Early Domesticated Dogs By K. Kris Hirst
The earliest confirmed domestic dog anywhere so far is from a burial site in Germany called Bonn-Oberkassel, which has joint human and dog interments dated to 14,000 years ago. The earliest confirmed domesticated dog in China was found in the early Neolithic (7000–5800 BCE) Jiahu site in Henan Province.
Evidence for co-existence of dogs and humans, but not necessarily domestication, comes from Upper Paleolithic sites in Europe. These hold evidence for dog interaction with humans and include Goyet Cave in Belgium, Chauvet cave in France, and Predmosti in the Czech Republic. European Mesolithic sites like Skateholm (5250–3700 BC) in Sweden have dog burials, proving the value of the furry beasts to hunter-gatherer settlements.
The earliest confirmed domestic dog anywhere so far is from a burial site in Germany called Bonn-Oberkassel, which has joint human and dog interments dated to 14,000 years ago. The earliest confirmed domesticated dog in China was found in the early Neolithic (7000–5800 BCE) Jiahu site in Henan Province.
Evidence for co-existence of dogs and humans, but not necessarily domestication, comes from Upper Paleolithic sites in Europe. These hold evidence for dog interaction with humans and include Goyet Cave in Belgium, Chauvet cave in France, and Predmosti in the Czech Republic. European Mesolithic sites like Skateholm (5250–3700 BC) in Sweden have dog burials, proving the value of the furry beasts to hunter-gatherer settlements.
The hammer, controlled and used by the gods’
most famous elite soldier, Þórr, was the most
effective tool of violence in the hands of the gods
in their perpetual fight to maintain a balanced
cosmos. Thanks to the hammer and its owner,
the end of the world was delayed.
Being the foremost treasure of the gods, the
hammer is, not very surprisingly, the most com-
mon Viking Age amuletic pendant. The inscrip-
tion on a runic amulet from Kvinneby on Öland
indicates its protective nature: “…may Þórr guard
him with the hammer…”. (The text is interpreted
differently by runologists, but all seem to agree
on these specific words; Louis-Jensen 2005.) Many
hammer pendants are little simple T-shaped
charms, made of metal or other materials, such as
amber. It has been argued that these hammers
should rather be considered as charms of no fur-
ther significance than other charms modelled in
the shape of implements, such as sticks, strike-a-
lights, etc. (Sonne 2013). This may theoretically
be true for many of the small and simple iron
hammers, often long-handled and suspended to-
gether with other amulets from a ring. However,
it is difficult to perceive the more elaborated and richly decorated hammer pendants made of sil-
ver, amber or even gold as anonymous hammers.
With their stunted and “mutilated” shafts, they
make clear reference to the narrative in Snorri's
Skáldskaparmál
–
En þat var l ý
i á, ar forskeftit var
heldr skammt
(Codex Regius),
En lítit var forskeptit
(Codex Upsaliensis). In the
Gesta Danorum
(book
3, II, 66), Saxo offers another explanation for the
hammer’s short handle. In a fight between gods
and men, the hero Høtherus chopped off the end
of the hammer’s (literally the “club’s”) handle:
…
proinde victoria ad superos concessit, ni Høtherus,
interclinata suorum acie, celerius advolans clavam
præciso manubrio inutilem reddidisset
.
One such short-handled hammer pendant was
found by a detectorist in 2014 at Købelev on the
island of Lolland, south of Zealand (fig. 6). In it-
self, the hammer amulet is rather simple: a silver-
plated iron hammer with only a few decorative
lines in the plating. But, although more lavishly de-
corated hammer pendants of this kind are known,
this one is distinguished by a runic inscription
saying
hamr x is
meaning “this is the hammer”
(Rasmussen et al. 2014).When the hammer received the name Mjǫll-nir it became personalised. The name means “the
pulverizer” or “the smasher”(Markússon 2005,
p. 153 f). In some instances in myth and poetry,
the word “hammer” is used alone, without men-
tioning its name – though it is obvious that
Mjǫllnir is meant (Lindow 1997). For instance,
in the Þórsdrápa
by the 10th century skald Eilífr
Goðrúnarson, Þórr is as usual killing giants with
his dreyrgum hamri
, that is his blood-dripping
hammer. But this is by no means the only example,
so although the runic inscription on the Købelev
hammer does not say “this is Mjǫllnir”, but “this
is the hammer”, we may assume that it is actual-ly Mjǫllnir.
Named and personalised, the imperfection of
the hammer due to Loki’s interference can be
interpreted as a congenital malformation. How-
ever, in spite of its deformation, the hammer was
judged by the divine jury as the foremost treasure
of all the dwarves’ creations. As a weapon it was
perfect. As in the case of Sif's hair, the loss or
damage turned out to be an improvement for the
benefit of not only the gods, but also humankind ~.Pentz, P., 2018. Viking art, Snorri Sturluson and some recent metal detector finds.
Fornvännen
113. Stockholm.
most famous elite soldier, Þórr, was the most
effective tool of violence in the hands of the gods
in their perpetual fight to maintain a balanced
cosmos. Thanks to the hammer and its owner,
the end of the world was delayed.
Being the foremost treasure of the gods, the
hammer is, not very surprisingly, the most com-
mon Viking Age amuletic pendant. The inscrip-
tion on a runic amulet from Kvinneby on Öland
indicates its protective nature: “…may Þórr guard
him with the hammer…”. (The text is interpreted
differently by runologists, but all seem to agree
on these specific words; Louis-Jensen 2005.) Many
hammer pendants are little simple T-shaped
charms, made of metal or other materials, such as
amber. It has been argued that these hammers
should rather be considered as charms of no fur-
ther significance than other charms modelled in
the shape of implements, such as sticks, strike-a-
lights, etc. (Sonne 2013). This may theoretically
be true for many of the small and simple iron
hammers, often long-handled and suspended to-
gether with other amulets from a ring. However,
it is difficult to perceive the more elaborated and richly decorated hammer pendants made of sil-
ver, amber or even gold as anonymous hammers.
