ODIN
LARGER VIEW |
TOR
LARGER VIEW |
THE VIKINGS In Norwegian history the Viking age is the years between 800 and 1030 a.d. The Vikings were warriors and considered dangerous. In their well shaped ships they sailed to England and France where the people were exposed to their villainy. The Viking Leir Eiriksson discovered America and called it Vinland. Nevertheless the Vikings had their gods. The highest of which was ODIN. He was very intelligent and had only one eye. He had two helpers, the ravens Hugin and Munin (Thought and Memory), who every day flew about gathering information to report to Odin. TOR was next to Odin in rank. He protected people against natural forces. He had a wagon drawn by two he-goats. When crossing the sky, it would cause thunder. Tor had a hammer called Mjolne. This hammer always hit the target and returned automatically. At the end of the Viking age Norway was converted to Christianity, and the people started to build churches. They were called "stave churches." |
