There may be a cultic association between the cult of Odin and the burial practices involving white holy phallic stones.įocusing on Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, this article examines Hervör's cross-dressing from the perspective of her confrontation with the dead on Sámsey, attempting to go beyond the conventional binary-gender model which still continues to be employed in saga criticism. The temporal distribution of the white phallic stones correlates well with the increasing importance of the cult of Odin. Most of these stones are associated with burials from the later part of the Scandinavian Early Iron Age. On this basis a new interpretation of the so-called "holy white" phallic stones in western Norway is suggested. How could Odin perform seid without losing his position as the god of war and warriors? This paradox is discussed from a queer theoretical perspective. Therefore it could be said that Odin exercised an activity considered unmanly. If a man performed seid he could be accused of ergi, that is, unmanliness. Seid may be interpreted as a form of shamanism. However, Odin is also the most powerful master of seid (sorcery), an activity associated with women. Odin is the greatest war god, and associated with manliness. Ideas concerning Eros, honor and death were central to the Norse perception of the world.
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