KING OLAF'S SEAT. 



255 



their forefathers, but the counsellor sat on the northern bench 

 opposite the king, on what was called the lower high-s-:it : 

 there were also women on his right hand, but men on his left. 

 It was then the custom for chiefs to carry the ale over the fire, 

 and drink to the man sitting in the opposite high seat, and it 

 was a great honour at that time to be toasted by the king. 



' King Olaf had a raised bench placed in his feast halls, and 

 put his high seat on the middle of the cross bench. He 









Fig. 1097. Chair from the Church of Grund, Iceland. Height, 39 inches ; width, 

 SOJirches; depth, 17 inches. These two chairs are now in the old Northern 

 Museum of Copenhagen. The seats, which are but little ornamented on the back, 

 show that they were intended to be placed along a wall, and were undoubtedly 

 covered by cushions. The lower part of the chair forms a box, with a small lid 

 in the seat ; ou the upper part uf its back, and on both the side-pieces, are 

 inscriptions in later runes. 



arranged his pages and candle boys in front; he also had a 

 candle held in front of every high-born man who sat at his 

 table, and a page holding a table cup before each ; he had 

 also chairs (stools) for his marshals and other wise men " (Fagr- 

 skinna, c. 219, 220). 



A few seats, which have been saved from destruction, an- 

 beautifully carved with subjects from the Sagas. 



