Viking Law and Order: Places and Rituals of Assembly in the Medieval North

Legal History

Viking Law and Order: Places and Rituals of Assembly in the Medieval North

By Alexandra Sanmark
Edinburgh University Press July 2017

Specifications

ISBN-13
9781474402293
Publisher
Edinburgh University Press
Publication
July 2017
Format
Hardback
Jurisdiction
Scotland ? Countri(es) for reference only

Details

The Vikings are well-known for their violent raids and pillage, but they also had a well-organised system for political decision-making, legal cases and conflict resolution.

These activities took place at outdoor assembly sites, such as Thingvellir in Iceland, which were carefully selected for their characteristics and then maintained and rebuilt over time. Whilst not neglecting or denying the violent elements of the Norse people, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of their well-ordered culture of law and assembly. It is demonstrated that these two elements formed an integral part of Norse life and identity, to the extent that the assembly institution was brought to all Norse settlements.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Researching assembly sites
I. Brief introduction
II. The Contents of this book
III. Previous research: the state of knowledge in 2004
IV. A new interdisciplinary approach
V. Assembly sites in this book: complex and layered
Chapter 2: Norse assembly organisation within its European context
I. Assembly organisation on the Continent
II. Norse administrative organisation
Chapter 3: Assembly sites in Scandinavia: overview of sites, traits and features
I. Sites and case study areas: Sweden; Denmark; Norway
II. Royal and elite presence and involvement
Chapter 4: Assembly sites in Scandinavia: Activities and Rituals of the Elite
I. Mounds
II. Thing ‘peace’ and sacred space
III. Symbolic islands
IV. Rituals of motion
V. The ritual theatre
VI. Spectacle
VI. Conclusion
Chapter 5: Assembly sites in Scandinavia: Activities and Rituals of the Community
I. Time
II. Communication and travel
III. Hearths and cooking pits
IV. Entertainment
V. Building the assembly sites
VI. Communal land
VII. Trade
VIII. Conclusion
Chapter 6: The constantly evolving assembly site: the effects of Christianity and Urbanisation
I. Thing sites – short lived and long lived
II. Top-level assemblies and markets
III. The amalgamation of Assemblies, Towns and Bishoprics: Sweden; Denmark; Norway
III. Conclusion
Chapter 7. The Norse westward expansion: Thing sites in Iceland, Faroe Islands and Greenland
I. Iceland: Location and communication; Water; Booths; Site markers; Churches
II. The Faroe Islands: Location and communication; Water; Booths; Site markers; Shifts
III. Greenland: Brattahlíð; Garðar; Greenland summary
IV. Discussion and Conclusion
Chapter 8: Thing sites in Scotland
I: The top-level assemblies
I. Introduction
II. Administrative organisation: Units; Hierarchy
III. Top-level sites in Scotland: Shetland; Orkney; Caithness and Sutherland; Rosshire; Kingdom of Man and the Isles; Ireland
IV. Conclusions
Chapter 9: Thing sites in Scotland II: Local assembly sites
I. Water location: Islands, Isthmuses and Streams
II. Mounds
III. Boundary locations
IV. Churches
VI. Conclusions
Chapter 10: Assemblies in the longue durée
I. ‘Barbarians’ v. Romans
II. Power of the past
III. The Legacy of the thing institution
Abbreviations
Bibliography
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