Dísablót

The ''Dísablót'' was the '' blót'' (sacrificial holiday) which was held in honour of the female spirits or deities called '' dísir'' (and the ValkyriesThe article ''Diser'' in '' Nationalencyklopedin'' (1991).), from pre-historic times until the Christianization of Scandinavia. Its purpose was to enhance the coming harvest."Disablot", '' Nationalencyklopedin''. It is mentioned in '' Hervarar saga'', '' Víga-Glúms saga'', '' Egils saga'' and the '' Heimskringla''. The celebration still lives on in the form of an annual fair called the Disting in Uppsala, Sweden.

The Dísablót appears to have been held during Winter Nights, or at the vernal equinox.The article ''Distingen'', in the encyclopedia '' Nationalencyklopedin''. In one version of ''Hervarar saga'', there is a description of how the sacrifice was performed. Alfhildr, the daughter of king Alfr of Alfheim, was kidnapped by Starkad Aludreng while she was reddening a horgr with blood.

This suggests that the rite was performed by women, especially in light of what is generally believed to be their nearly exclusive role as priestesses of the pagan Germanic religion. However, according to the '' Ynglinga saga'' part of the ''Heimskringla'', the king of Sweden performed the rites, which was in accordance with his role as high priest of the Temple at Uppsala. The mention of the Dísablót concerns the death of king Eadgils (''Aðils'', ''Adils'') who died from falling off his horse while riding around the shrine:

In Sweden, the Dísablót was of central political and social importance. The festivities were held at the end of February or early March at Gamla Uppsala.The article ''Landsting'', at the official site of the Museum of National Antiquities, Sweden
. It was held in conjunction with the great fair Disting and the great popular assembly called the Thing of all Swedes.

The Icelandic historian Snorri Sturlusson, who was well-informed of Swedish matters and visited the country in 1219, explained in the '' Heimskringla'' (1225):

The shrine where the Dísir were worshiped was called ''dísarsalr'' and this building is mentioned in the '' Ynglinga saga'' concerning king Aðils' death. It also appears '' Hervarar saga'', where a woman becomes so infuriated over the death of her father by the hands of Heiðrekr, her husband, that she hangs herself in the shrine.

The Scandinavian ''dísablót'' is associated with the Anglo-Saxon '' modranect'' ("mothers' night") by Gabriel Turville-Petre.''Myth and Religion of the North'' (1964), 224-227. The Anglo-Saxon month roughly equivalent to November was called blot-monath.

The number of references to the Disir ranging from the Merseburg Charms to many instances in Norse mythology indicate that they were considered vital deities to worship and that they were primary focus of prayers (e.g. the charms) for luck against enemies in war.

See also

* Tamfana
* Ásatrú holidays
* Valkyrie
* Midsommar (film)

References and notes

Sacrifice
Ceremonies
Viking practices
Magical terms in Germanic mysticism
March observances
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