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. Reliquaries, Status Seeking, and Rune Amulets Against Dwarves

Eleanor Barraclough
Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age

The discussion moves to reliquaries, originally used in a Christian context, such as at Lindisfarne, to house saints' relics. Norse raiders prized the metal and decoration, discarded the relics, and brought them back to Norway, often gifting them to women. These items were passed down through female generations or repurposed as brooches, suggesting that early raids were often masculine activities focused on acquiring wealth and status necessary for young men to secure a wife and establish a home. Pre-Christian belief systems involved protective runes and amulets against malevolence caused by supernatural beings such as elves or dwarves. A human skull fragment from Geber, Denmark, dating to the early eighth century, was carved with runes, possibly intended to guard against sickness caused by dwarves.
1919
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