Johnni Langer

Original title: Morte, Sacrifício Humano e Renascimento: Uma interpretação Iconográfica da Runestone Viking de Hammar I

Published in Mirabilia 3 (2003)

Keywords: Viking culture, human sacrifice and ritual, megalithical epigraphy, religion and power.

The present article still interprets an iconographic source without detailed academic studies, the Viking runestone of Hammar I, originary of the island of Gotland (Sweden). An important document on the religious mentality of the Scandinavians, its mythological conceptions on the deities, human sacrifices, life after the death and some important symbols for the cult to the Óðinn god. Another basic aspect of our interpretation is the possibility to compare the classic Icelandic sources, writings during the Christian period after-Viking (séc. XI d.C.), with an original megalithical document of the Age Viking heathen (séc. IX d.C.). Our main methodologies for analysis had been the epigraphical techniques supplied by the British runologist Raymond Ian Page and the techniques of iconographic interpretation of the French historian Régis Boyer. As conclusion, we could verify that runestone of Gotland had a intentional "pedagogical" function in terms of imaginary religious, confirming ideas and strengthening aspects of the odinic cult. It structuralized the image and the faith of that warlike died in battle they could inside to the hall of the Óðinn god, rewarding its martial life.