CHAPTER XXIII. 



RELIGION. IDOLS AND WORSHIP OF MEN AND ANIMALS, ETC. 



The introduction of idol worship The gods magnificently dressed Be- 

 smearing the gods Descriptions of the gods in temples Amulets 

 representing the gods Worship of men after death Animal worship 

 Worship of groves and natural objects Fire regarded as holy. 



IT is impossible to tell at what time idols or representations 

 of the gods came to be introduced ; it is however certain 

 from the Sagas, that they were already very common in the 

 temple before Christian missionaries came to preach a new 

 religion. At some period, and we know not how the change 

 took place, we see that likenesses were made to represent some 

 of the gods, which were often adorned with fine clothes and 

 ornaments of silver and gold, and as a rule stood on an eleva- 

 tion or pedestal, which also seems to have served as an 

 altar. 1 Occasionally they were besmeared with fat, possibly 

 to give them a bright appearance. 



There must have been many idols representing different 

 persons who were worshipped besides the Asar, as we find that 

 Thorgerd Hordabrud was also represented. 



In the great temple in Mceri, in Norway, all the gods were 

 seated on chairs, and the idol of Thor was magnificently 

 adorned with precious metal. This god was also in the 

 temple belonging to Hakon and Gudbrand in Gudbrandsdal. 



"Then they (Fridthjof and Bjorn) heard that Beli's sons 

 were in Baldr's hagi at the disablot ; 2 they went up there, and 

 asked Hallvard and Asmund to damage all ships small and 

 large which were near ; and so they did. They went to the 

 door in Baldr's hagi ; Fridthjof wanted to go in ; Bjorn told 

 him to be wary, but he wanted to go alone. Fridthjof asked 



1 Olaf Tryggvason, Hkr., c. 76 ; Hal- 

 fredar Saga, 0; Vatnsdtela, c. 10, 16. 



2 See p. 411, sacrifice to the P'sir 



