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The decline of paganism came about later than with the Saxons in the Nordic societies it was primarily due to vast economic, political and ideological interaction with Christians in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. From the end of the tenth century, while Nordic society was still tribal, southern Christian nations had already developed a form of feudalism with more advanced economy. Many Vikings adopted Christianity in order to do business with the Christians. Njals saga mentions this practice:

In general the Vikings, pragmatist that they were, …cheerfully submitted to provisional baptism…This was a common action of the time, both among merchants and among those mercenaries who joined up with Christians, since those who accepted provisional baptism had full communion with Christians and pagans alike." (Magnusson 1980, 36)

During the eighth and ninth centuries, Viking raiding parties brought home vast fortunes.

Undoubtedly, these hoards of booty from both war and trade were the sources which financed quite a few Nordic kingships:

There are also cases where kings took part in actual trading enterprises…Throughout the Viking Age the products of plunder and taxes levied abroad constituted an important source of income, and a number of kings acquired their thrones by means of wealth gathered from expeditions to the east or west." (Roesdahl 1992, 39)

The weakening of tribal society which was due to a dramatic increase in trade created a far more intricate division of labor. Former Aett chiefs, tribal chieftains and war band leaders became vassals, skilled tradesmen set up shops, and labor divisions of all sorts were being drawn. This was a society which was evolving, and the driving forces of kingship and Christianity both brought about the existence of a more complexed class based society in Scandinavia. With the rise of feudalism, far more power rested in the hands of the kings.

The combination of a trade based economy, which was almost completely controlled by the kings and their vassals, and the urbanization replaced a formerly farm based economy. In this society serving the king or his vassals was the only possible way for any types of societal mobility. This developing new society was the beginning of feudal society in Scandinavia, as indicated by Mr. Samson:

During the period 1000-1300 Sweden was incorporated into a wider and European and catholic culture and a class society with a predominant, feudal mode of production developed. The social and political functions of kingship changed and royal power increased profoundly. At the end of the thirteenth century privileged estates emerged." (Samson 1991, 137)

Many of these kings converted to Christianity for political reasons. “Rulers in the tenth century found it politically expedient or spiritually comforting to affect baptism.” And they also made Christian priests and bishops their advisers and empowered them to encouraged their followers to convert as well through coercion.

King Olaf certainly brought considerable pressure to bear down on Iceland. He sent missionaries and priests, ?And held the sons of prominent Icelandic pagans as hostages until at a fateful session of Icelandic parliament in the summer of the year1000 the two opposing parties agreed to put their dispute to arbitration ³²

Due to the stratified cast system in Nordic society at the time and the enormous power which these kings possessed, most people in Scandinavia converted. In most cases this occurred due to a need for social acceptance and security. To be Christian was to be socially acceptable while to be pagan became an offense which was punishable by law. Indeed there were cases of violently forced conversions among the Nordic people.

Some of these kings sent there sons to England in order to learn from the Christians. Unforeseen however was the affect that Christian schools would have upon these young men. While the previous kings of Nordic nations had usually been only marginally Christian who continued to drink, maintained concubines, and so on, their sons would be quite a different sort of Christian kings.

The full force of feudalism and Christianity overwhelmed Scandinavia, changed its economic, social and ideological systems, and pulled it into the mainstream of medieval Europe, where the Viking nations were unable to compete.

“They did not have the economic recourses of their rivals; they had no national institutions, neither Socio-political nor religious, to compare with those of the long-established and unified empires of Europe.” ³³

In addition the Catholic Church of the ninth century had a 900 year old tradition which had grown, evolved and inherited its basic analytical and philosophical knowledge from the Greek and Roman scholars. They had monasteries all over Europe. Each individual monastery was a fortress of knowledge both political and religious. They had monks who could read, write, record, research, debate, and present their philosophies with the utmost skill in rhetoric.

