#stockholm
S E I T E
This Seite, a sami cult wooden idol, comes from the Lapland Sorsele parish in Överstjuktan and was deposited from the Historical Museum to the Nordic Museum in 1943 in Stockholm.
Wood seites (Värromuirroa) are made from natural materials, such as wood or stone and are used for sacrifices to the Sami god world. In connection with these figures, finds of reindeer horns have usually been made. however, there are hardly any of these idols left in Lapland
A few days ago I read an article by Clifford C. Rickey, about how this idol various body parts communicate through a deliberately organized sign language and a cosmological representation. This is a language not only found in the Sami culture, but in many other cultures such as the Native Americans of North America. However, it is not always easy to interpret. For example, the different body parts represent different phrases or signal elements like the head for ”warrior”, hand for ”the steward of the Sun” etc. This seite also has different engravings like “X” for “transformation”. The site was located by a sacred stream. These figures, made in the body shape of either a human, animal or plant, are most commonly found next to water. The ancient cosmological metaphor is made of the water cycle and the body represents “Tree of Life”, where water, along with the water-spirits, enters through the roots (feet) up through the body. It must have been extremely important to the faithful, which I interpret from a letter wtitten by Axel Callberg to the museum says “I spoke with the old ladies at the residential homes, who knew of the god and they were utterly dismayed that their vicar had shipped the Seite from the sacred stream.” Photo by me from the Nordic Museum in Stockholm. (@nordiskamuseet)
The Discovery in Nackhälle
This fantastic shield was found in Nackhälle, Spannarps parish in Varberg, Sweden in 1865. The shield is adorned with beautiful sirats, one of which is perceived to be fifteen swans. It’s dated to the younger Bronze Age through these types of ornaments and is truly an unusual find if you ask me.
The shield belonges to a group of splendor shields manufactured in eastern Germany, the so-called Herzprung shields. These was at first unknown until year 1985, when shields belonging to this group were found in Denmark and Ireland. But the same year, a finding of at least fourteen shields was made in Sweden, the Fröslunda shields. These had several similarites to the Herzsprung shields but also the one found in Nackhälle. This discovery inspired to a after study in 1990 of the Nackhälle shield, over a hundred years later the discovery was made.
Photo by me from the Historical Museum in Stockholm.
~ Solens kraft ~
I’ve always been a person who prefer sun and bright longer days. That’s why I call myself a ”spring child”. Not because It’s my birth season, but also because this is the time when I’m the best verison of me.
I am so grateful that the sun is with us during these dark times with light, comfort and warmth
The object in the picture is a pendant with a sun cross symbol, found in a grave from Björkö, Sweden.
This one is exhibited at the Historical museum in Stockholm. @historiska
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These beautiful golden sword details really caught my eye first time I saw them.
All three are findings from Sweden and are dated do the migrationperiod (400-550 AD). Sword pommel found in Skurup, Skåne. The sword mouth in the middle was found in Backa, Bohuslän and the other one in Mellby, Västergötland.
Can’t get enough of all these beautiful golden ornamented objects from this period.
Stockholm
Photography by Akira Hojo