With their stunted and “mutilated” shafts, they
make clear reference to the narrative in Snorri's
Skáldskaparmál
–
En þat var l ý
i á, ar forskeftit var
heldr skammt
(Codex Regius),
En lítit var forskeptit
(Codex Upsaliensis). In the
Gesta Danorum
(book
3, II, 66), Saxo offers another explanation for the
hammer’s short handle. In a fight between gods
and men, the hero Høtherus chopped off the end
of the hammer’s (literally the “club’s”) handle:
…
proinde victoria ad superos concessit, ni Høtherus,
interclinata suorum acie, celerius advolans clavam
præciso manubrio inutilem reddidisset
.
One such short-handled hammer pendant was
found by a detectorist in 2014 at Købelev on the
island of Lolland, south of Zealand (fig. 6). In it-
self, the hammer amulet is rather simple: a silver-
plated iron hammer with only a few decorative
lines in the plating. But, although more lavishly de-
corated hammer pendants of this kind are known,
this one is distinguished by a runic inscription
saying
hamr x is
meaning “this is the hammer”
(Rasmussen et al. 2014).When the hammer received the name Mjǫll-nir it became personalised. The name means “the
pulverizer” or “the smasher”(Markússon 2005,
p. 153 f). In some instances in myth and poetry,
the word “hammer” is used alone, without men-
tioning its name – though it is obvious that
Mjǫllnir is meant (Lindow 1997). For instance,
in the Þórsdrápa
by the 10th century skald Eilífr
Goðrúnarson, Þórr is as usual killing giants with
his dreyrgum hamri
, that is his blood-dripping
hammer. But this is by no means the only example,
so although the runic inscription on the Købelev
hammer does not say “this is Mjǫllnir”, but “this
is the hammer”, we may assume that it is actual-ly Mjǫllnir.
Named and personalised, the imperfection of
the hammer due to Loki’s interference can be
interpreted as a congenital malformation. How-
ever, in spite of its deformation, the hammer was
judged by the divine jury as the foremost treasure
of all the dwarves’ creations. As a weapon it was
perfect. As in the case of Sif's hair, the loss or
damage turned out to be an improvement for the
benefit of not only the gods, but also humankind ~.Pentz, P., 2018. Viking art, Snorri Sturluson and some recent metal detector finds.
Fornvännen
113. Stockholm.
Forwarded from Hyperborean Reflections✨🍄
It is now March, which was known by the Anglo Saxons as Hrēþmōnaþ also spelled as Hreðmōnað. It is so named for the goddess Hrêðe/Hrēþe. Her name is thought to mean "glorious" or "victorious" which would make sense to associate her with this time of year where light is rising and beginning to overcome the darkness of winter. Daylight savings time is only a week away, after all. Bede notes that Hrēþmōnaþ occurs between Solmōnaþ (February) and Ēostremōnaþ (April). He also Latinizes her name as Rheda, while modern anglicization spells it as Hretha.
While in Old High German the month of March is lenzinmânôt (lengthening month) Jacob Grimm also notes in Deutsche Mythologie that in some parts of Germany March, also February in some places, was referred to as Retmonat. Grimm suggests that Hrêðe is cognate with the German Hroudâ. It just further shows how connected the English and German are to their shared tribal heritage.
I've also read that Hretha-month is called "wild month" which would connect her to the wilderness. I wonder if she, along with Skaði, might also be Northern cognates to Artemis.
It is of no coincidence that the Romans also celebrated their god of victory Mars in their own corresponding month of Martius which is where the name of March is derived.
Grimm also notes that Bede, having been a Chrislamist monk, of course would not have gone into great detail about heathen sacrifices or rites dedicated to Hretha during this time. But some modern day heathens suggest some great ways to ring in the month of our victory goddess is with a good spring cleaning (both physically and mentally/spiritually) and saying yes to adventures and exciting new experiences. And of course one can never go wrong with offering a horn of mead.
Hail shining Hretha, may she aid our folk in triumph!
Hail victory! 🌷🌄
While in Old High German the month of March is lenzinmânôt (lengthening month) Jacob Grimm also notes in Deutsche Mythologie that in some parts of Germany March, also February in some places, was referred to as Retmonat. Grimm suggests that Hrêðe is cognate with the German Hroudâ. It just further shows how connected the English and German are to their shared tribal heritage.
I've also read that Hretha-month is called "wild month" which would connect her to the wilderness. I wonder if she, along with Skaði, might also be Northern cognates to Artemis.
It is of no coincidence that the Romans also celebrated their god of victory Mars in their own corresponding month of Martius which is where the name of March is derived.
Grimm also notes that Bede, having been a Chrislamist monk, of course would not have gone into great detail about heathen sacrifices or rites dedicated to Hretha during this time. But some modern day heathens suggest some great ways to ring in the month of our victory goddess is with a good spring cleaning (both physically and mentally/spiritually) and saying yes to adventures and exciting new experiences. And of course one can never go wrong with offering a horn of mead.
Hail shining Hretha, may she aid our folk in triumph!
Hail victory! 🌷🌄
I'm not a huge fan of the Havamal, but there is some good advice to be found there if you look.