This in conjunction with a life of a cloistered and austere life style gave the decisive educational edge over the pagans. Thus outlawed and socially deviant, paganism faded into the woodwork of folklore and literature.

Origin of Woden the Wizard Archetype

For over six thousand years the Germanic tribes have worshiped the sky god Woden, first in his Prazryk form as Tungus which is the equivalent in other Indo-Aryan languages to his other tittles such as, Djives, Deus Pitar, Zeus, Deva, and many others. Latter he was known as Tiwaz, Irmin and Othin/Woden. Woden or wod of history evolved in the minds of men according to what they would have him appear to be an act which is known as anthropomorphism.

Anthropomorphism is literally the making of a symbolic physical god in the image of man and furnished him with the desired superior traits. At this point we see his character change and evolve from Woden

“the terrible”, powerful, protective, and “thundering” , into, calm, wise, sacrificing, magical, ruling, and royal, a god of poets, heroes, and noblemen.

In examining the archetype of the most important of the Germanic gods, Woden, we see that this archetype is a shaman or wizard, a sky god who rules as king among a pantheon of other lesser gods. Woden, the mythical Woden is first mentioned through the retelling of a ancient oral tale in the Ynlinga saga’s.

This tale explains his migration to Europe with his tribe whom he brought to Europe from the east of “gariktha” which is roughly equivalent to modern day turkey. Therefor we can only assume he came from central Asia or the Russian steppes, according to this folk tale. After viewing the overwhelming historical and literary evidence to support the concept we must accept that the Woden Archetype began its evolution at this point. In addition if we look closely at the wizard like behavior and the earliest connections to the Historical Woden or person whom the

myth has sprang up around, we will see that he was in fact , originally, a Shaman possibly from Central Asia, and most probably a Taklamakhanian Chieftain.

If we look at the central Asian concept of an eight-legged horse which carries the shaman to the land of the dead and the horse used by Woden there is a undeniable parallel. In addition I submit the following information in order to supplement the archeological record and historical

information linking the Germanic tribes with the Taklamakhanian as seen in chapter one. In addition this assist in forming a basses of support to the theory which I have just purposed.

Through his various “faces” Woden is capable of presenting a role model to all noble in the Germanic social structure (kings, Jarls- warrior nobles who posed land, and Gothi-priest).

Woden’s origin myth tells us that he came from beyond the Russian steppes, in Asia.

Most of Woden’s prominent traits are that of a shaman, wandering ascetic, and warrior king.

These attributes are usual displayed under various guises such as “Vegtam the wanderer” this particular aspect has evolved from a later Norse myth, and is related to the image of Woden in the Volsunga saga.

The most Prominent feature of Germanic cosmography from the bronze age until the common era, was their continued interest in both mythology and the historical religious leaders or ascetic practitioners of magic later known as wizards (Wizard = Ger. Weiss art =wise,

prophet/soothsayer).

Of the many aspects of Germanic paganism which existed throughout all of these periods the most prominent symbol, was the life tree (Yggdrassil) which translated means literally “Woden’s horse”. Yet we know quite clearly that the name of Woden’s horse was sleipnir. What then does this term “Woden’s horse” mean? Symbolically it has been suggested by H. R. Ellise Davidsson in her book “Viking and Norse mythology” that this may imply that the world tree was Woden’s means of transcendental travel from this world to the world of the dead through a type of

Shamanistic meditation. Although I accept a different hypotheses concerning the type of meditation used, I do agree with the basic concept, that Woden’s horse implies through symbolism, that it was a vehicle for some sort of transcendental meditation.

However it is my view that the world tree (as the axis mundi) for Germanic paganism was not a physical vehicle, but, rather a meditative motif for a historical Germanic sage named Woden believed by the Germanic peoples to be (the incarnation of Woden himself.) An avatar very similar to Sakamoni Buddha in that, he was connection to the

“life tree” symbol. This symbol was probably used as a meditative symbol, similar to a primitive mandala or Hex sign. Because of his own animistic views on the sacredness of tree’s. And because of the location of these beliefs it is very likely that this was linked to a over abundance of wooded area’s in north-central Germany. Which makes logical sense when one considers that Northern Germany was where the Bronze age Woden aspect of the “allfather/Odin” archetype Originated.

