ABSTRACT

Fragments of ancient belief mingle with folklore and Christian dogma until the original tenets are lost in the myths and psychologies of the intervening years. Hilda Ellis Davidson illustrates how pagan beliefs have been represented and misinterpreted by the Christian tradition, and throws light on the nature of pre-Christian beliefs and how they have been preserved. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe stresses both the possibilities and the difficulties of investigating the lost religious beliefs of Northern Europe.

chapter |10 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|26 pages

Help from Archaeology

chapter 2|27 pages

Glimpses of the gods

chapter 3|23 pages

The Gods in the Myths

chapter 4|20 pages

The Cults of the Northern Gods

chapter 5|20 pages

Goddesses and Guardian Spirits

chapter 6|17 pages

Contacts with the Otherworld

chapter 7|16 pages

The Interpreters