Fjallabók is |
THE DEAD IN THE MOUNTAINS (an excerpt from HALJABÓK, THE BOOK OF HALJA by V. L. Agnarsson) by V. L. Agnarsson
One of the interesting aspects of life after death in the Asatru Religion is that of the dead dwelling in the mountains. Landnámabók gives a number of references to certain Icelandic families who believe that after death they would pass in to a particular hill or mountain near their home. The most detailed account of an entry into the mountains by the dead is given in Eyrbyggja Saga; Thrórólfr Monstrćskegg ("Bragging-Beard"), a sincere follower of Thórr, is said to have held one particular mountain near his home in great reverence from the time he entered Iceland. Thórólfr believed that he and his family would dwell in the mountain after their deaths. (1) Thórólfr was not just a sincere follower of Thórr, he was an ardent one. Before Thórólfr settled in Iceland he was chieftain and Temple Priest on the island of Moster. He was forced to settle in Iceland because he harbored Björn the Easterner, the son of Ketill Flatnefr and enemy of King Harald. Before leaving Moster, Thórólfr disassembled his Hof and brought the timber to erect a new Hof in Icelanddedicated it to Thórr. Thórólfr settled at Hofstadir in Breidhafjord on the western coast, near Helgafell, an isolated mountain at Thorsness. This mountain was regarded so sacred by Thórólfr that no one was allowed to look upon it with an unclean face. No living being on Helgafell should be harmed unless it left the place on its own accord. (2) After Thórólfr´s death, his son Thorstein Thorskabítr inherited the property. Thorstein became a powerful man, always having thirty freemen about him at all times. Thorstein, like his father before him, was an ardent follower of Thórr. He resided at Helgafell, which became the greatest sanctuary in Pre- Christian Iceland. Thorstein was later drowned, along with his crew, on a fishing expedition. Before the news of the drowning reached home, Thorstein´s shepherd was venturing in the mountains when he saw something at Helgafell, he was facing the Northern side of it when he saw that the mountain stood open, and the sounds of merriment could be heard coming from within. As he listened, he heard something that caught his attention, he realized that the company inside were welcoming Thorstein and his crew, and that Thorstein was invited to sit in the High Seat opposite his father. (3) In Njáls Saga, there is another instance involving the drowning of men during a fishing expedition, whereupon they are seen entering a sacred mountain; however, in this instance the mountain is Kaldbak. It was said that Svanr, a Vitki, received good welcome as he entered the innermost depths of Kaldbakhorn Mountain, this was witnessed by several fishermen, all of whom stated that they saw only Svanr, none of Svanr´s crew accompanied him. Others stated that the fishermen were lying, though it was unlikely. Svanr was never seen again, alive or dead. (4) Aud the Deepminded (5), the famous daughter of Ketill Flatnefr, converted to Christianity before she came to Iceland; Aud put up a cross in the hills to mark the spot where she would pray, this place was known as Krossholar. This place was afterwards held in great reverance, her kinsmen and descendants regarded it as a sanctuary, and later built an altar to the gods after reclaiming their faith "they believed that they would die into these hills." If this tradition is reliable, it seems to indicate that the belief in the dead entering the mountains may be an unpracticed aspect of the Asatru Faith, and their is a certain amount of evidence in the Fornalder Sogur and the Flateyjarbok, and in Bardar Saga Snarfellsass, which seems to be based on memories of this aspect. (6) From Landnámabók again we learn that similar beliefs were connected with both Thorasbjorg and Millifell Mountains into which the kinsmen of Selthorir, who were Asatru (7), and Heidarr (8) wished to dwell after their deaths. The belief that the soul of the dead passes into certain holy mountains is one that has continued in the Asatru, Vanatru, and Old Lappish Faiths, up to modern times. (9) It is not uncommon that Asatruar and Vanatruar fare-forth to these mountains. (10) These Hamr-farers may commune with the dead, while those gifted in the art of Seidh may allow the dead to speak through them. In other words, they use the mountain as a gateway to the other worlds to find the deceased in question, as opposed to visiting