Download or read book Myths of the Rune Stone written by David M. Krueger and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2015-10-01 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do our myths say about us? Why do we choose to believe stories that have been disproven? David M. Krueger takes an in-depth look at a legend that held tremendous power in one corner of Minnesota, helping to define both a community’s and a state’s identity for decades. In 1898, a Swedish immigrant farmer claimed to have discovered a large rock with writing carved into its surface in a field near Kensington, Minnesota. The writing told a North American origin story, predating Christopher Columbus’s exploration, in which Viking missionaries reached what is now Minnesota in 1362 only to be massacred by Indians. The tale’s credibility was quickly challenged and ultimately undermined by experts, but the myth took hold. Faith in the authenticity of the Kensington Rune Stone was a crucial part of the local Nordic identity. Accepted and proclaimed as truth, the story of the Rune Stone recast Native Americans as villains. The community used the account as the basis for civic celebrations for years, and advocates for the stone continue to promote its validity despite the overwhelming evidence that it was a hoax. Krueger puts this stubborn conviction in context and shows how confidence in the legitimacy of the stone has deep implications for a wide variety of Minnesotans who embraced it, including Scandinavian immigrants, Catholics, small-town boosters, and those who desired to commemorate the white settlers who died in the Dakota War of 1862. Krueger demonstrates how the resilient belief in the Rune Stone is a form of civil religion, with aspects that defy logic but illustrate how communities characterize themselves. He reveals something unique about America’s preoccupation with divine right and its troubled way of coming to terms with the history of the continent’s first residents. By considering who is included, who is left out, and how heroes and villains are created in the stories we tell about the past, Myths of the Rune Stone offers an enlightening perspective on not just Minnesota but the United States as well.
Download or read book The Big Book of Runes and Rune Magic written by Edred Thorsson and published by Weiser Books. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Runes are the ancient Norse alphabet used for communication, divination, and magical work. Here, American runologist Edred Thorsson provides an in-depth guide to the world of runes for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Thorsson's presentation of this powerful system provides a valuable tool for self-development and spiritual transformation. The Big Book of Runes and Rune Magic: Introduces the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark along with their definitions and mystical properties Explores the historical lore of runes using archaeological evidence to explain where the runes come from, what they mean, and how they evolved Reveals the hidden lore and esoteric dimension of runes, looking at the cosmology of the Old Norse to explain the role runes played and how they were used over time Includes specific sections on rune magic and divination, rune poems, and runic numerology, as well as instructions on how to make your own runes and imbue them with numinous power, arrange the optimum setting for a rune reading, and prepare yourself psychologically and spiritually for casting the runes This book includes material from the author's previous books Futhark, Runelore, and Runecaster's Handbook.
Download or read book The Nordic Book of Runes written by Jonathan Dee and published by Ryland Peters & Small. This book was released on 2021-02-09 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide to the secrets of rune-reading, an ancient predictive art, that teaches you how to lay out runes and interpret them instantly. Once the sacred alphabet of the Germanic people of Northern Europe, runes are more than 2,000 years old. Runes (meaning a secret or mystery) were words of power, once carved on amulets, rings and weapons, and found as inscriptions on tombstones. The 1st rune, Fehu, is connected with cattle, and since wealth was measured in the number of cows a person owned, it has an underlying meaning of material wealth. The 11th rune, Isa, literally means 'ice', signifying danger and the probability of slipping up. Likewise, the 17th rune, Tiwaz, shares its significance with the North Star as an aid to navigation and charting life's path. In this insightful book, each of the runes is fully described, together with the symbolic images and celestial phenomena associated with them. Methods of laying out, or 'casting' the runes are described in order to give a full and comprehensive reading to answer any question. There are six spreads to choose from, from Odin's Rune, a simple reading with one rune stone, to using up to nine runes for deeper insight into the past, present and future.
