254 



HALLS AND BUILDINGS. 



Magnus, who thereupon led him into the high-seat with him- 

 self" (Magnus the Good's Saga, ch. 24). 



A great change was made in the position of the high-seat in 

 later times by Olaf Kyrri (the Quiet), King of Norway (1067- 

 1093), who placed it at the inner end of the hall where the cross- 

 bench stood, instead of being in the centre of the long benches. 



The benches were so made as to allow the guests to place at 

 their backs, along the wall, their shields and swords, &c. 



Fig. 1096. Chair with five distinct rows of runes. The uppermost inscription 

 gives the name of the owner of the chair Thorunn Benedikt's daughter. On 

 the front part of the seat are carved the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and above 

 these their names in Latin, with runes ; underneath them art; inscribed in runes 

 the Latin names of the twelve months. 



" It was an old custom in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden to 

 have doors at each end of the hall in king's residences and 

 feasting halls, with the king's high seat on the middle of the 

 long bench facing toward the sun. The queen sat on the left 

 hand of the king, and the seat was then called Ondvegi (high- 

 seat) ; the seats next to this on both sides were the most 

 dignified for men and women, while the one next to the door 

 was the least. The most high-born, old and wise man, was 

 the king's counsellor, as it was then the custom of kings to 

 have wise men who knew ancient examples and customs of 



