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The Dragon’s Gold |
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order and context of the material culture are not solely remains of prehistoric
material production and the arrangement of material objects, but also of
prehistoric ideals and conceptions. A study of the relationship between
the ancient myths and folklore and the created objects provides us with
yet another approach to our prehistory.
Treasure, or the "dragon’s gold", has been a fond subject in story-writing throughout Northern Europe. The Icelandic sagas were written down in the 13th century, but are deemed to reflect |
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conditions in Viking Age Scandinavia during the Nordic Viking Age, despite
the poetic form. The study of these and other Early Medieval literature
conveys an impression of how gold and other forms of wealth might have been
valued in the Viking Age.
The tears of Freyja, the drops of Draupnir, the hair of Sif, the fire of Aegir and the seed-corn of Fyris-fields. We have many names for the things we love, and the kennings – a form of circumlocution – for gold in the Icelandic sagas are numerous. Gold enjoyed an exclusive status in Iron Age society. It was indestructible, connected with a mythical origin and considered to possess magic power. Not infrequently do we come across inscriptions like "Sigurd made me" or "Torvald owns me" on objects from the Viking Age and Medieval Period. These objects are often luxury goods, which are even bestowed with proper names in the sagas, possessing special qualities, and almost giving an impression of being living creatures. Examples include Draupnir, Oden’s golden ring, that every ninth night spawned nine identical rings, or Svija-swine, the golden ring inherited and owned by King Adils in Uppsala. The scald Eyvind also owned a gold ring, Molde, which was unearthed long ago. These objects were animated and lived in symbiosis with their owners, the owner’s prosperity and misfortunes being transmitted to the objects. Gold and silver were the material manifestation of a person’s success and reputation. In the same way an object could transfer part of the former owner’s traits to the succeeding owner. Gold was habitually used for the acquisition of retainers. The chieftain was required to be generous with gifts to his followers. Bracelets of gold were such gifts. In the ancient Icelandic language, there was a particular word for gold rings; "baugr" (bow). This word can often be found in the Edda, and in the scaldic poems we find metaphors for chieftains, such as "ring flingers" and "wealth squanderers" In the Icelandic saga about Egil Skallagrimson, we can read that King Ethelstan gave him two gold rings, each weighing one mark. In the sagas mention is often made of whether it was a question of whole or half mark rings. Apparently, they were valued by their weight. Even riches concealed in hiding places represented the success, happiness and prosperity of the kin. There was even a special expression for wealth hidden in the ground: jardfé (earth fairy). The thought of procuring some treasure was indeed enticing; whoever found the treasure became rich. But there was no guarantee that the treasure would also bring happiness.The ancient Nordic sagas relate stories of stashed away hoards and of evil dragons who guarded their gold. Whoever concealed a hoard bound it with a spell and incantations, so that it could never fall into the hands of an uninitiated. The Ancient Nordic legend of the dragon-slayer Sigurd tells the story of how Sigurd slew the dragon Fafnir and seized his treasure. On the point of death the dragon prophesied that the treasure would be Sigurd’s road to ruin and eventual death. The dragon’s prediction came true. Not only Sigurd, but all his kinsmen, were plunged into destruction. The 8th century epic poem of Beowulf mentions a treasure hoard that had been amassed by generations of a highly reputed Geatish Royal House. The last survivor in the line allowed himself to be buried with the treasure. At the burial he uttered a gruesome curse: "The glorious princes who first placed that gold there had solemnly pronounced that until domesday any man attempting to plunder the hoard should be guilty of wickedness, confined, tormented and tortured by the devil himself ... That mighty legacy, gold of men long dead, lay under a curse: it was enchanted so that no human might enter the cavern". Even this treasure was guarded by a dragon. Beowulf received a goblet that one of his men had managed to extract from the hoard. The dragon got his revenge on Beowulf and his kin. Beowulf managed to kill the dragon, but he too was mortally wounded. His men then reburied the treasure along with their chieftain: "They bequeathed the gleaming gold, treasure of men, to the earth, and there it still remains as useless as it was before." |
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