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Here's the response of one expert (Joseph C. Harris): you're right to be skeptical, but as far as I know, students of Icelandic history still take this custom (which is widely attested, not only in this one saga) as true of the pre-Christian period. It's Laxdaela saga (no, 's); the -a is genitive plural: "story of the people of salmon (lax=lox without bagels) [river] dale"---Ah, here's a better reference (from vol. 5 of the Complete Sagas of the Icelanders, 1997, the "reference section"): "sprinkled with water vatni ausinn: Even before the arrival of Christianity, the Scandinavians practised a naming ceremony clearly similar to that involved in the modern-day 'christening.' This ceremony is mentioned in early poems like Rigsthula ... and Havamal ... The action of sprinkling the child with water and naming it meant that the child was brought into society . . . after this action had taken place, a child could not be taken out to die of exposure ..." I hope this helps. A. K. Harris Georgia State University John Shinners wrote: > A colleague about to teach _Laxdaela's Saga_ asked me whether its > 13th-century author's depiction of a pre-Christian Icelandic ritual in > which newborn infants were sprinkled with water is considered historically > accurate. Clueless, I told her I'd put the question to our always > reliable list. Anyone know? > > John > > ____________________________________________________________________________ > John Shinners e-mail:[log in to unmask] > Professor Phone: (office): (219) 284-4494 > Humanistic Studies Program Phone (dept.): (219) 284-4501 > Saint Mary's College Fax: (219) 284-4716 > Notre Dame, Indiana 46556