Protecting Against the Dead? On the Possible Use of Apotropaic Magic in the Oseberg Burial
Jan Bill
The use of apotropaic practices, that is, magic to protect against evil, is sometimes included in archaeological interpretations on the basis similarities between objects and used historically documented or present-day practices. present article attempts develop study apotropaism by focussing ritual, addition devices. case a burial ad 834 high-ranking Viking Age woman Norwegian Oseberg ship grave. Drawing cognitive ritual theory, focuses identifying both repeated core counter-intuitive, element series actions led deposition five elaborately carved wooden animal heads burial, each combined with rattling device probably related horse driving. demonstrates provides viable explanation for this rather puzzling aspect burial. In wider perspective it emphasizes importance contextual, functional, interpretation graves. It also suggests figures style artwork may have been more intimately connected beliefs than previously suggested.
Cambridge Archaeological Journal