Sign in or register
for additional privileges

The Viking World

A History in 100 Objects

Austin Mason, Hannah Curtiss, Liza Davis, Jane Kelly, Kerim Omer Kadir Celik, Adante Ratzlaff, Leah Sacks, Kai Matsubara-Rall, Quinn Radich, Madeline Cosgriff, John Kennelly, Claire Jensen, Alperen Turkol, Jordan Cahn, Peter Hanes, Sarah Wang, Nick Carlsen, Ari Bakke, Phineas Callahan, Lauren Azuma, Justin Berchiolli, Rowan Matney, Ben Pletta, John Scott, Nick Cohen, Sophie Bokor, Authors

You appear to be using an older verion of Internet Explorer. For the best experience please upgrade your IE version or switch to a another web browser.

Silver Figure of Freya

As the only silver figure of Freyja found in Scandinavia, this figure tells a great deal about the religious beliefs of the Norse, especially when compared to the context in which it was buried. Acting as either a charm or an indication of power, this small figure has importance when investigating gender roles and religion in Norse society.
        This silver figure was discovered at TissØ, Denmark in the 1990s. It has been related to other Viking burials of women called völva, or seeresses.1 The fact that the figure itself is so rare suggests that in the Christianization of Denmark non-Christian reliquaries were destroyed and perhaps melted down for other uses, or these figures were no longer made or many have been lost. It is also plausible that the possession of silver figures the goddess were limited to only those who were deemed holy or as a seeress by the community. According to an excerpt from Erik the Red’s saga, prophetesses were often revered members of society and treated as guests of honor at banquets.2 Holding a high position would make it more likely that the possession of objects like this was limited to those with seeress status. However, it is also possible that more figures of Freyja have been made and not discovered yet, though this would seem unlikely given the other finds of these völva graves that have lacked such figures.3 The figure could also be a charm for fertility or female health, as Freyja was the goddess associated with fertility.4 Again, the rarity of the find would then also suggest that having the figure of Freyja was possibly a last resort in trying to conceive and was only a method pursued by higher status women, or perhaps was a figure that was given by the holy woman then returned to her after conception had happened. However, it also entirely possible that this was a love charm or a figurine kept by a woman hoping to seduce a man, as Freyja was also the goddess associated with seductive prowess.5 Graves of völva have also been found with henbane – a strong aphrodisiac and hallucinogenic – and apparently the völva were also considered dangerous because of their seductive powers.6 Given this context, it is also may be this is the only figurine of Freyja found because charms of the goddess could have been considered too dangerous to keep around.
        This small silver figure also hints at the rank these holy women had in Viking society. They would be important enough to be buried with silver objects, as well as pieces of jewelry.7 The rank of these women could also shed light on gender dynamics within Viking society as well. Being a völva or witch could be one of the highest ranks a woman could hold. It is a small place to start, but this figure is the start of many different theories of women’s rank and viking religious beliefs.
Comment on this page
 

Discussion of "Silver Figure of Freya"

Add your voice to this discussion.

Checking your signed in status ...

Previous page on path Jane Kelly, page 2 of 4 Next page on path


Related:  Hoard Find from Vester VedstedLeather Whip, 11th centuryA Mold for Religious AmuletsDrinking Horn / TerminalMammen AxeRune stone Sö 108Two Volva StaffsFuneral of Emperor Leo V, 820 CE.The Silver Penny of Sven EstridsenPattern-Welded SwordRunestone Morby UpplandTerminal for an Open Ring BroochThe Birka GirlIron Hatchet Head, 9th centuryLocationUppland Runestone 613Chess Pieces from the Isle of LewisThemeIron Spearhead with Silver EmbellishmentsStamford Mint Silver CoinMaterialsNorse KeyOak SpadeKiaby BroochSilver ArmletBrass RingGold ArmringRök RunestoneSilver Neck RingSilver BraceletPin with ChainReins Guide in the Borre StyleBorre Style PendantRing with Inscription "To Allah"Decorated Sword PommelIron Sickle, 800 ADPenny From the Reign of Anlaf GuthfrithssonSilver Penny from the Reign of Cnut the Great Minted in Bath, EnglandEarl of Pembroke's SwordGullög’s RunestoneAntler Comb with Matching CaseGlass Game PiecesFinnish Bronze HoardRhenish Glass BeakerPicture StoneAbassid CoinThe New ValkyrieHemdrup StickEigg Sword HiltBrooch in the Urnes Style from Kiaby, Skåne, SwedenSuontaka SwordSilver Penny of CnutCarriage Wheel FragmentCup from the Halton Moor HoardWhalebone PlaqueRanvaig's CasketJelling StoneAntler DuckTjängvide Image StoneBirka CrucifixHelmet from Grave I at Vendel, SwedenClench BoltBow Brooch in Copper and GarnetBox-Shaped BroochBurial SwordDEMO: Circular Bracteate PendantScale and Weights from the HebridesDress Pin in BronzeCopper Alloy Mount for a StirrupSkuldelev Ship 2 - The Great LongshipIron SeaxGrey Ceramic Pitcher