GGG Ping?
Denmark-Ahead of it's time.
Another possible explanation is trade goods. There were well established trade routes between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe quite early on. Even without direct trade, goods passed from hand to hand to hand and wound up in odd corners.
It makes just as much sense for a well-born woman to receive a play-pretty from the traders as it does that she was a believer . . .
Giggling hysterically....
Me thinks its great, but a little over excited combination of apples and oranges.
One is a set of historical events which marked the growth and advance of Christianity in Denmark, which, in myths, might give Harold Bluetooth more credit that he deserves. But I think the history would credit the era of Harold as marking the beginning of that large-scale religious conversion process, with or without the myths related to it.
While the artifact represents a single individual, who lived among an unknown group of individuals, of an unknown number and with unknown actual religious sentiments. I don't think that one artifact can alter the history of the general introduction of Christianity to Denmark.
Those Vikings, they got around:
Buddha statue from 6th c found in Viking hoard in Helgo, Sweden
Biblical Archaeology Review | March/April 2005 | "Worldwide" editor
Posted on 04/26/2005 11:26:07 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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I can't find anything about crystal amulets in the the gospels of the new testament, I must be missing some pages....
Why would this be a stretch to believe? Christianity was moving along with the Romans as they expanded their empire. St. Patrick was a Roman who had been taken in slavery by Irish raiders, then later became a priest to go back and convert the Irish. If Catholicism was in the British Isles by the 4th century, who's to say it hadn't made it's way to Denmark also? Perhaps a Catholic priest had been taken to Denmark as a prisoner by the 'Vikings' of the era, and began spreading the Faith. It's not far-fetched to consider it.
It contains the last name of Jessica Alba whether read forward or backwards. And Jessica Alba has mystical powers over me ...
She may have been a Christian or not. It bears no relfection on King Harald's achievements.
The Christian Anglo-Seaxons were very clear in their references to heathen Vikings.
But the Danes as a whole were not made Christians until King Harald imposed it on all of Denmark.
There were probably individual Christians and Christian communities living in pagan territory long before Christianiy became an official religion.
Look at how long it took before Constantine made it the official religion in the Empire.
A more likely trade route during the early years of Christianity would be through Viking Russia and then down the rivers to Constantinople.
This route was a popular trading pattern for Nordic people in those days.
I neglected to say that there would likely be a deliberate mis-spelling of the word of power so that neophytes and the unwashed could not read it.
I think it's possible she may have been a Goth (Wulfila Bible was a 4th century translation) or possibly a Nun, who'd been collected during a raid.
The Christian amulet may also been booty - a pretty trinket given a women to make her smile.
Bump for Early Origins of Christian faith in Europe.
Not surprisingly, due to this widespread use of charms throughout the ancient world, the early Christian church eventually inherited the use of amulets. The usual inscription on these Christian charms was, "ichthys," the Greek word for "fish". This word was chosen because it contained the initials of the Greek words for Jesus Christ, Son of God, and Savior. Christians sometimes wore a copy of St. Johns Gospel on a cross or necklace, or put a copy of the Lords Prayer in their shoes. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000, titled "Amulet")[snip]Amulets became so common among Christians that in the fourth century AD the clergy were forbidden to make or sell them in fear of deprivation of holy orders. In the 7th century the wearing of amulets was solemnly condemned. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000) This condemnation did little to stop or slow the popularity of amulets. Unceasing faith in charms was to continue for many hundreds of years.
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