Download or read book Blood Feud written by S.J.A. Turney and published by Canelo. This book was released on 2021-07-22 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The wolves of Odin have been unleashed: the hunt has begun. Anno Domini 1040. Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people. A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy’ of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods. That oath will bring together an unlikely band of allies and carry them to the very edge of the world, fighting giants, dragons and wraiths, in pursuit of his father’s killer: Yngvar. The jarl is powerful, and the weaving of Fate difficult, but the blood price must be paid. A compelling and explosive novel of revenge, this is a major new series from S.J.A. Turney. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Kristian and Angus Donald. Praise for Blood Feud 'Si Turney is a natural born storyteller, gifted, brilliant and utterly enthralling. Blood Feud tells the story of a young Norse warrior, Halfdan, who swears to avenge the murder of his father. The reader is almost immediately immersed into the action, swept away into the dragon-ship beside Halfdan and his tough, salty and occasionally hilarious crew of Vikings... An intelligent, fast-paced but finely crafted novel of battle, comradeship and bloody revenge – with some surprising twists along the way. Highly recommended to all those who enjoy a superior Viking adventure yarn!' Angus Donald, author of The Last Berserker 'SJA Turney's new Viking epic is a bone-crunching good time! A resourceful young warrior on a quest for vengeance takes to the sea with a dragon long-ship and a motley band of new friends, fighting old enemies, foreign wars and the mysterious workings of fate at every new turn of the tide. Blood Feud is sure to thrill those mourning the end of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories' Kate Quinn, author of The Rose Code 'A rich combination of saga and quest, religion and violence, with a satisfying conclusion that paves the way for further adventures' Ruth Downie, author of the Medicus series
Download or read book North Country written by Mary Lethert Wingerd and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 600 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1862, four years after Minnesota was ratified as the thirty-second state in the Union, simmering tensions between indigenous Dakota and white settlers culminated in the violent, six-week-long U.S.-Dakota War. Hundreds of lives were lost on both sides, and the war ended with the execution of thirty-eight Dakotas on December 26, 1862, in Mankato, Minnesota--the largest mass execution in American history. The following April, after suffering a long internment at Fort Snelling, the Dakota and Winnebago peoples were forcefully removed to South Dakota, precipitating the near destruction of the area's native communities while simultaneously laying the foundation for what we know and recognize today as Minnesota. In North Country: The Making of Minnesota, Mary Lethert Wingerd unlocks the complex origins of the state--origins that have often been ignored in favor of legend and a far more benign narrative of immigration, settlement, and cultural exchange. Moving from the earliest years of contact between Europeans and the indigenous peoples of the western Great Lakes region to the era of French and British influence during the fur trade and beyond, Wingerd charts how for two centuries prior to official statehood Native people and Europeans in the region maintained a hesitant, largely cobeneficial relationship. Founded on intermarriage, kinship, and trade between the two parties, this racially hybridized society was a meeting point for cultural and economic exchange until the western expansion of American capitalism and violation of treaties by the U.S. government during the 1850s wore sharply at this tremulous bond, ultimately leading to what Wingerd calls Minnesota's Civil War. A cornerstone text in the chronicle of Minnesota's history, Wingerd's narrative is augmented by more than 170 illustrations chosen and described by Kirsten Delegard in comprehensive captions that depict the fascinating, often haunting representations of the region and its inhabitants over two and a half centuries. North Country is the unflinching account of how the land the Dakota named Mini Sota Makoce became the State of Minnesota and of the people who have called it, at one time or another, home.
Download or read book Gods of the Runes written by Frank Joseph and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-11-11 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ancient origins and divinatory power of the runes • Uncovers the original divinatory meaning of each rune through the myths of its corresponding Norse god or goddess • Includes beautiful full-color illustrations of the runic gods and goddesses • Presents rune-casting spreads for divination and character analysis • Explores the controversial history of runes from the Paleolithic Stone Age to today Invented long before the appearance of the runic alphabet Futhark less than two thousand years ago, the runes were originally created as symbols for specific deities. Representing the twenty-four Norse gods and goddesses from the Vanir and Aesir pantheons, the runes provide a way to establish direct contact with the divine shapers of fate. Based on the work of Austrian mystic and runologist Guido von List and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas as well as the oldest rune artifacts to survive from pre-Christian Europe, this book reveals the long history of runes from their appearances in Paleolithic cave paintings through their rechristening in Medieval times to their modern resurgence as a popular tool of divination. It uncovers the original names and divinatory meanings of each rune by exploring the myths, personality traits, astrological periods, identifying colors, and gemstones of the rune’s corresponding god or goddess. It also illustrates and explains five ancient rune-casting spreads used by Norse adepts for divination as well as character analysis. By renewing their link with the divine, Gods of the Runes shows how working with the runes can be a genuine mystical experience, enabling a personal connection with the gods and a rediscovery of their perennial truths.