The Shamanistic characteristics of the god Woden are very solidly represented in Germanic mythology. In the Prose and elder Eddas we see Woden performing many Shamanistic deeds such as transcendental meditation, spirit travel to the under world and other places in the nine worlds. Other ability’s which link him to shamanism are, control of the elements, travel through the sky, his talent as a healer (merisburg charm), his shape shifting ability’s which he shared with his followers, especially the Berserker’s. The berserks were a group of young men who spent most of their young lives devoted to the worship of Woden, and warfare. They were said to have been one of the most dangerous groups of men in history, they went into battle with no armor, no shield.

The myths state that berserks could not be killed by swords, knives, or spears, because they were protected by Woden and that they possessed special powers from him such as the ability to take on the shape of wolves, bears, or ravens.

The archetype of Woden was originally that of a sky god, representative of the sun, sky, fire (via lightning) warmth of the summer months, and of course the lord of lord and ruler of heaven (Valhalla, hell, nieflheim etc.).

Woden is an archetype for all wizards and sorcerers whom we encounter in later folk tales. The cultural identification of Woden and all his special skills such as magic, shape shifting, prophecy are due to his reputation as a Shaman. This explains his association with the Germanic wizard archetype, which has been transmitted from generation to generation by means of literary motifs.

Those motifs, in turn, reoccur in various renditions of legends and folk tales. The most obvious example of this is the character Merlin the Magician from the medieval legend Mort ’d’ Arthur.

Legends and folk tales have often been the only way of preserving ancient stories, which feature magic, mythical creatures and aspect of fantasy. The medieval legends and folk tales are in part based on pagan beliefs of the ninth century and consist of polytheistic motifs which link them to the Eddas, a collection of stories of elves, dwarves, fairies, sorceresses, gods and heroes prior to the Viking Age. Many of these motifs have been altered and undergone various transformations within the various Germanic cultural settings.

Sometimes they come to us as fairy-tales, sometimes as superstitions.

Between the 1100s and the 1400s, the shift from Paganism to marginal Christianity and finally to Christianity was under way. By the middle fifteenth century, most of the general populous was converted to Christianity. With the dominance of Christianity and the outlawry of pagan worship came seclusion and gossip about those who continued to worship the old gods. They became a vilified archetype, created initially by superstition surrounding their isolationism and peculiar practices such as healing and using charms or spells. They were vilified, the priest as wizards, and priestesses as witches.

The Christians could not help but cater to the superstitious needs of the Germanic masses through their creation of mythical “Wizards/Sorcerers/warlocks” to whom disgruntled masses

often turned to when abandoned, failed or dominated by the church. Long after Germanic paganism was destroyed, a self-imposed need for ancestral legends continued, and many were willing to be pagan and Christian. This was manifest through the wizard archetypes that the Germanic people idealized in their legends and immolated. Although Christian motifs existed within some, there were examples illustrating an unwillingness of the people to discontinue certain aspects of their Pagan beliefs, as shown in Jacob Grimm’s Teutonic Mythology:

Here is a strange jumble of heathen and Christian worship. In an oratory built in honor of St.

Aurelia, three heathen statues still stand against the wall, to which the people continue to sacrifice. ³⁴

During this time, several literary genres were popular and seem to be very instrumental in maintaining the archetypes, which had previously dominated the sagas and legends of the Germanic peoples. Of these several were famous such as Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, Tristan De Solt, Parzival, the Niebelungonlied, and Mort de Arthur. One of the archetypes which did not dominate the scene but was nevertheless included and not excluded was the wizard or wandering sage. This archetype is for the most part still closely linked to the magical aspects of pagan literature while drifting further and further from the religious message of paganism. One example is Merlin the Magician in Morte D’ Arthur, who is a secluded and mysterious figure inherited his main motifs from pagan wizard Woden.

