Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/291

 The Ancient Teutonic Priesthood. 279

was mainly from the Norwegian coast communities that the colonists of Iceland were drawn, it must be inferred that the organisation, both political and religious, of these com- munities was similar to, and indeed formed the model of, the system which we find in Iceland. It may be assumed, therefore, that each local chief had a temple and thing-place for his dependents, and that he himself discharged priestly duties. As a matter of fact, we find in several cases that the materials used for constructing the new temples in Iceland had been taken from the temples which the same persons had formerly possessed in Norway. Whether the Norwegian patriarchal chiefs usually bore the title godi is uncertain ; instances, however, occasionally occur.^ Further inland a similar system is found, but on a larger scale. Over the district called 'the Dales' there ruled in St. Olaf's days a hersir'^ named Gudbrandr, who "was as it were a king " over the district.^ This man possessed a temple containing a figure of Thor. When' St. Olaf came into the Dales to enforce the acceptance of Christianity, Gudbrandr called the men of the district together, and taking the image out of the temple, they set out to meet the king.* The predecessor of this Gudbrandr was in alliance with Earl Hakon of Hladir. They had a temple in common, which contained figures of Thor and of Hakon's patron goddesses, Thorgerdr and Irpa.' In the Saga of King Hakon the Good (c. 16) Earl Sigurdr of Hladir (Earl Hakon's father) is said to have provided a great sacrificial feast at Hladir, and to have borne the whole expense. In this passage it is stated that it was the duty of the chief who provided the feast to consecrate the ale and all the

' Cf. Landn, iv., 6: " Thorhaddr the Old was temple-priest at Mjeren in Throndhjem."

3 Olafs s. Helga {Heimskr.), Ii8 f.
 * The word denotes an independent chief; see Vigfusson, Icel. Diet., s.v.

{Geivii., 7).
 * This is to be compared with the similar custom of the ancient German?

« NiAls s. 88.