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Odin
from Lejre is a small cast silver figurine from approximately
900 C.E., showing a person sitting on a throne. The figurine has
inlay of black niello (black coloured alloy) and some
gilding.[1][2] The height is 18 mm and the weight is 9 grams.[3]
The figurine was found by local amateur archaeologist Tommy
Olesen on September 2, 2009 during Roskilde
Museum's excavations at the small village of Gammel Lejre (Old
Lejre), near the modern town of Lejre.[1] It was unveiled at
Roskilde Museum on November 13, 2009 and is now part of the
permanent exhibition.
The
person on the throne wears a floor-length dress, an apron, four
bead necklaces, a neck ring, a cloak and a rim-less hat. Two
birds are seated on the armrests and the back of the throne
shows the heads of two animals.
It
has been a matter of dispute whom the person on the throne is
intended to depict. The excavator interpreted it as Odin, the
chief god in Norse paganism and the ruler of Asgard, sitting on
his throne Hlidskjalf, from which he sees into all the worlds.
The birds would be the ravens Hugin and Munin, who gathered
information for Odin. The beast-heads might symbolise Odin's two
wolves, Geri and Freki.
Scholars
specialising in Viking Period dress and gender representations,
however, pointed out that the person is dressed entirely in
female attire, making it more probably a goddess such as Freya
or Frigga.
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