Download or read book The Kensington Stone written by Erik Wahlgren and published by Madison : University of Wisconsin Press. This book was released on 1958 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Controversy about the so-called Kensington stone, found in Minnesota in 1898 - whether it is an authentic Rune stone left by Pre-Columbian explorers from Scandinavia.
Download or read book Chronicles of the Vikings written by Raymond Ian Page and published by University of Toronto Press. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chronicles of the Vikings defines the social values of the Viking Age, their heroic view of life which sometimes contrasts with their more prosaic way of looking at things.
Download or read book The Kensington Runestone written by Alice Beck Kehoe and published by Waveland Press. This book was released on 2005-02-17 with total page 113 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1898, a farmer in northwestern Minnesota unearthed a large stone engraved with what appeared to be Norse runes carved in 1362. Could medieval Scandinavians have penetrated deep into mainland North America over a century before Columbus discovered the New World? Does the stone provide evidence that forces a rewrite of American history, or was it merely a well-executed hoax? In the absence of written records documenting a Norse expedition into Minnesota, most historians have dismissed the Kensington Runestone as a forgery. However, Kehoe approaches the question holistically. She examines not only historical and literary evidence, but also brings in data from archaeology, geology, linguistics, and biological anthropology. She concludes that the stones authenticity should not be dismissed as readily as it has been so far, even if that means re-thinking deeply ingrained ideas about contact between Europeans and indigenous Americans.
Download or read book Crystal Lore Legends Myths written by Athena Perrakis and published by Fair Winds Press. This book was released on 2019-03-26 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To access the power of crystals, you must know their stories. Crystal Lore, Legends & Myths presents these fascinating histories and legends of the world's crystals. Crystals, gems, and semi-precious stones have long been sought for their beauty, power, and utility. Historically used as adornments, currency, talismans, and amulets, crystals have been reputed through the ages to bestow magic and power on the user. However, in order to fully harness each stone’s unique power, one must know the unique legends and lore attached to it. Every stone has a narrative or key that unlocks its power. Oftentimes, these legends have been lost—or even deliberately altered—to confuse and obscure. In Crystal Lore, Legends & Myths, leading crystal expert and metaphysical teacher Athena Perrakis presents the fascinating history of the world’s most powerful stones. This comprehensive collection of stones presents to you the legends and relics from different cultures and ancient civilizations, including Lemuria, Sumeria, Egypt and Atlantis, among others. Learn the fascinating stories of how gems and minerals were used to raise power, store wisdom and secret teachings, and give incredible healing—and tap into the powers of the crystals yourself!
Download or read book The Runes A Human Journey written by Kari Tauring and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2007-08 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Asking where the runes come from is a bit like asking in what year did Adam and Eve leave the Garden of Eden? Yet, they are connected questions. Linguistically, runes come from Phoenician roots that split into Greek and Italic to eventually form the runes with Hebrew and Arabic on the other side of the family tree. This is the Indo-European Family of Languages. The languages and the stories they tell are connected at the core and this book attempts to weave them back together. Mythology that is equally as ancient is essential to understanding the runes. You will find the stories of Norse mythology, Eastern philosophy, and even Native American traditions fleshed out in the Glossary of this book. Because it is all connected.
Download or read book The Well of Remembrance written by Ralph Metzner and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2001-05-01 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his introduction to The Well of Remembrance, author Ralph Metzner provides a telling explanation of the theme of his work: "This book explores some of the mythic roots of the Western worldview, the worldview of the culture that, for better and worse, has come to dominate most of the rest of the world's peoples. This domination has involved not only economic and political systems but also values, basic attitudes, religious beliefs, language, scientific understanding, and technological applications. Many individuals, tribes, and nations are struggling to free themselves from the residues of the ideological oppression practiced by what they see as Eurocentric culture. They seek to define their own ethnic or national identities by referring to ancestral traditions and mythic patterns of knowledge. At this time, it seems appropriate for Europeans and Euro-Americans likewise to probe their own ancestral mythology for insight and self-understanding." Focusing on the mythology and worldview of the pre-Christian Germanic tribes of Northern Europe, Metzner offers a meaningful exploration of Western ancestry.
