Comments on: Marriage Imperative of the Viking Age http://www.vikingrune.com/2009/09/marriage-viking-age/ Viking Symbols and Norse Runes in the Heathen Germanic Culture Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:15:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Leslie Fish http://www.vikingrune.com/2009/09/marriage-viking-age/comment-page-1/#comment-4334 Leslie Fish Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:31:44 +0000 http://www.vikingrune.com/?p=4538#comment-4334 But why does Dr. Barrett assume that there was a lot of female infanticide? Where is the evidence for it? The Vikings were a good bit more egalitarian than most people in Europe at the time; why should they undervalue female children? Much of Viking history, literature and mythology shows much the opposite: that a Viking warrior usually had a wife back home to take care of the homestead -- which also involved fighting off any bandits who tried to raid the livestock -- while he was off a-viking. Could it be that there's a more psychological reason for the sudden flood of Viking raids into Europe? Is it only coincidence that this was also the period when Christianity was spreading through Europe? Could it be that the Pagan Vikings were offended by Christian missionaries showing contempt for the Pagan deities, and set out to punish the offenders? Could it be that the Vikings saw Christianity as weakening more southerly Europeans, and couldn't resist easy prey? Or did they notice that monasteries and convents were full of non-combatants who collected substantial treasuries, and couldn't resist easy pickings? Given the nature of Viking society, any of these are more likely reasons than female infanticide. --Leslie < But why does Dr. Barrett assume that there was a lot of female infanticide? Where is the evidence for it? The Vikings were a good bit more egalitarian than most people in Europe at the time; why should they undervalue female children? Much of Viking history, literature and mythology shows much the opposite: that a Viking warrior usually had a wife back home to take care of the homestead — which also involved fighting off any bandits who tried to raid the livestock — while he was off a-viking.

Could it be that there’s a more psychological reason for the sudden flood of Viking raids into Europe? Is it only coincidence that this was also the period when Christianity was spreading through Europe? Could it be that the Pagan Vikings were offended by Christian missionaries showing contempt for the Pagan deities, and set out to punish the offenders? Could it be that the Vikings saw Christianity as weakening more southerly Europeans, and couldn’t resist easy prey? Or did they notice that monasteries and convents were full of non-combatants who collected substantial treasuries, and couldn’t resist easy pickings? Given the nature of Viking society, any of these are more likely reasons than female infanticide.

–Leslie <

]]> By: Kaj http://www.vikingrune.com/2009/09/marriage-viking-age/comment-page-1/#comment-2754 Kaj Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:27:29 +0000 http://www.vikingrune.com/?p=4538#comment-2754 I haven't heard of tieing the legs, but the arms were bound together to symbolise the bond. I haven’t heard of tieing the legs, but the arms were bound together to symbolise the bond.

]]> By: Julia Smith http://www.vikingrune.com/2009/09/marriage-viking-age/comment-page-1/#comment-2717 Julia Smith Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:19:25 +0000 http://www.vikingrune.com/?p=4538#comment-2717 Hello, I was trying to figure out if Viking marriage rituals consisted of the bride and grooms' legs being tied together? Thank you Hello, I was trying to figure out if Viking marriage rituals consisted of the bride and grooms’ legs being tied together?

Thank you

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