of Holmi, her son. He died in Lombardy.

Guðlaug let ræisa stæina at Holma, sun sinn. Hann do a Langbarðalandi. 

-- Old Norse transcription of "U 141" runestone (see image)
 
Apparently his mother requested that two runestones be carved and erected in honor of her son who died while serving in the Byzantine "Varagian Guard."

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The Italy runestones with English translation
 

BirkaViking
 

The Italy runestones with English translation from the Scandinavian runic-text database.

The young men who applied for a position in the Varangian guard were not uncouth roughnecks, as in the traditional stereotype, but instead, it appears that they were usually fit and well-raised young warriors who were skilled in weapons. They were the kind of warriors who were welcome as the elite troops of the Byzantine Emperor, and who the rulers of Kievan Rus requested from Scandinavia when they were under threat.


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Italy runestones (Wikipedia)


The Italy Runestones are three or four Varangian Runestones from 11th-century Sweden that talk of warriors who died in Langbarðaland ("Land of the Lombards"), the Old Norse name for Italy. On these rune stones it is southern Italy that is referred to (Langobardia), but the Rundata project renders it rather anachronistically as Lombardy (see the translations of the individual stones, below).

The rune stones are engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark, and two of them are found in Uppland and one or two in Södermanland.


Langbard duchies Spoleto and Benevento in blue
The memorials are probably raised in memory of members of the Varangian Guard, the elite guard of the Byzantine Emperor, and they probably died while fighting in southern Italy against the local Lombard principalities or the invading Normans. Many of their brothers-in-arms are remembered on the 28 Greece Runestones most of which are found in the same part of Sweden.

The young men who applied for a position in the Varangian guard were not uncouth roughnecks, as in the traditional stereotype, but instead, it appears that they were usually fit and well-raised young warriors who were skilled in weapons. They were the kind of warriors who were welcome as the elite troops of the Byzantine Emperor, and who the rulers of Kievan Rus' requested from Scandinavia when they were under threat. 



Interpretations

Johan Peringskiöld (d. 1720) considered the Fittja stone and the Djulefors stone to refer to the Lombard migration from Sweden, whereas Celsius (1727) interpreted them in a strikingly different manner. He noted that the name Longobardia was not applied to Italy until after the destruction of the Kingdom of the Lombards in 774. He claimed that the kingdom had been taken over by Varangians from Byzantium in the 11th and 12th centuries, and noted that in Barbarossa's campaign in Italy there were many Scandinavian warriors. The stones would have commemorated Swedish warriors who died in Barbarossa's war. This view was also espoused by Brocman (1762) who considered Holmi to have died in the 12th century for either the Byzantine Emperor or ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.


von Friesen (1913) noted that it is not Lombardy in northern Italy that is intended, but Langobardia in southern Italy, which was ruled by the Byzantine Emperor during the 11th century. The Greeks had to fight several battles against the Normans in southern Italy during the mid-11th century. It is likely that Holmi, who is mentioned on two stones, took part in these battles as a member of the Byzantine Emperor's elite unit, the Varangian Guard, since they use a name based on the Greek name for the region.


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It would be curious to know what contact may have occurred between the Vikings and the Langbard Kingdom, since the kingdom's demise and the start of what is considered the "Viking Age" were only a few years apart. It's also possible that, since these warriors probably died in Southern Italy, the location was in the southern Langobard duchies of Spoleto and Benevento. These two states continued on after Langbard was destroyed by Charlemagne. These Vikings likely had been Christianized by this time, as this was the on the verge of or past the point of the Viking Age. They had been brought into the Christian fold.

Inga raised this stone in memory of Óleifr, her son. He ploughed his stern to the east, and met his end in the land of the Lombards.

Inga ræisti stæin þannsi at Olæif sun sinn. Hann austarla arði barði ok a Langbarðalandi andaðis.


-- Old Norse transcription of "Sö 65" runestone (see image)

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Ancient Aliens - 'The Viking Gods' - Part 2

I finally saw the final episode for season three, 'The Dead', which was one of the best ones so far in the popular series. Clearly, each season has received more of a budget as the program has grown in popularity. If you go to the 'Vikings' History channel site, there is an online store with posters, clothing, dvds, music, jewelry, throw pillows, tote bags, etc. This could foster more interest in the Asatru movement, if the interested individual can comprehend that Asatru wasn't only a "Viking religion."

The Pagan-Asatru band featured is "Wardruna" from Norway, which apparently produced much of the music from the show. This could also foster interest in the pagan music genre as well. Those who will seek out other bands from this multifaceted genre will be surprised at how much is out there.

The spiritual tradition of "the Seer" character is apparently not an Asatruar, but an adherent of "Norse witchcraft." The general theme of Viking paganism was stronger in season three. Floki, in particular, was guiding by the Odinic spiritual tradition... by "the gods." He felt betrayed by Ragnar for his conversion to Christianity. Also, Lagertha's line "If you’ve gone to heaven, then we will never meet again. And yet, I think Odin will ride like the wind and rescue you, and take you to Valhalla where you belong. And there we shall meet again, and fight, and drink, and love one another."

There are many bloggers and forums which have followed the series, such as "Vikings - Fan Site, News and Recaps for History Channel's Vikings." There are numerous sub-plots ready to unfold for season four. Part of what I'm getting at here is that the Vikings were the last great "Heathen Nation" in Europe. This sets it aside from a series about any other post-Roman/Constantine European or Western nation. I know there will be many who will take that first step and google for more information about that "Viking religion." Then the second step, when they type in a search for "Asatru today" or "Odinism modern." Even if one is from a different folk path, it still bridges that disconnect. 

