Latest news with #Christianisation
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Metal Detectorist Finds Viking Hoard With Link to Norse God
In Germany, a metal detectorist has unearthed a 1,000-year-old Viking hoard which contains more than 200 artifacts, including what may be the remnants of Thor's hammer, Live Science reported. The cache, discovered by Arjen Spießwinkel in the northern city of Haithabu, contained an assortment of items from across Europe, including pure metal ingots, Arabic and silver coins, and a whetstone for sharpening weapons and tools. But the pièce de résistance was a pendant which scientists believe could be a cross, or 'an unfinished Thor's hammer.' Birte Anspach, a spokesperson for the State Archaeological Office of Schleswig-Holstein, said that if the item does prove to be a cross, it could be "an early sign of the onset of Christianisation" in the area. Haithabu was a port city and an influential trade hub during the Viking Age, and Christianity began to spread around the ninth century when St. Ansgar, then Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, came to the community. "However, it was not the case that Ansgar came and suddenly everyone turned away from the old gods and followed the Christian faith," Anspach explained. "Christianisation was a long process that spanned several generations."But the mysterious item could also be an unfinished Thor's hammer, as it was common prior to the spread of Christianity to wear pendants which symbolized ancient Norse gods. In mythology, the hammer, Mjölnir, was used by Thor to battle giant deities. Researchers will conduct further analyses to determine what exactly the pendant is, as well as where and when it was constructed. "These finds offer fascinating insights into the history of the 10th century—a time of intensive trade, cultural exchange and religious change," Anspach said. "It is therefore not surprising to discover a hoard near the Schlei. Whether it is actually a hidden depot or whether there was a settlement nearby cannot be said for certain at this stage." Metal Detectorist Finds Viking Hoard With Link to Norse God first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 18, 2025
NDTV
16-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
1,000-Year-Old Viking-Era Artefact Could Be Thor's Hammer In Making
Archaeologists in northern Germany have uncovered a significant Viking-era hoard dating back to the Early Middle Ages. The discovery was made by the Schleswig-Holstein State Archaeological Office (ALSH) in collaboration with the Schleswig-Holstein Detector Group. The artefacts were found near the banks of the Schlei River, close to Haithabu (also known as Hedeby), a major maritime trading centre in northern Europe from the 9th to the mid-11th century. The hoard includes around 200 silver objects - hack silver, Arab coin fragments (dirhams), ingots, and jewellery - shedding new light on the region's trading networks and cultural exchanges. Among the most intriguing finds is a finely crafted filigree pendant. Archaeologists believe it could be either a Christian cross or an unfinished Thor's hammer - two powerful symbols representing competing belief systems during the Viking Age. "If it is a cross, it may be one of the earliest signs of Christianisation in the region," said Birte Anspach, spokesperson for the State Archaeological Office. She noted the find may be linked to the missionary journeys of St Ansgar, who travelled to the area in the 9th century. However, Anspach added that conversion was gradual. "Ansgar didn't arrive and suddenly everyone turned away from the old gods. Christianisation was a long process, taking generations. Most people around Haithabu remained pagan for the next century." A metal detectorist in Germany uncovered a Viking Age hoard near Haithabu, featuring around 200 treasures, including Arabic coins and a pendant possibly symbolizing early Christianisation or Thor's hammer. Insights reveal cultural exchanges in the 10th century. — Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) June 14, 2025 Interestingly, the pendant's eyelet is on the longer arm - suggesting it would hang upside down if it were a cross, possibly indicating it was meant to be a Thor's hammer instead. Thor's Hammer And Its Connection To Norse Mythology In Norse mythology, Thor's hammer - Mjolnir - was said to possess divine powers. Forged by dwarves, it was wielded by the god Thor in his battles against giants and remains a potent symbol of Norse paganism.
