What are merseburg incantations?

What are merseburg incantations?

The Merseburg Incantations (German: die Merseburger Zaubersprüche) are two medieval magic spells, charms or incantations, written in Old High German. They are the only known examples of Germanic pagan belief preserved in this language.

What is the first merseburg charm good for?

The first charm introduces the Old German Idisi, most likely the Valkyries of Scandinavian mythology, who tend to the fortunes of war. In the second charm, Wodan cures Balder’s horse of lameness, after four named goddesses fail in their efforts to do so.

Who wrote the Merseburg charms?

Jacob Grimm
The spells were published later by Jacob Grimm in On two newly-discovered poems from the German Heathen Period (1842). The manuscript of the Merseburg charms was on display until November 2004 as part of the exhibition “Between Cathedral and World – 1000 years of the Chapter of Merseburg,” at Merseburg cathedral.

Who did the Germanic tribes worship?

The Germanic Pantheon This pantheon, which according to some accounts consisted of 12 principal deities, had Woden (Odin) as its chief god. Other important deities were Tiw (Tyr), Thor (Donar), Balder, Frey, Freyja, and Frigg.

Are Germanic tribes Vikings?

The term Norse is commonly applied to pre-Christian northern Germanic peoples living in Scandinavia during the so-called Viking Age. Old Norse gradually developed into the North Germanic languages, including Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.

Which Germanic tribe was the strongest?

Frank, member of a Germanic-speaking people who invaded the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. Dominating present-day northern France, Belgium, and western Germany, the Franks established the most powerful Christian kingdom of early medieval western Europe.

What was the average height of a Viking?

“The examination of skeletons from different localities in Scandinavia reveals that the average height of the Vikings was a little less than that of today: men were about 5 ft 7-3/4 in. tall and women 5 ft 2-1/2 in.

Did Vikings go to Africa?

England wasn’t the only place where the Vikings made themselves known: they sailed as far south as North Africa, as far west as Canada, and into the Middle East, Russia, France, and Spain (see a map).