There are four distinctively clear motifs in folk tales which are of primary importance in determining the origin of the wizard archetype. They are magic, magical gift giving, shape shifting, and prophecy. The magic motif can also be broken down into twelve different sub categories, each of which is a manifestation of the wizards’ magical powers, and as such would be classified as sub-categories of motifs according to the type index. They would be classified as tale type number 300, with the sub categories becoming segregated according to other sub-motifs.

Throughout the sagas and later Eddic lays, Woden is the older form of the wizard archetype, who was portrayed as a fierce war-like wizard from the bronze age to 800CE, and was transformed by the eleventh century into a quiet, wise, wandering sage with a long white beard and a staff, as the tales told in Heimskringla. ³⁵

Woden is a very powerful sorcerer according to the Eddas. His powers encompass more magic than any other wizard throughout the history of Europe. He is the oldest wizard archetype in Northern Europe, and possibly all of Europe.

Woden possessed a type of magical and herbal power or magic, which is one of the most

important motifs to be inherited by later wizard legends and fairy tales. Woden’s magic was first established as early as the ninth century with the Merisburg Charm in which Woden healed a horse’s broken leg with a magic spell:

Phol and Woden rode into the woods, There Balder’s foal sprained its foot. It was

charmed by Sinthgunt, her sister Sunna; It was charmed by Freya, her sister Volla; It was charmed by Woden, as he well knew how: Bone-sprain, like blood-sprain, Like limb-sprain; Bone to bone; blood to blood; Limb to limb — like they were glued. ³⁶

In connection with magic or witchcraft, the legends of wizards and witches often carry granules of historical truth concerning paganism. The Gothi priest of paganism often used spells and charms, of course the chief archetype for immolating was Woden, “the Allfather” of magic (Galdre).

With words alone he could quench fire, still the ocean tempest, sometimes even he called the dead out of the earth ?in all such things he was pre-eminently wise. He taught all these arts in runes, and songs which are called incantations, ?Woden understood the art? which he himself practiced; namely what is called magic?he could know before hand the predestined fate of men.

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Another important motif in the Wizard archetype is magic gift giving, which is best

demonstrated through “the sword in the stone” motif. Among the pagan tales, concerning Woden as a sorcerer or a wizard, many are linked with his tradition of giving magical swords to heroes.

This is a motif, which has been repeated in several Legends. The sword in the stone motif first appears in the Codex Regis and then in the Volsunga Saga.In the tale of the Volsunga, the sword is taken from the great hall of King Seggier which is made from a giant hollowed-out ash tree (ash is sacred to Woden). And in later versions the hall is made of stone.

He (Woden) was very tall and gray with age, and he had only one eye. He brandished the sword and thrust it into the trunk so that it sank up to the hilt? [Woden] began to speak: he who draws the sword from the trunk shall receive it from me as a gift. ³⁸

The art of shape shifting is not uncommon in the Germanic world, and has existed within Germanic literature from the very beginning. The first literary character as a shaman or shape-shifter who is very prominent in the history is the god Woden himself, known as a hunts man or

“lord of the wild hunt” among Anglo-Saxon Englishmen. ³⁹Here is a depiction of this motif in Woden:

“Woden could transform his shape: his body would lie as if dead, or asleep; but then he would be in shape of a fish, or worm dragon, or bird.” ⁴⁰

In those tales we often see Woden take on the semblance of an eagle or raven, but the most popular of all Woden’s forms was his identity as Harbard or “Grey beard”, an old man who generally appeared humbly dressed yet extremely wise.

In the archetype of Woden, we also see the ability to see the future, which is often found in most

In the archetype of Woden, we also see the ability to see the future, which is often found in most