![]() ![]() One of the scariest things about facing the great unknown is that it’s a solitary journey. While all Norse burials are unique, one common theme seems to be that you don’t send a dead Norseman or woman off to Valhalla without killing something else to keep them company. With that out of the way, let’s get into the grit! Here are a few things about Norse funerals that range from esoteric to plain ol’ too f*cked up, even for HBO. Or you can judge them all the way through if you like-I don’t think they’ll mind either way. This is one of those historical things where you need to stick your modern sensibilities of right and wrong on the shelf in an attempt to understand how folks from a very different time and culture handled death. If I’m not making myself clear with the serial killer connection, then here’s your explicit warning: these graves are like one part memorial and three parts homicide scene. It’s too bad for us that we can only guess what most of these tableaus meant. Norse burials were tableaus-more like twisted fictional crime scenes from shows like True Detective and Dexter, where the killer is trying to send a message, and a lot less like something you’d find near a church. What makes these burials so fascinating is that each appears to tell a story, according to archaeologist Neil Price. If I may compare Norse burials to modern “shop local” trends, the Norse people were into artisanal, bespoke graves that fit the individual being buried. Not so for the Norse, Vikings, or Viking-Age Scandinavians-whatever you prefer calling the Germanic people that dwelled in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and parts of the British Isles between 7 CE. It’s one less thing for the bereaved to think about while they’re dealing with the ultimate in real-life sh*t. ![]() We do burials the way we do them because we’re following the way they’ve been done before. ![]() Today, most burial customs are codified-there’s a certain way to do things, depending on the tradition you follow, and most folks stick with the guidelines. So, if death was a regular part of everyday life, why make each burial a macabre art project? Why not just bury them in a hole, then put a rock on top with their name on it? That’s a great rhetorical question: death could come quickly in the Dark Ages, especially if you were part of a tribal culture with a strong emphasis on violence. But there’s only one thing that all Norse burials had in common: they were all characteristically unique-like snowflakes, but with way more dead things.įirst Things First: Why So Much Variation in Norse Burials and Viking Funerals? Sure, it’s a fascinating spectacle and yeah - boats and fires were indeed important themes in Norse funerals. No fantasy series would be complete without borrowing this enduring trope-even if it only dates back to the 1958 film The Vikings, which was the first time flaming arrows were mixed in for cinematic flavor. Martin’s pretty creative, but he nicked just about everything in his series from history. If you’ve watched HBO’s Game of Thrones, House Tully does it for their deceased patriarch. ![]() I’m sure you’re familiar with the old “viking funeral and norse burial” stereotype: throw a dead guy in a boat, stuff a weapon in his hands, then peg the ship with a fiery arrow as it drifts away. ![]()
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