Welcome to part 1 of our mini series covering the zooarchaeology of mythology and folklore. In this instalment, Alex and Simona discuss the weird and wonderful creatures of Norse mythology and what their skeletons may have looked like. Also Loki’s pranks, Jörmungandr rightfully getting irate at Thor picking him up and Grettir’s unpleasant encounter with a draugr.
Sources
Lindow, J. (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sturluson, S. and Brodeur, A.G. (trans) (1916). The Prose Edda. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation
Byock, J. L. (1990). Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Larrington, C. (eds) (1996), The Poetic Edda, Oxford World's Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Maldanis, L. et al (2016). Heart fossilization is possible and informs the evolution of cardiac outflow tract in vertebrates. Elife, 5, e14698.
Contact
Alex FitzpatrickTwitter: @archaeologyfitz
Simona FalangaTwitter: @CrazyBoneLady
Alex’s Blog: Animal Archaeology
Music "Coconut - (dyalla remix)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2UiKoouqaY