IntroductionIn its broadest sense, the term Ancient Germanic culture can be used to refer to any culture as practiced by speakers of either the Common Germanic language or one of its daughter dialects (Gothic, Vandalic, Burgundian, Lombardic, Old High German, Old Frankish, Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old English, and Old Norse) at any time during the roughly two millennia between the emergence of Proto-Germanic in the Nordic Bronze Age (ca. 1000–500 BC) until the Early Middle Ages (ca. 500–1000 AD). Although 'Germanic' can only be used with any sort of definition in a linguistic sense, the degree of cohesion and relative conformity which existed in ancient times between the various groups of Germanic speaking peoples in terms of mythology, religion, customs, social structure and material culture is seen to justify the use of the term to refer to the culture of those peoples as a whole. The ancient Germanic people made a considerable impact on the development of ancient Europe, particularly through their interactions with the Roman Empire. They have been variously portrayed in the annals of history; sometimes as 'barbarian hordes', ultimately responsible for the Fall of Rome; at other times, as 'noble savages' living in blissful ignorance of the evils of civilization; at still other times, as Rome’s most enthusiastic supporters and eventual successors. Regardless of how one judges them, it is certain that the ancient Germanic peoples changed the face of Europe – and through their descendants, the world – dramatically. Selected article
A Seax (also Hadseax, Sax, Seaxe, Scramaseax and Scramsax), was a type of Germanic single-edged knife. It seems to have been used primarily as a tool but may also have been a weapon in extreme situations. They occur in a size range from 7.5cm to 75cm. The larger ones (langseax) were probably weapons, the smaller ones (hadseax) tools, intermediate sized ones serving a dual purpose. Quite a lot is known about Germanic military war gear from the ritual sacrifice of war booty in Danish bogs. Wearing a seax may have been indicative of freemanship, much like the possession of a spear since only free men had the right to bear arms. The seax was worn in a horizontal sheath at the front of the belt. Scram or scran is a word for food in some English dialects and seax to a blade (so a possible translation is "food knife"). However, as the word 'scramseax' is only used once in early medieval literature (In Gregory of Tours' 'History of the Franks'; the general use of the term when referring to all short knives of this type is erroneous).
The Saxons may have derived their name from seax (the implement for which they were known) in much the same way that the Franks were named for their francisca. The seax has a lasting symbolic impact in the English counties of Middlesex and Essex, which both feature three seaxes in their ceremonial emblem. Selected pictureDid you know...
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Selected runic artifactThe Ramsund inscription is a runic inscription from the early 11th century in Södermanland, Sweden and which depicts the legend of Sigfried known from later Germanic sources such as the German Nibelungenlied and the Icelandic Völsunga saga. In modern times the story has been part of the inspiration for works such as the Lord of the Rings and Der Ring des Nibelungen. CategoriesRelated WikibooksCulture: Ásatrú Theology, Norse mythology, The Pagan Beliefs Surrounding Christmas Ancient Germanic languagesRelated portals
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