I found the character of the Parisian Princess Gisla to be a strong and moving character. During the Viking attack, she stood along the top of the walls of Paris and urged on the defenders of the city. She displayed class and leadership qualities, only to be forced into a marriage with the enemy as it was. That final scene of her standing in her royal clothing and expressing her disgust was one that would get one's attention. If it was shown in a movie theater, dressed in animal furs and with long hair, Rollo's response of saying "hello" in French and then smiling would have received much laughter. Also, of course, the best scene with Ragnar jumping out've the boat/casket! Perhaps his "conversion" was faked? 

It probably should be mentioned that--although France had every right to defend itself against the Viking horde--this was only after centuries of extreme Christian aggression against any traditions or ideas which were native to northern Europe.


The "Hexenwolf" legend

Since this posting is Germanic/Heathen in nature, I wanted to add one related article: 'The Legendary Hexenwolf'. This is a part of German-American folklore.


An interesting name

According to IMDb.com, regarding the surname of actor Bob Odenkirk ('Breaking Bad'; 'Better Call Saul'): His last name means "Church of Odin" in Old Norse. It was spelled "Oatencirck" many generations back, and originated with a German immigrant ancestor.

5-11-15 Addition: According to IMDb.com, regarding the given name of the actress Thora Birch ('American Beauty'; 'Ghost World'): Her parents, Jack Birch & Carol Connors, thought that she would be a boy, and planned on naming the child Thor, after the Norse God of Thunder and Lightning. When she was born, however, her parents feminized the name and called her Thora.

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Friday, February 6, 2015

Wolves and Bears Clash in Scandinavian forest




Animal Planet YouTube channel
 

Viking Wilderness - Wolves and Bears Clash
 

A pack of wolves and two brown bears fight over the remains of an elk carcass!

From 'Viking Wilderness' series. The animals look very primal.. almost prehistoric.

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Sunday, April 13, 2014

‘Beowulf’ (2007) movie review

‘Beowulf’ (2007) [Wikipedia]

Beowulf is a 2007 American motion capture computer-animated fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary, inspired by the Old English epic poem of the same name. The film was created through a motion capture process similar to the technique Zemeckis used in ‘The Polar Express’. The cast includes Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright, Brendan Gleeson, John Malkovich, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman, and Angelina Jolie. It was released in the United Kingdom and United States on November 16, 2007, and was available to view in IMAX 3D, RealD, Dolby 3D and standard 2D format.

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This film is animated in a way that it uses the actors’ “likeness” along with their voice over, which was interesting. I suppose that they almost had to make it that way due to the nature of the mythology, the creatures, and the dramatic action. I had watched this movie before, and I liked it more the second time today; most likely because I was able to view it in the morning, which is always better for watching a movie.

The opening scene begins with the text “Denmark A.D. 507.” Much of the movie takes place in Danish/Viking King Hrothgar’s (Anthony Hopkins) “Mead Hall.” They are soon attacked in the hall by a demon named Grendel. Grendel is huge, absolutely hideous, and vicious; and appears far too strong for the king’s soldiers. Responding to the king’s plea for a “hero” to defeat this beast, a great warrior from Gotland Island named Beowulf (Ray Winstone) arrives. I don’t want to give away the movie—and you can read the plot in the link above—but this is the basic storyline.

King Hrothgar’s much younger wife is Queen Wealtheow (Robin Wright), and I don’t think I would be giving too much away to say that she eventually becomes the future King Beowulf’s queen. Without going into the details, the king presents Beowulf the “Royal Dragon Horn,” which later becomes part of a covenant of darkness, and is a central part of the plot.

The struggle between Odinic spirituality and Christian religion is featured in some instances. Odin and Heimdall are mentioned; as well as the “new Roman god Christ Jesus.” The following quote was given by an older King Beowulf to his lieutenant, Wiglaf (Brendan Gleeson), at one point:

“The time of heroes is dead, Wiglaf. The Christ god has killed it. Leaving human kind with nothing but weeping martyrs, fear, and shame."


Grendel is an underworld figure that seems almost like half physical and half spirit; as well as his mother (Angelina Jolie). Grendel’s mother—another underworld demon—is a central character, but I won’t give away the plot. John Malkovich plays Unferth, one of King Hrothgar’s chief aids.

I was struck by the character of Queen Wealtheow. She was so beautiful and elegant—especially as she played the harp and sang—yet had so much humility. Her face and expression was so docile; of course, in an animated way. Later in the film—without giving away too much—she is shown as the older queen of Beowulf. He openly takes on a concubine named Ursula (Alison Lohman). The queen takes the high road and takes it all in stride.

She doesn’t hold anything against the young Ursula, and even heroicly saves her life at a later point. I guess where I’m really going with this is that—quite frankly—I thought the older queen was more beautiful than the younger woman... having aged like a fine wine. I didn’t like the way she was treated, carrying herself with such class.

I would recommend the film, which was an international box office success and is rated highly. It should be noted that scholars have mentioned certain inaccuracies with the thousand-year old English poem (see above link). Actually, the characters were real historical figures; being set within the framework of Norse mythology. Therefore, where does fact end, and mythology begin?
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