This wooden dragon head is one of the numerous finds from Oseberg, south Norway, near Oslofjorden. In the beginning of 20th century, a well-preserved and richly equipped funeral ship was found there. It was made of oak, 21 meters long, and was hidden under a mound of 40 m of diameter. Two women were interred in the ship.
The sculpture was mounted on the ship’s stem. The dragon protected his owner from evil spirits. On the bow of a ship, it provided safe shipping and scarred the enemies. But it affected not only mortals. Every land had its own daemons / protective spirits, the landveattir. The dragon could scare them and so make them dangerous for sailors. Because of this dragon heads were made as separate elements, not parts of the ship’s bow, and it was possible to take them off and hide if necessary. This wise custom survived into Christian times and can be seen on the Bayeux Tapestry.
6 янв 2020
