Unlike the rest of the Germanic mythology, medieval Scandinavia provides an all too confused overview, burdened by so many and varied influences that have triggered misunderstandings among scholars over time. In this framework, accounts of rituals, outstanding archaeological findings, ambiguous iconographic and epigraphic records and a literary documentation of uneven value give evidence of two goddesses, Frigg and Freyja, who seem to contend for primacy. Both medieval literary sources and modern critics increasingly lead us to hypothesize these deities’ own features as functional emanations of a single divine power, related to fertility, abundance, peace and good luck, and frequently associated with the myth of the so-called Great Mother. Alongside undeniable similarities generated in Old Norse mythographic tradition, a deeper investigation highlights some contradictory evidence concerning these two deities, which raises more questions and concerns. The pre-sent study, therefore, aims at throwing light on typological differences arising from the sources, and, if possible, establishing a connection with the elements of the Germanic and Indo-European religious universe.

“Frigg, Freyja e le foreste di Giulio Cesare”

BATTAGLIA, MARCO
2015-01-01

Abstract

Unlike the rest of the Germanic mythology, medieval Scandinavia provides an all too confused overview, burdened by so many and varied influences that have triggered misunderstandings among scholars over time. In this framework, accounts of rituals, outstanding archaeological findings, ambiguous iconographic and epigraphic records and a literary documentation of uneven value give evidence of two goddesses, Frigg and Freyja, who seem to contend for primacy. Both medieval literary sources and modern critics increasingly lead us to hypothesize these deities’ own features as functional emanations of a single divine power, related to fertility, abundance, peace and good luck, and frequently associated with the myth of the so-called Great Mother. Alongside undeniable similarities generated in Old Norse mythographic tradition, a deeper investigation highlights some contradictory evidence concerning these two deities, which raises more questions and concerns. The pre-sent study, therefore, aims at throwing light on typological differences arising from the sources, and, if possible, establishing a connection with the elements of the Germanic and Indo-European religious universe.
2015
Battaglia, Marco
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/357667
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