DOM-R1XGS. 



371 



Many dom-rings l are seen in the country without the sacri- 

 ficing stone in the centre ; these may have been used as 

 enclosures for duelling, while others similar to the above 

 engraving may have been horg or sacred altars. 



Sacrificing mounds, and apparently mounds in which offer- 

 ings were deposited, are mentioned, but unfortunately we have 

 no description of them. 



" King Olaf 2 had there (Karlsa) broken the sacrificial mound 

 of the heathens ; it was so called because usually, when they 

 had great sacrifices for a good season, or for peace, all were to 

 go to this mound, and there sacrifice prescribed animals ; they 

 carried thither much property, and put it into the mound 

 before they went away. King Olaf got very much property 

 there " (Fornmanna Sogur v. 164.) 



ivy .^.p-'' - >^,'< 



i -t v. 



Fig. 779. Probably a sacrificing slab, on a rocky ridge at Viala, Ving&kers parish, 

 Sb'dermanland, overlooking Lake Kolsnaren ; 7 feet 10 inches in length, 5 feet 

 10 inches in width, and 10 inches thick. 



" A mound composed of earth and pure pfennings ; for 

 thither must be carried a handful of silver and a handrul 

 of mould for every one who dies, and also for every one 

 who is born. Odd said : ' Then kinsman Gudnmncl you 

 shall go ashore with your men to the mound this night, 

 according to this man's direction ; and I will take care of the 

 ships with my men.' They did this, and went to the mound, 

 where they collected as much money as they could carry, and 

 with their burden returned to the ships. Odd was well satis- 

 fied with the results, and delivered the man into their keeping. 

 ' Keep good w^atch over him,' he said, ' for his eyes are all the 

 time turned towards the shore, so that he could not have found 

 it as disagreeable there as he savs.' Odd with his men then 



O v 



1 Not far from nearly every one of | ~ King Olaf was on an expedition into 

 the (twenty) dom-riugs of Nerike there France, 

 is a spring tending to confirm the Ice- 

 landic tradition of their use. 



2 P 2 



