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Scandinavian Mythology
Book by Davidson, Hilda Ellis
142 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1969
About the author
H.R. Ellis Davidson
31 books62 followersHilda Roderick Ellis Davidson was an English antiquarian and academic, writing in particular on Germanic paganism and Celtic paganism.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 7, 2019
Not bad, a good collection of facts about old Scandinavian beliefs. The writing is good for the most part. My problem with the book is the tone is biased from a Christian standpoint. Thus 3 stars instead of 4 since it made it sound condescending towards viking beliefs.
1) all the other books in the series are called myths (collection of made up stories that are considered fiction) but the Christian and Jewish books are called legends (stories passed down through generations considered historical and based on fact)
2) constantly calling them heathens (either she means an unaccepted religion or uncivilized/barbaric) which both are biased since odinism is a religion but she means not accepted by the church and norse beliefs were no more barbaric than old Christian beliefs.
3) calling them cult (small following and worship of a figure perceived as strange or sinister or misplaced belief) followers of certain gods. Again biased terminology. Also, technically Christians are a cult.
4) last paragraph tells us that old norse religions lost to Christianity because their faith wasn't strong enough to equal "good Christian teachers"
So I think the facts are true but delivered in a biased way so it makes Scandinavians belief sound silly and unimportant compared to Christianity.
1) all the other books in the series are called myths (collection of made up stories that are considered fiction) but the Christian and Jewish books are called legends (stories passed down through generations considered historical and based on fact)
2) constantly calling them heathens (either she means an unaccepted religion or uncivilized/barbaric) which both are biased since odinism is a religion but she means not accepted by the church and norse beliefs were no more barbaric than old Christian beliefs.
3) calling them cult (small following and worship of a figure perceived as strange or sinister or misplaced belief) followers of certain gods. Again biased terminology. Also, technically Christians are a cult.
4) last paragraph tells us that old norse religions lost to Christianity because their faith wasn't strong enough to equal "good Christian teachers"
So I think the facts are true but delivered in a biased way so it makes Scandinavians belief sound silly and unimportant compared to Christianity.
July 22, 2024
An interesting read. A lot of good pictures of items found from the time period, and helpful descriptions. A good overview of the main myths of the time. The writing was engaging and referred to primary sources (such as Snorri, and they did discuss bias when using Snorri as a source). For me it was a nice revision of the various myths, gods, with some description of religious activities surrounding them.
Theres a lot of content, was written engagingly, and the organisation of the content flowed well.
However, it’s not written objectively - while it is interesting to read about the effects on the religion with the introduction of Christianity, and the time of overlap in iconography and symbols, the author kept using words such as ‘heathens’ and ‘cult’ which removed the legitimacy of the beliefs of the time as a religion, and reduced them to mere myths. A book like this should focus more on the beliefs as a religion, rather than as stories and the inevitable demise of tue belief system.
It was an enjoyable read, but not as objective and religion focused as I expected.
Also sometimes the placement of pictures was odd - an item would be referenced but wouldn’t be shown until pages later.
Theres a lot of content, was written engagingly, and the organisation of the content flowed well.
However, it’s not written objectively - while it is interesting to read about the effects on the religion with the introduction of Christianity, and the time of overlap in iconography and symbols, the author kept using words such as ‘heathens’ and ‘cult’ which removed the legitimacy of the beliefs of the time as a religion, and reduced them to mere myths. A book like this should focus more on the beliefs as a religion, rather than as stories and the inevitable demise of tue belief system.
It was an enjoyable read, but not as objective and religion focused as I expected.
Also sometimes the placement of pictures was odd - an item would be referenced but wouldn’t be shown until pages later.
April 22, 2018
A good overview of Scandinavian mythology from an archeological perspective. A nice approach, considering the fact that so little is known about the gods of Scandinavia. The author aims to be as precise as possible, all things considered, and there are many pictures provided (though the order in which they are presented is a bit weird and there are no references to pictures in the text, though many of them are discussed).
Yes, the book is quite old, but not outdated. The language is quite clear and straightforward despite the interwoven and complicated character of stories told.
Very interesting topic. Will read more about it.
Yes, the book is quite old, but not outdated. The language is quite clear and straightforward despite the interwoven and complicated character of stories told.
Very interesting topic. Will read more about it.
September 8, 2023
It's not worth to waste your time to read this book. I expected it's a book like Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. but it was book with a lot of picture, and explanation about each of them. without any telling story or family tree.
خود کتاب:
کتاب بی ارزشی بود. هیچ داستانی از قهرمانان تعریف نمیکنه مثل کتاب "سیری در اساطیر یونان و روم" فقط یک سری عکس هست با توضیحات.
