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I found at least one source that advances the notion that Crichton is referencing a source who had an agenda, and may have exaggerated for effect. Ahmad ibn Fadlan wrote about his visit to the Rus: § 84. Every day they must wash their faces and heads and this they do in the dirtiest and filthiest fashion possible: to wit, every morning a girl servant ...

A runic alphabet works like other alphabets: one rune corresponds to one or more specific sounds. Runes only really have one significant difference: they are designed to be carved in wood, which means that they usually have vertical or slanted straight lines, but no or very few horisontal and curved lines. However, as the Younger Futhark was specifically ...

The ritual bowl is not uncommon in Germanic tribal culture. Even in modern settings communal washing bowl would not be considered disgusting (participated myself in Iraq) Most of us are more unnerved by the nose blowing etc. I have seen it suggested that Ahmad ibn Fadlan, might not of seen them emptying the bowl. Regardless, Arabs of the time only ...

First of all, it should be noted that Norse mythology was only the longest-lasting offshoot of a much wider spread Germanic mythology. If we restrict ourselves to Norse contemporary sources, then there are only short inscriptions and pictures. For the Germanic mythology, there is one contemporary non-Christian source that must be mentioned: Tacitus. In his ...

Aside from some short inscriptions on stone, no. The received texts of the sagas generally all date to after about 1000 A.D. and were written or copied at times when Christianization had taken hold. That said, however, it is important to remember that it is likely that the received texts may, in many cases be close copies of manuscripts written during ...

You may have moved waaaaay past this given that you asked 2 years ago, but here's a different answer: Yes, and the rune he is associated with is Berkanan. In fact, in the Elder Futhark Loki is specifically named in connection to this rune. The poem is real, and can be verified by Icelandic scholars.

This is one of the medieval rune inscriptions from Bryggen in Bergen, Norway. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryggen_inscriptions. It is in Latin and reads "rexiudeorum innomini patrisnazarenus" - "Rex Judæorum In nomine Patris Nazarenus" - "King of the Jews in the name of the Father of Nazareth". There are also plenty of foreign names in inscription ...