Norse mythology referred to the great Roman writers.Caesar (1st c. BC. E.) And Tacitus (1 in. N. E) talked about the beliefs and sacred rituals.
So, according to their testimony, at first Germans came to the sacred groves, which turned to their gods with requests.At the same time, they went into these woods in chains.
Germans do not skimp on the gifts to the gods.As it turned out, scientists from the animals sacrificed, removed the lungs, liver, heart.The bodies were burned at the stake.The collected blood was sprinkled on the people.
Later, the Germans began to build temples (the pagan shrines, temples).They established figures Freyr, Thor, Odin (Nordic gods).This temple stood for five centuries in Sweden (Uppsala).While the sacrificial animals at the temple began to kill.The collected blood was sprinkled on the people, the church (inside and outside).On the floor of the temples kindle the fire, we put the pots in which the sacrificial meat was cooked.Food blessed.
After the adoption of Christianity Scandinavian gods has quite a long time glorified people.For example, prisoners were hanged as a gift to Odin, the leaders brought the money in temples to pray for the repose.In the 10th century Danish king on one side of the coins minted Thor's hammer, and the other - the sword of St. Peter.For centuries, the Scandinavian gods mentioned in proverbs and sayings.The process of collecting herbs people cast spells, thus giving power plants.For a long time the people turned to the gods to take the disease, prevent or thunder storm, to send rain.
Christian Church in some cases, used quite radical measures.The idols and temples were burned, people were prohibited from ancient rituals, recite the oath.Relieves people from paganism the church helped and royal laws.However, some of the Nordic gods still penetrated Christianity.For example, St. James became Thor.The other gods of the Vikings became demons.Preserved and some holidays.Continued to praise the goddess of the Earth, a celebration of the winter solstice was merged with Christmas.
its Scandinavian gods 'immortality' and gained fame in pagan literature, music, art, oral tradition.
One - the presiding deity.In Norse mythology it is a symbol of supreme power and wisdom, pushing thus thunder god Thor.The second was dominant from the Indo-European tribes.Won first place, he took one of the duties of the Torah itself, mainly by becoming patron saint of soldiers.According to Scandinavian mythology, the supreme deity possessed knowledge about the fate of the whole world.
unusual nature had Loki.This god is the most popular character in Scandinavian epics.His name is mentioned in various folklore genres, including proverbs and sayings.It should be noted that the image of Loki quite contradictory.He had a cunning, resourcefulness, sense of humor (often malicious).Of all the gods, Loki was the only one who had contact with almost all the heroes of mythology.
Thor represented the storm, thunder.Unlike the other gods of thunder, he was not the autocratic head of the pantheon.Thor attribute was his hammer.This weapon feared by all evil spirits.The second attribute of the Torah was his carriage, which was drawn by goats.
Frey was the god of sunlight, fertile summer rain.He also patronized the riders and horses, was the savior of the prisoners.Frey was the attribute of the sword.Remove from the sheath, weapons only bring victory.However, in the temple erected in honor of Frey, to make weapons was forbidden.The victim in these temples brought horses and bulls.Frey Statues carved from whole logs.But just like the idols of other creatures, his statues were burned after the arrival of Christianity.
