Snorri Sturluson as a historian of religions – The credibility of the descriptions of pre-Christian cultic leadership and rituals in Hákonar saga góða

Abstract

This study investigates the credibility of the descriptions of pre-Christian cultic leadership and rituals in Snorri Sturluson's Hakonar saga goða. The perspective is one taken from the study of the history of religions. By using a comparative method, one which combines source criticism and philology, ancient ideas may be detected even within Snorri's reconstruction. Scholars have interpreted these ideas by setting them in a wider source context. Here it is argued that several ideas in Snorri's descrip- tion in Hakonar saga goða may be attested in sources which are closer to the Viking Age, such as Skaldic poetry, runic inscriptions and archaeological finds. For instance, the idea that political leaders such as kings and earls were involved in public cults may be one based on ancient traditions. Snorri, too, was probably on firm ground when he stated that the rulers (at least the king) were supposed to take part in certain rituals while attending sacrificial feasts: rituals such as drinking ceremonies and meal customs perhaps such as the eating of horseflesh. That these ceremonies some- times took place in some kind of cultic building or banqueting hall, such as described by Snorri, seems also likely. It is emphasized, however, that some elements in his text must be seen as suspect, as Olaf Olsen, Ernst Walter and Klaus Duwel have noted. These elements include certain religious terms, as well as the act of making the sign of the hammer over the horn. Generally, however, it is argued that Hakonar saga goða, if treated with care, may still be used as a source for pre-Christian religion. The mythical and historical writings of Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241) have been debated in research for more than one hundred years. Snorri's texts have sometimes been felt to be almost useless when reconstructing ancient Scandinavian religion and Viking Age history.¹ This type of source-critical approach has deep roots in the study of Old Norse philology and religion as well as in the general study of histo- ry.² One prominent representative for this skeptical position was the German scholar Walter Baetke. Some of his ideas have been instrumental in establishing the modern treatment of Snorri's texts. Baetke argued, for instance, that Snorri revised the old mythical traditions in accordance with learned medieval models and his own imagi-