ترجمه:
قبلا دیده بودم که مترجم برای جمله فعل نگذاشته باشد، ولی اولین باره می بینم ضمیر متصل با ضمیرمنفصل یا فاعل مطابق نیست. بارها به اشتباه حذف به قرینه انجام داده بود.
نمره به کتاب یک - به ترجمه صفر
خود کتاب:
کتاب بی ارزشی بود. هیچ داستانی از قهرمانان تعریف نمیکنه مثل کتاب "سیری در اساطیر یونان و روم" فقط یک سری عکس هست با توضیحات.
ترجمه:
قبلا دیده بودم که مترجم برای جمله فعل نگذاشته باشد، ولی اولین باره می بینم ضمیر متصل با ضمیرمنفصل یا فاعل مطابق نیست. بارها به اشتباه حذف به قرینه انجام داده بود.
نمره به کتاب یک - به ترجمه صفر
April 26, 2021
informative, but pretty washed up with the Christian beliefs. However, we cannot complain as this is the case of almost all the studies on Norse mythology. I loved the book, this is my first detailed read about the Norse mythology.
September 20, 2020
An excellent anthropological look at the basis for Scandinavian myth from Bronze Age glyphs to 1000 AD
February 10, 2021
Very informative.
July 14, 2015
This was a fairly quick read. A brief overview of the different mythologies, how they changed over time, and condensed stories of each of the gods. It also includes pictures of archeological significance.
My main reason for picking up this book, besides the fact that it was the only one my library had on the self at the time, was because I'm reading Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and wanted a little more insight into the beliefs and superstitions of the Vikings during that time period. This book didn't satisfy that curiosity as it was too broad, encompassing a longer time period and larger region than I was looking for. This book is also pretty old, being published in 1969.
But for the most part it was informative and a good starting point.
*side note: Interesting fact I learned - the swastika was used as early as the Bronze Age- long before the Nazi's picked up. I might be the last person to know this little tidbit.
My main reason for picking up this book, besides the fact that it was the only one my library had on the self at the time, was because I'm reading Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and wanted a little more insight into the beliefs and superstitions of the Vikings during that time period. This book didn't satisfy that curiosity as it was too broad, encompassing a longer time period and larger region than I was looking for. This book is also pretty old, being published in 1969.
But for the most part it was informative and a good starting point.
*side note: Interesting fact I learned - the swastika was used as early as the Bronze Age- long before the Nazi's picked up. I might be the last person to know this little tidbit.
April 17, 2014
This book is a little old, but still a decent introduction (or refresher) on some of the more popular or common Norse myths and legends. What it lacks in specifics and recent research, it makes up for in the photographs of landscapes, buildings, artifacts, and inscriptions.
For anyone looking for a comprehensive compilation or Norse myth, this is not an exhaustive or detailed account. The stories herein are set in their respective time periods and locales, giving a wide view of the folk religions of Northern Europe.
If the topic interests you, this is a good book to get your feet wet (or brush up), before plunging into translations or critical analyses of the Eddur. For more complete treatments of the traditions of the North, there are better, more educational books. But this is an approachable, if a bit dated, introduction.
For anyone looking for a comprehensive compilation or Norse myth, this is not an exhaustive or detailed account. The stories herein are set in their respective time periods and locales, giving a wide view of the folk religions of Northern Europe.
If the topic interests you, this is a good book to get your feet wet (or brush up), before plunging into translations or critical analyses of the Eddur. For more complete treatments of the traditions of the North, there are better, more educational books. But this is an approachable, if a bit dated, introduction.
October 23, 2015
This book is different than your usual "Myths of the Vikings" sort of compilation because it approaches the the mythology from an archeological point of view, rather than an anecdotal one. There are hundreds of photographs of carvings and other artificats, and the author attempts to interpret the myths through the eyes of a mortal, rather than simply recounting the sagas as we know them. He presents the mythology as a religion, rather than literature, making guesses on rituals and sacrifices that may have taken place in connection with the Norse gods.
March 24, 2009
This book is an excellent overview of its subject matter, filled with many amazing photos of Scandinavian relics. Lots of good summations of various myths, with their souces for more in depth reading.
July 10, 2016
I want to own this book. It is a skinny little thing jam packed with stunning archaeological photos and well chosen Norse myths that are far rougher and more authentic than the versions you have heard before.
April 11, 2014
Rich in archaeological information and beautifully illustrated. A must-read for any Viking lover.
August 9, 2012
Nice for dipping into if the topic interests you. Lots of good pictures.
November 9, 2013
A good introduction.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews