on an earlier tower by the 1'1 Lord Fraser prior to his ennobling by Charles I. T he expansion and embellishment of this fine tower into a courtyard residence with outer courts an d gardens was diligently charted. Addyman's own contribution reviewed a number o f recent surveys an d excavations at Scottish towers which reveal hitherto-unsuspected variety. T o take two significant examp l es, the amoun t o f medieval fabric within the 19 l h -century Brodick Castle is much greater than was suspected, and the confection o f Craigevar ha s proven to have been no t a de 1101'0 construction. but the rebuilding of a more prosaic tower house. T he potential cross-fertilisation o f ideas derived from this conference has been most rewarding, an d it is encouraging t o note t h at the organisers hope to repeat thei r success. J o hn Ma lc o lm , Hi s t o ri c Sco tl a nd John.Malcolm @ scotland.gsi.gov.uk NE W S & V I E W S Odin (OO in n ) fr o m Le j r e T he rOllnd o f excavations undertaken at Lejre. Denmark, d u ring 2008 - 09 has led to the discovery o f yet more build i ngs, including one 60m in length (making it the largest yet known from Southern Scandinavia du rin g the fir st millennium). T he discoveries will provoke renewed interest in this ron-Age an d Viking-Age settlement complex. F o r the moment. interest has focused on one o f the small finds unearthed in 2009: an amulet. made o f silver with nie l lo in l ay, t h at appears to represent the god Od in (Old Norse 06inn) en t hroned on h i high scat, backed by a pair o f beasts a n d nanked by a pair o f ravens. A report on that object by Tom Christcnsen has appeared in th e 2009 issue o f ROMU. the annual journal o f Roskilde M useum (p p 7 - 25). I t includes over two dozen images showing the object an d some i tems t h at help 10 co n textualize i t. For the conve n ie n ce of pcrso n s withou t easy access t o the undertaken a t Lejre up to the year 2006 are published in Niles 2007. John D . N il es jdniles @ wisc.edu , ( , • . \ • f " \ I • · I I t· \ · , . J · Amulet/rom Lejre , Roskilde AII/sel/",! Die i Hal/ing The BlI c kr es t B e a s t s o f 06inn from L c jr c T he question o f th e ide n tity of th e occupant o f the Lejre high chair has been mooted on th e world wide web. Among the features that help support an identification o f that figure as 06inn ar e th e highly naturalist ic birds perched on the armrests. These could well be understood as 60inn's ravens. Huginn a nd M lIninn. In th is context. it ha s also been speculated t h at the two beast heads on the back rest o f t h e Lejre high chair could represent wolves. As is well known from the poem Grinmismti/ (verse 19) in the Poetic Edda. 06inn is the master o f two wolves named Geri an d Freki. Snorri Sturluson likewise included a n d expanded on this information in the Gy/ftlgillllillg section o f th e Prose Edda, and the names o r both wo l ves also appear in sk a l d i c poetry as lerms (heifi) wit h t h e generic sense "wolr' (Jcsch 2002, 255).
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Anderson - 2010 - The Backrest Beasts of Óðinn from Lejre
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8/2/2019 Anderson - 2010 - The Backrest Beasts of Óðinn from Lejre
The BlIckrest Beasts of 06inn from LcjrcThe question of the identity of theoccupant of the Lejre high chair has beenmooted on the world wide web. Among
the features that help support anidentification of that figure as 06inn arethe highly naturalistic birds perched on
the armrests. These could well beunderstood as 60inn's ravens. Huginnand M lIninn. In this context. it has alsobeen speculated that the two beast headson the back rest of the Lejre high chair
could represent wolves. As is well knownfrom the poem Grinmismti/ (verse 19) in
the Poetic Edda. 06inn is the master oftwo wolves named Geri and Freki. Snorri
Sturluson likewise included andexpanded on this information in theGy/ftlgillllillg section of the Prose Edda,and the names or both wolves alsoappear in skald ic poetry as lerms (heifi)with the generic sense "wolr' (Jcsch 2002,255).
Amlllet from Lejre, rear l'i£'II',
RIme KmulelZoomorgraphic
With this in mind, it may be worth
recalling other possible Viking Age
8/2/2019 Anderson - 2010 - The Backrest Beasts of Óðinn from Lejre