Tracing Old Norse Cosmology: The World Tree, Middle Earth and the Sun in Archaeological Perspectives Contributor(s): Andrén, Anders (Author) |
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ISBN: 9188909611 ISBN-13: 9789188909619 Publisher: Nordic Academic Press OUR PRICE: $53.96 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2021 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Religion | Antiquities & Archaeology - History | Europe - Scandinavia - Religion | Comparative Religion |
Dewey: 293 |
Physical Information: 256 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: The study of Old Norse religion is a truly multidisciplinary and international field of research. The rituals, myths, and narratives of pre-Christian Scandinavia have been studied and interpreted in detail relying mainly on Christian Icelandic literature from the Middle Ages. Here, Anders Andrén offers a long-term perspective on Old Norse cosmology and argues that the fundamental ideas of an ordered universe, time, and space in Old Norse religion can be studied in a dialogue between archaeology and the Icelandic narrative tradition. Ideas about the world tree, middle earth, and the sun can be traced in images and material culture from Scandinavian prehistory. By combining the prehistoric representations with the later written record the author presents a fresh and nuanced study of the fascinating Old Norse world. |