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Animal mouthpieces for human properties and indentity - A Scandinavian perspective

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Author

Editor

  • Matthias Kucera
  • Günther Karl Kunst

Summary, in English

Peoples' relations to animals and their various roles took many different expressions in the pre-Christian era. In certain contexts animals had practical functions, but others they also had symbolic values. Domsticated animals were a kind of life style metaphors in grave rituals. Wild animals and transformation between humans and animals in pictorial images signified social identity. The archaeological analysis of pre-Christian use of animals, and the interpretation of relations between humans and animals give a historical background to the later textbased Old Norse mythology.

Department/s

Publishing year

2010

Language

English

Pages

39-45

Publication/Series

Bestial Mirrors. Using animals to construct human identities in Medieval Europe

Volume

03

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

VIAS. Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science, Vienna University

Topic

  • Archaeology

Keywords

  • social identity
  • Animals
  • life style metaphors
  • paganism
  • Old Norse religion
  • falconry

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 978-3-200-01895-2