The Independent
14-02-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Medieval Dutch site may have hosted ‘devil's money' cult rituals
Archaeologists have unearthed a hoard of gold and silver coins offered as diobolgeldæ, or 'devil's money', at a medieval cult site in the Netherlands, shedding more light on the rituals of pre-Christian groups in this part of Europe. The Netherlands, northern Germany and Britain have yielded fewer cult sites compared to the Nordic world, whose pre-Christian rituals are much better understood. Findings from pre-Christian pagan cult sites in the Nordic region don't always apply to the rest of the Germanic-Nordic world. But the coin hoard found in Hezingen in eastern Netherlands provides valuable insights into cult rituals in the area, researchers say. The Hezingen site first came to light around five years ago after metal detectors found numerous gold and silver coins. Archeologists found that it consisted of three sites, including a large circular feature made of wooden posts surrounding an unusually shaped building. One of the sites contained a single gold coin while another had nearly two dozen fragmented and complete gold coins as well as a gold pendant and a silver earring. The third site contained gold coin fragments and a small pendant, according to a new study published in the journal Medieval Archaeology. There were also signs of an old manor, likely constructed during the 6th century, at one of the sites as well as 17 postholes for wooden posts aligned with spring and autumn equinoxes, suggesting the site could have been used for seasonal rituals linked to sowing or harvests. After assessing the postholes and the artefacts, archaeologists concluded that Hezingen served as an important cult site during a period of cultural transition in the region. 'The offerings may have been linked to fertility rites as the posts were aligned with the rising and setting of the sun during the spring and autumn equinoxes,' the study states. 'Gold coins and jewellery were deposited there at regular intervals over a period of about 100 years. Based on the phosphate analysis, it is likely that animals were sacrificed there as well.' Exactly which gods the local people prayed to remains a mystery. To get Christianised, people in the region were compelled to renounce their gods and stop their ritual of offering 'devil's money' at pagan cult sites. Archaeologists suspect the hamlet of Hezingen may have been a 7th-century open-air cult site, possibly connected with immigrants. The use of the site appears to have ceased around 700 AD, at least 50 years before the formal Christianisation of the area. The local elite, with whom the site may have been associated, had likely become Christian earlier or moved away from paganism. 'Perhaps the place was abandoned or even desecrated by missionaries, with almost everything of value taken away,' the study notes. However, researchers say that 'alternative interpretations' of the findings should be considered as well.
The Independent
05-02-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Medieval Dutch site may have hosted 'devil's money' cult rituals
Archaeologists have unearthed a hoard of gold and silver coins offered as diobolgeldæ, or 'devil's money', at a medieval cult site in the Netherlands, shedding more light on the rituals of pre-Christian groups in this part of Europe. The Netherlands, northern Germany and Britain have yielded fewer cult sites compared to the Nordic world, whose pre-Christian rituals are much better understood. Findings from pre-Christian pagan cult sites in the Nordic region don't always apply to the rest of the Germanic-Nordic world. But the coin hoard found in Hezingen in eastern Netherlands provides valuable insights into cult rituals in the area, researchers say. The Hezingen site first came to light around five years ago after metal detectors found numerous gold and silver coins. Archeologists found that it consisted of three sites, including a large circular feature made of wooden posts surrounding an unusually shaped building. One of the sites contained a single gold coin while another had nearly two dozen fragmented and complete gold coins as well as a gold pendant and a silver earring. The third site contained gold coin fragments and a small pendant, according to a new study published in the journal Medieval Archaeology. There were also signs of an old manor, likely constructed during the 6th century, at one of the sites as well as 17 postholes for wooden posts aligned with spring and autumn equinoxes, suggesting the site could have been used for seasonal rituals linked to sowing or harvests. After assessing the postholes and the artefacts, archaeologists concluded that Hezingen served as an important cult site during a period of cultural transition in the region. 'The offerings may have been linked to fertility rites as the posts were aligned with the rising and setting of the sun during the spring and autumn equinoxes,' the study states. 'Gold coins and jewellery were deposited there at regular intervals over a period of about 100 years. Based on the phosphate analysis, it is likely that animals were sacrificed there as well.' Exactly which gods the local people prayed to remains a mystery. To get Christianised, people in the region were compelled to renounce their gods and stop their ritual of offering 'devil's money' at pagan cult sites. Archaeologists suspect the hamlet of Hezingen may have been a 7th-century open-air cult site, possibly connected with immigrants. The use of the site appears to have ceased around 700 AD, at least 50 years before the formal Christianisation of the area. The local elite, with whom the site may have been associated, had likely become Christian earlier or moved away from paganism. 'Perhaps the place was abandoned or even desecrated by missionaries, with almost everything of value taken away,' the study notes. However, researchers say that 'alternative interpretations' of the findings should be considered as well.
