Vikingatida stavar och deras funktioner : En komparativ studie om stavar funna i Skandinavien

Sammanfattning: Abstract: This essay is a comparative study conducted on several iron staffs and a few staffs made of wood believed to be either roasting spits, measurement rods or staffs of sorcery. The aim of the study is to distinguish if all the staffs can be perceived as staffs of sorcery or which of them should not be considered as such. Also if there is a standard type of staffs of sorcery. Furthermore the study will also contain the question, if the ritual specialization of “volur” could be a role in which an ordinary matron would be able to perform as. Another question is if the Sami shamanism share features with the Nordic ritual of “seidr”, if so, is there reason to believe the staffs also might share features with shamanism.