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Author Sundqvist, Olof, author

Title An arena for higher powers : ceremonial buildings and religious strategies for rulership in late Iron Age Scandinavia / by Olof Sundqvist
Published Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2016]
©2016

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Description 1 online resource (xiv, 647 pages) : illustrations (some color)
Series Numen book series : studies in the history of religions, 0169-8834 ; Volume 150
Studies in the history of religions ; 150. 0169-8834
Contents Preface; List of Figures; Abbreviations; Part 1 Prolegomena; Chapter 1 Introduction; 1.1 Religious Ruler Ideology in Previous Research; 1.2 Towards a Model for Analysing Religious Strategies for Rulership at Ceremonial Buildings; 1.3 Approach and Methods; 1.4 Outline and Hypotheses; Part 2 The Regional-Contextual Approach; Chapter 2 The Three Areas of Investigation and their Political Leaders; 2.1 The Kings in the Mälaren Area; 2.2 The Earls in Trøndelag; 2.3 The Chieftains of Iceland; Chapter 3 Religious Strategies for Political Authorization-A Case Study
3.1 The Kings Called the Ynglingar3.2 The Háleygja Kin (Hlaðajarlar); 3.3 The Þórsnesingar; 3.4 A Contextual Interpretation; Chapter 4 Ceremonial Buildings and Sanctuaries; 4.1 The State of Research; 4.2 The Problem of Terminology; 4.3 Uppsala and other Sanctuaries in the Mälaren Area; 4.4 Lade and Mære in Trøndelag; 4.5 Hof Buildings in Iceland; Part 3 General Features; Chapter 5 The Religious Leadership of the Sanctuaries and the Economic System; 5.1 The Debate about Cultic Leadership and the Terminology; 5.2 Chieftains (hǫfðingjar, hersar, goðar) as Cultic Leaders of the Sanctuaries
5.3 Kings and Earls as the Cultic Leaders of Sanctuaries in Trøndelag and Svetjud5.4 The Financial System of the Public Cult at the Sanctuaries; 5.5 Ideological Motives behind the Rulers' Interest in Public Cult and Sanctuaries; Chapter 6 The Ritual Structure of the Sanctuaries and Cosmic Symbolism; 6.1 Cosmic Symbolism: Some Theoretical and Methodological Issues; 6.2 The Location, Architecture and Decoration of Ceremonial Buildings; 6.3 The Interiors: High-seat, High-seat Posts and Hearths; 6.4 The Exterior Ritual Structure of the Sanctuaries
Chapter 7 The Relation between Rulers and Cultic Images7.1 Miniatures and Medallions; 7.2 The Three Statues of Gods in the "Uppsala Temple"; 7.3 Cultic Images in the Sanctuaries of Trøndelag and Northern Norway; 7.4 Cultic Images in the Sagas of Icelanders and the Image from Eyrarland; 7.5 Cultic Images and Religious Strategies for Rulership: Hypotheses; Chapter 8 Sacred Sites, Ritual Restrictions and Religious Strategies for Rulership; 8.1 Sanctifications of Places and Ritual Restrictions (Taboos); 8.2 The Enclosed Sacred Space
8.3 Violations against the Sanctity of the Sacred Space: The Example of Egils saga8.4 The Ruler as the Protector of the Sanctified Space; 8.5 Burning or Breaking Down the Ceremonial Building: An Attack against the "World" of the Ruler; 8.6 The Renovation and Ending of Ceremonial Buildings and Sanctuaries; Chapter 9 Ceremonial Feasts as Ritual Strategies; 9.1 Hákonar saga góða and the Ceremonial Feasts at Lade and Mære; 9.2 Calendrical Religious Feasts; 9.3 The Ruler as Sacrificer; 9.4 Smearing Sacrificial Blood on the Sacrificial Platforms
Summary In 'An arena for higher powers' Olof Sundqvist investigates ceremonial buildings and religious ruler strategies in Late Iron Age Scandinavia (i.e. AD 550-1050/1100). The author offers here an account of the role played by religion in political undertakings among the pre-Christian ruling elites at halls and cultic buildings. Sundqvist applies a regional approach, so as to be able to account for the specific historical, cultural and social contexts. The focus is mainly on three regions, the Lake Mälaren area in Sweden, Trøndelag in Norway, and Iceland. Since the political structure and other contextual aspects partly differed in the three regions, the religious strategies for gaining legitimacy and authorization at the sanctuaries also varied to some extent in these areas
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Print version record
Subject Religion and politics -- Scandinavia -- History
RELIGION -- Comparative Religion.
Antiquities
Kings and rulers -- Religious life
Religion
Religion and politics
Heiligtum
Herrschaft
SUBJECT Scandinavia -- Religion
Scandinavia -- Kings and rulers -- Religious life
Scandinavia -- Antiquities. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2006008502
Subject Scandinavia
Skandinavien
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9789004307483
9004307486
9004292705
9789004292703