its grave directly. In the account in the Eyrbyggja Saga the mountain, like the burial mound is represented inside like a hall, and their is probably some connection between the grave, and the mountain in which the dead dwell. (11) It may be noted that in order for one to pass on to Helgard after they die they must pass through Svaralfheim beforehand. You will notice that you cannot venture directly to Helgard from Midgard. Also note that it is not uncommon for one to venture to Svartalfheim by way of mountains, after all the Svart Alfs and Dark Alfs are said to live in the mountains. I believe that when one is seen going "into the mountains" that what is actually being seen is that person beginning their journey to Helgard. It is also possible that the mountains in question are a gateway directly to Helgard itself. The denizens of Svaralfheim, Dark Alfs and Svart Alfs, are different from one another. (12) The Dark Alfs are the ghosts of the dead, whereas the Svart Alfs are none other than the skilled dwarves themselves. The Dark Alfs that are said to dwell in the mountains may actually be searching for this gateway to Helgard. However, the mountains are not their only home, they are also the ghosts of barrow-mounds, and blessings were often left for them so that they would watch over the lands, and even come to aid those in need. It is also possible that the Dark Alfs are the ghosts of the men who dealt with the Svart Alfs extensively and may possibly owe them favors before passing on to Helgard. The Svart Alfs are also the dwellers of Svartalfheim and the mountains. In the beginning the Svart Alfs created themselves, the gods then discovered them and gave them humanoid shape. The Svart Alfs had come alive as maggots do in meat. (13) Therefore they were not created from maggots, but instead lived as moggots would by "eating" their home; I interpret the words "as maggots" to mean that the Svart Alfs lived off Ymir, in other words, they lived within the earth and mined its riches. In this way they eat their home as a maggot would. It should also be noted that some of the Svart Alfs are not living, Daín (Dead One) for example. It is probable that after they have lived their extremely long lives that they continue to "live" and never leave Svartalfheim at all, continuing to dwell (and work) even after their death. There is evidence in this chapter that supports the idea of the mountains acting as gateways to Svartalfheim and even Helgard. It is well known that the dead go to Helgard, although they are not limited to Halja´s realm. However, there is ample proof that our dead may become Dark Alfs and simply dwell in sacred mountains, or their grave, before they cross the threshold into Halja´s realm. Undoubtedly the mountains act as gateways in one way or another. NOTES: 1. Eyrbyggja Saga IV; "and he believed that he thither would go when he died, and all his kindred Lain the Ness". 2. History of Iceland, Gjerset. 3. Landnámabók doesn´t contain this reference, but states, "it was the belief of the kinsmen of Thórólfr that they would all die into the fell". 4. Njáls Saga XIV. The fact that Svanr´s crew were not seen entering the mountain could be that they were not of the Norse Faith (Asatru). 5. Aud the Deepminded was a very influencial woman in Iceland. Aud was the widow of King Olaf the White of Dublin. After her later husband Thorstein died, and her father as well, she became the recognised head of the family since both of her brothers (Bjorn the Easterner and Helgi) had left Norway. She became lonely and decided to join her brothers in Iceland. With her came her grandchildren, slaves, servants and twenty freemen (colonists). She stayed with Bjorn for a while and later settled in Hvam in Hvamsfjord. Aud then liberated her slaves and gave the settlers, and former slaves, land to settle. All where Christian, their descendants reverted to Asatru. 6. Fostering by Giants in Saga Literature, H.R. Ellis-Davidson. 7. Landnámabók, II. 8. Landnámabók, III. 9. They are known as Seidhmenn or Seidhkonur respectively, if they use the Runes to fare-forth they are known as Vitkis. 10. The Road to Hel, by Hilda R. E. Davidson refers to Utersuchungen ü. Totenkult und Odinnverehrung bei Nordgermanen und Lappen, Unwerth. 11. Note that Thórólfr is not buried at Helgafell; Haugsness is a short distance away. 12. Teutonic Religion, Kveldúlf Gundarsson. 13. Teutonic Mythology Vol. II, Grimm.
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