On DwarfCrypt back to viking times and climates related to the history and culture of these Nordic invaders. Courtesy of Footsore Miniatures I got and painted a limited metal miniature of Torsten OakHammer, which was available on the manufacturer’s website in order by the end of August.

The miniature looks great and holds, as it ceased to be a Viking hero, an epic pose, a long „Danish“ ax and a richly decorated helmet. It will be a beautiful variation of the Viking collection and brave jarl in many battlefields. I promise that this is not my last adventure with Footsore Miniatures and I will be bringing you closer to the historical sets.

Other beautiful minis and boxess can you found on the manufacturer’s website:
https://footsoreminiatures.co.uk/
And on the official Facebook profile: https://web.facebook.com/FootsoreMiniatures/


       About the Vikings I wrote a few short articles. Was the topic of female warriors – Shieldmaidens, was the thing about Berserk and Úlfhéðinn (Wolf-skin), and I tolk about the beliefs and role of priests in the Viking society. I also went to the golden Byzantine with blond hair Varangs.
        Today I will take up another topic closely related to the brutal Viking age, with their beliefs and ways of revenge. Revenge, liked and close by Odin.

„The sons of Ragnar commanded Ælla, the king of Northumbria, to be cut in the shape of an eagle, leaving a bloody mark on one of his greatest foes and his father’s murderer…“

       This known, for example, from the Viking TV series broadcasted on HISTORY, the motif is part of the Nordic ritual of revenge. Most often performed on victim by the sons of the murdered Viking. The victim was hammered into the back and bent at the ribs to the lumbar spine until they got out. The bloody „Eagle“ was drawn into the lungs.
Everything done in such a way that the victim was conscious and lived in the longest possible time of this peculiar ceremony.

      According to the knowledge contained in books written by monks and Scandinavian and Icelandic sags, at least a few documented unfortunates were eviscerated in the above manner.
Apart from King Ælla, a similar fate was encountered by King Edmund – the later saint in Christianity.
      This unfortunate by an Anglo-Saxon monk, fell into the hands of Vikings and was killed in 869, trying to get out of these adventurers with Christian hospitality – without arms, open arms and heart…
The invaders under Hinguara ruled the ruler, beat him with sticks and mocked him and his religion.
„Our God (Thor) has a hammer, and your God death on the cross in torments.“
The future saint did not renounce his faith in Christ and was finally executed. Monk Abbo of Fleury circa 980 confirms this fact and writes about the „torture of the eagle“.

       The sacrifice of „Bloody Eagle“ was not only the bestial and inhuman torture, but also a religious ritual. Already the descendants of the Vikings – the ancient Germans made bloody sacrifices from the prisoners in order to reconcile themselves to the gods and to deter the evil spirits and demons (the massacre of prisoners after the Roman defeat in the Teutoburg Forest).
The all-father Odin, who according to Nordic Mythology offered himself and nailed the spear to the tree of life- Yggdrasill’s, liked and appreciated such bloody acts. They were therefore part of Viking life and belief. And that the prize was the entrance through the Walhalla Gate, there was and there was no fear of sacrificing one’s own life.

      Such a bloody sacrifice for Odin is mentioned by the invaluable historian, poet and ruler from the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth century, Snorrri Sturlusson, as well as by the authors of the sag.
They repeatedly described the situation in which the gods (or Odin himself) demanded sacrifices from a human (eg king) to impede the plague or the failure of the fruit.
Also in the beginning of the Viking TV series (the first season), we see a touching scene when Leif, Ragnar’s companion, offers himself to propitiate the gods.

       Historical practice such as „Bloody Eagle“ is, however, debatable. Some scholars believe that it is evidence of the atrocities committed by Vikings who are hostile to Christianity. Others think that this is a fiction, invented for literary purposes, or it is the result of an erroneous translation of chronicles and sagas.

„Synowie Ragnara rozkazali, aby plecy Elli, króla Northumbrii, zostały pocięte w kształt orła. Wycieli to krwawe piętno na jednym ze swoich największych wrogów i zabójcy swojego ojca…“