A group of scientists are claiming that an ancient poem contains a reference to the Eldgjá eruption in Iceland and that “this retrospection of harrowing volcanic events in the poem was intentional, with the purpose of stimulating Iceland’s Christianisation over the latter half of the tenth century.” Looks like solid research and interesting conclusions, although the part I’ve quoted seems a bit of a stretch.
Any opinions?
I must admit I’m a bit confused and, aside from the general fact that there’s not much hope for me in that regard :o, there’s also not much that can be done about my confusion about this particular matter.
Having read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion, and glanced over many passages about the poem* (Voluspá) itself, I do appreciate the researchers’ efforts and conclusion – that the extended eruption of the volcano was used, quite intentionally, to exploit existing beliefs and lore and also layer on top of that lore a Christianity-favorable interpretation of the events as well as prophecies of the demise of the Norse religion, thereby creating a self-fulfilling prophecy to undermine the pagan belief system and supplant it with Christianity.
Having dabbled in the Sociology of Religion amongst my many courses in Sociology, I don’t find the conclusion nor, if it is accurate, the implied capitalization and subterfuge to be the least bit surprising. After all, where religions are concerned, The End Justifies the Means seems to be a rather common theme and the End goal is, ultimately, the aggregation of adherents.
The confusion for me, however, is about a few details of historical interpretation. If the Icelanders saw that the land was heaving and burping fire and the sky was crying caustic tears and the incessant smoke was blocking sunlight and killing crops%, why was the interpretation that ‘the old gods are angry about the people leaving them’ so successful as a Christianizer and why was it so much more successful than any other interpretation or response thereto?
The authors note that the eruption occurred within a couple generations of the first settlers moving to the region. I would have interpreted those eruptions as the land and/or one of the local deities (maybe more) as being unhappy with the invasion of foreigners into the region; or as one or more of the settlers’ old pagan deities being unhappy with the settlers’ emigration from the homeland; or an old (Norse) deity having a difference-of-opinions with the local deity and the land suffering collateral damage from being caught in the conflict. I would have interpreted the cataclysm to be telling my people, “Either way you look at it, you’re not supposed to be here. Go back!”
The authors note that one interpretation was that the old gods were unhappy with the loss of some believers to the Christian cult. Why, then (aside from the predictions of the Seeress, which are claimed to be intentionally manufactured interpretations rather than naturally (divinely) inspired prophecy) didn’t the people respond by converting back to the Norse religion in order to placate those deities and calm the land? In The Odyssey, Poseidon runs Ulysses and his crew all around the Mediterranean sea until the hero succumbs to the truth that Man needs the Gods. Why# didn’t the immigrants to Iceland similarly realize, “The Gods are angry about our defections; we should convert back before they kill us all!”
At the very least, with no superstition involved at all, I can imagine being an inhabitant of Iceland around the time of the Eldgjá eruptions, seeing the conditions of Iceland and thinking, “Gee! The land vomits fire, the sky rains tears, the air is so dark and thick that we can’t breathe, the sun is so dim that nothing grows worth shit. This is a horrible place! Maybe Mom and Dad got here during a lucky break in the pattern, but it’s no wonder there was nobody here to keep us from moving in. I think we should go back to the homeland! Who’s with me? Hey, Jojo! Let’s get back to where we once belonged!”
–G!
Thanks for the reply, Grestarian. I can tell you put some thought into that post, and it’s the first time I’ve started a thread.
I see what you mean, and would also point out that doomsday predictions (and crazy talk in general) of a fiery end are hardly unique to this ancient poem (Völuspá).
The reason for my post is the (apparently) odd contrast between the (apparently) solid methods and conclusions and the (apparently) unsupported claim at the end. I was hoping someone could comment on the validity of the authors’ methods or perhaps point out something I’d missed, because that claim seems to have been tacked onto the end of otherwise impressive research.
I have to say that I don’t understand the exact details of the science (analyses of ice samples from Greenland) or of their references to worldwide “annals and chronicles attesting to atmospheric optical phenomena, climatic anomalies and food crises.” Looks like it all adds up, though, at least until the bit at the end about it being intentional. If that is a baseless claim, maybe it not an unusual thing in these kinds of documents.
Keep in mind that we don’t have any pre-Christian records of Ragnarok. What writing we do have is all contemporary with the switch from Norse paganism to Christianity or later.
The Ragnorak myths tell of an event in which all the gods die. Two sons of Thor & two sons of Odin survive. They are joined by two demigods, Baldr & Hoddr, also sons of Odin, who come back from Hel (the land of the dead). The world is reborn in glorious splendor. The sons of Thor & Odin stroll the lovely field where Asgard used to be, eventually find the golden game pieces that the Gods use to play with. The new Sun, daughter of Sol, the old sun, takes her place in the sky. Humans are reborn as children from the last survivors of the old world, Lif & Lifthrassr, who survive on the dew of the new morning.
If you’re a Norseman in 934 dealing with burping lava pits and volcanic winter - there’s no point in worshiping the old gods. They’re on their way out. You can either switch your allegiance to the sons of the old gods, but there’s no cultural force or priesthood promoting that. Or you can join the new religion of the Living God who will reign in Heaven for ever, with all the culture tradition and power of hundreds of years behind it.
That the Norse kingdoms became Christian is less of a cultural shift than that the Roman empire became Christian, imo.
This is a bit circular. The Ragnorok myth is a prediction of the far future which is, essentially, still yet-to-come. The myths are quite explicit in describing the events leading to the great battle: Fenris unchained, Loki released, Bifrost destroyed, the Giants attacking Valhalla, fallen heroes revived to fight in the last war, et cetera. There are no pre-Christian or even Christian Era records of Ragnarok because there has been nothing (yet) to record.*
Except that if the old gods are (were) dying in 934, then the universe somehow skipped over critical elements in the prophesy – they’re fading away rather than getting killed in the Great Battle. This would be like removing the Rapture or the Second Coming from Revelations; if the key elements$ aren’t involved, then the prophecy isn’t being fulfilled. Furthermore, the Norse pantheon/system was even older so one could argue it had more legitimacy from being established longer.
I’m inclined to agree with you, there. I suggest# that co-opting similar symbology may have been a rather clever tool. The Celts already had a symbol that was a pole with a perpendicular bar 5/7th of the way up, and a circle around the intersection; Devotees of Thor already used a stick with a perpendicular stick 5/7th of the way along. It’s easy to imagine an enterprising Christian missionary saying, “Look! Your symbol is so close to ours; it’s not a giant leap to worship the real entity behind our icons! Here, let me teach you more…”
Anwyay, for further discussion we shouldn’t hijack this thread from Jerez; we should create a separate one.
—G!
*I think part of the appeal of the Marvel MCU Thor movies is that they suggest "Here’s a way this stuff could still happen – an alien version of Loki starts helping the alien version of Giants and, throughout it all, our familiar Earth is caught in the middle. Thus we [in universe] have a stake and an interest in these matters.
$This is why some people balk at the fact that the savior who was supposed to come from Nazareth actually was born in Bethlehem. “He might be talkin’ a good line, there, Ma, but he weren’t born in the right place an’ he’s just playin’ out a role he read about in the Torah. Don’t fall for his schmutz!”
#Harry Harrison also seemed to suggest this in his Hammer and the Cross trilogy)
No worries, mate.