Download or read book The Goddess written by David Leeming and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2016-03-15 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For as long as we have sought god, we have found the goddess. Ruling over the imaginations of humankind’s earliest agricultural civilizations, she played a critical spiritual role as a keeper of nature’s fertile powers and an assurance of the next sustaining harvest. In The Goddess, David Leeming and Christopher Fee take us all the way back into prehistory, tracing the goddess across vast spans of time to tell the epic story of the transformation of belief and what it says about who we are. Leeming and Fee use the goddess to gaze into the lives and souls of the people who worshipped her. They chart the development of traditional Western gender roles through an understanding of the transformation of concepts of the Goddess from her earliest roots in India and Iran to her more familiar faces in Ireland and Iceland. They examine the subordination of the goddess to the god as human civilizations became mobile and began to look upon masculine deities for assurances of survival in movement and battle. And they show how, despite this history, the goddess has remained alive in our spiritual imaginations, in figures such as the Christian Virgin Mother and, in contemporary times, the new-age resurrection of figures such as Gaia. The Goddess explores this central aspect of ancient spiritual thought as a window into human history and the deepest roots of our beliefs.
Download or read book The Keep of Fire written by Mark Anthony and published by Spectra. This book was released on 2011-06-08 with total page 653 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From an exciting new master of fantasy comes the second novel of an epic tale filled with dangerous magic, dark mystery, and unrelenting suspense The Keep Of Fire Travis Wilder has returned from the otherworld of Eldh, hoping to settle back into his humdrum life in the mountains of contemporary Colorado. But he soon finds himself stalked by two shadowy organizations, each aware of his incredible journey and each determined to exploit it--whatever the cost to Travis...or to Eldh. Meanwhile, a terrifying new contagion is spreading like wildfire, a disease with no cure, which some are comparing to the Black Plague. When the disease strikes his closest friend, Travis is drawn back to Eldh, where the same epidemic, known as the Burning Plague, is wreaking another kind of havoc. There, in a realm of gods and monsters, myths and runecraft, Travis and his former companion Grace Beckett--herself from Earth, but now living on Eldh--must solve the riddle of the plague. Where did it come from? What is its purpose? And how can it possibly be stopped...before it completely destroys two coexisting worlds: ancient Eldh and modern Earth.
Download or read book The Book of Runes 25th Anniversary Edition written by Ralph Blum and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2008-11-11 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Book of Runes is something very special: a part of the ancient past and, perhaps, a part of your future... Based on a tradition over one thousand years old, the Runes are seen by many as a contemporary Oracle and collectively, have established themselves as a remarkable aid in practical decision making. A huge success with over 900,000 copies sold, since its original publication in 1983, The Book of Runes has proved to be a modern classic. For this, the 25th anniversary of the work, Ralph H. Blum has expanded and refined the runic system, making the Runes one of the most profoundly useful self-help tools of the new century.
Download or read book The Runes of Elfland written by Ari Berk and published by Pavilion. This book was released on 2003 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work allows readers to discover the gateways to the faerie realm and explore this mysterious landscape and its denizens. Folklorist and poet Ari Berk provides the secret meanings of the runes in Brian Froud's paintings and the power they offer us is made manifest.
Download or read book Runemarks written by Joanne Harris and published by Random House. This book was released on 2012 with total page 532 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seven oâe(tm)clock on a Monday morning, five hundred years after the End of the World, and goblins had been at the cellar again. Maddy Smith has always been an outsider. In a world ruled by the harsh and puritanical Order, she is shunned for the strange birthmark on her left hand. For this is no ordinary birthmark âe" it is a runemark, a sign of the old gods. In fact, Maddy can do things that no-one else can, things that could be called magic. But not until she meets the old traveller One-Eye, an outsider like herself, does she learn what power she really has, and what she will be asked to do with it. In Runemarks, Joanne Harris creates a world not unlike our own - if it had been shaped by the Vikings instead of the Romans - and colours it with her familiar blend of rich imagery and gritty realism. A disenchanted world, where the gods died long ago. Can Maddy bring them back to life?
