344 



RELIGION. WORSHIP, SACRIFICES, ETC. 



generation of English people, living in Creat Britain and other 

 countries, to realise that no more than eight centuries ago 

 many of their forefathers believed and practised the rites we 

 are going to describe, and that so slow was the march of 

 Christianity, that six or seven hundred years ago the provinces 

 of North-Eastern Prussia, Vindland, Pomerania, &c., whose 

 inhabitants are among the finest in Europe, were still heathen. 



It is certain that Odin and some of the Asars were deified 

 and worshipped in all the countries of the North, and with 

 the lapse of time their fame is found to increase. The attri- 

 butes of Odin were believed to be many. 



There were three principal sacrifices a year, at which the 

 people assembled in the chief temples : Vetrarllot, Midsvet- 

 rarblot, and Sigrblot. 



" It is their custom to have a sacrifice in the autumn and 

 welcome the winter, another at mid-winter, the third at the 

 beginning of summer ; then they welcome the summer. The 

 Eynir, Sparbyggjar, Verdxlir and SJceynir take part in this. 

 There are twelve men l who are the foremost in managing the 

 sacrifice-feasts : this spring Olvir is to hold the feast ; he is 

 now very busy in Maeri, and all provisions needed for the feast 

 are brought thither." (St. Olaf, 115 ; of. id. 123). 



The first of these, called Vetrarllot 2 (Winter sacrifice), which 

 took place on winter nights 3 in the month of Goi, was a 

 sacrifice for a good winter. The 14th of October, which was 

 the ancient month of Goi, is still called winter-night, or the 

 first night of winter. 



" That autumn the news was told King Olaf from Thrandheim 

 that the Thrands had had great feasts during the winter nights : 

 there had been great drinking. The King was told that all 

 cups were hallowed to the Asar according to ancient custom. 



1 " East of Tanakvisl (Tanais, Don) in 

 Asia was AsaLind, or Asaheim, and the 

 head-burgh (chief town) in the land was 

 called Asgard. In the burgh was a chief 

 called Odin ; it was a great sacrificing- 

 place (blotstad). It was customary there 

 that twelve temple-priests (hofgodar) 

 were the foremost, and had charge of 

 the sacrifices and judged between nieu. 

 They were called diar or drottnar ; all 

 the people were bound to give them 



service and reverence " (Ynglinga Saga, 

 c. 2). 



2 Vctrarblot = winter-sacrifice ; from 

 vetr winter, and blot = sacrifice. The 

 milky way is called vetrarbraut = winter 

 way, because people thought that the 

 appearance of the milky way predicted 

 the course of the winter. 



3 The people counted by nights in- 

 stead of days. 



