The discussion of Thor's anvil, and Peter King's apt reminder that the
modern European anvil cannot be assumed to have been used by the Norse,
reminds me of a classic scence observed by Don Avery in Tanzania:
Norwegian Aid (NORAD) has done some wonderful development work in the Third
World, but the outcome of their well -intentioned schemes does not always
follow the intended script. In the late 1970's NORAD started a number of
projects to "improve" the lot of rural artisans. Since blacksmithing was
and still is an important craft in rural villages, NORAD had a Norwegian
blacksmith tour rural Tanzania and write a report with recommendations for
improving the productivity of rural blacksmiths. The expert was
particularly concerned to see blacksmiths invariably forging iron while
squatting on their haunches before their anvils, which were usually large
flat rocks lying on the ground. The Nowegian expert suggested that the
efficiency of forging would be much improved if the smiths could work
standing. Acting on his recommendation, NORAD imported a large number of
conventional European blacksmiths anvils welded to sturdy iron frames to
raise them to waist height. These were distributed and were very popular,
but when Avery saw them in use they had almost always been placed in a
trench dug so that the blacksmith could forge in the squatting position to
which he was accustomed!
David Killick
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721-0030
phone: (520) 621-8685
fax: (520) 621-2088
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter King [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 6:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Ancient metal-working and mythology
This is not my field at all. However perhaps I can make a few comments
usefully.
1. From reading about mythology many years ago, I recall that there are a
number of Indo-European gods, which were classified described as hammer
gods. I think this may have included the German Odin, latin Juppiter,
Greek
Zeus, and Indian Indra (?). Perhaps they were all associated with metal
working, which was no doubt regarded as a relatively 'magic' activity. it
may be useful for you also to look at other mythologies.
2. On a visit to a site in north Wales, Peter Crew showed members of
Historical Metallurgy Society an Iron Age anvil, or rather half of one.
This was merely a large boulder. The other half had probably been removed
for continued use as an anvil after it broke.
3. The description of nimbus clouds as like an anvil refers to a
relatively
modern blacksmith's anvil and is purely descriptive of its shape. I do not
know when iron anvils came into use. Since these clouds may be thunder
clouds, their association with hammer gods is however perhaps not
inappropriate nevertheless.
4. One of the lectures at the launch of the book Furness Iron a year or
two
back was on iron in the Scottish Highlands. It was stated that the
chieftain's smith was quite a high ranking member of society in a Highland
clan. He was apparently making weapons with bloomery iron, with iron ore
as his raw material. I am not sure who the speaker was.
Peter King,
49, Stourbridge Road,
Hagley,
Stourbridge
West Midlands
DY9 0QS
telephone 01562-720368
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Wood <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 12 April 2002 12:54
Subject: Re: Ancient metal-working and mythology
> Mark Hall wrote:
>
> > Having learned Old Norse from them both, have you read a variety of
> > pieces by John Lindow and Carol Clover on Thor and his symbolism?
While
> > you can't rule out a linkage to metal working, there are other aspects
> > to his symbolism that link to Old Norse society.
>
> Indeed there are - I'm certainly not saying Thor is only a metalworker!
> He's a much more rounded figure than that, but the metalworking side,
which
> appears to be present, is not generally acknowledged. I haven't seen
> anything by Lindow or Clover - any references would be appreciated.
>
>
> > So, you totally discount the scenes in Snorri's EDDA on the creation of
> > Thor's hammer?
> > Plus, have you seen the smith's burial assemblage from Kilmanheim (sp?)
> > gaol in Dublin?
> > I really don't consider the hammers from that assemblage to be short
> > handled.
>
> There are many myths and stories which contradict one another. Some say
> Mjollnir is made of stone, for instance. Myths do not have to be
consistent
> and different stories relate different aspects of the nature of people,
> deities and artefacts - especially magical ones. You have the additional
> factor that practically all the written tales we have of the Norse myths
are
> late, not penned until the Christian era. Stories are often invented
that
> explain something the origins of which are lost and in the process convey
> other ideas, of a non-mundane nature.
>
> I haven't seen the Kilmainham Gaol collection, but I wasn't saying
Mjollnir
> was definitely simply a smith's hammer, merely that it is suspicious that
it
> is short handled. Not all smith's hammers are short-handled, of course,
> especially the lighter ones and sledges, but the main hammers are.
>
>
> > I don't recall where Thor's clouds were described as anvil shaped---is
> > this from an English translation, or in the original Old Norse?
>
> Neither - I was refering to the popular description of these clouds which
> also happen to have an association with Thor.
>
> Regards,
>
> Chris Wood
> Norwich
> England
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