The significance of places : the Christianization of Scandinavia from a spatial point of view

• The question of cult continuity from pagan temples' to Christian churches in Scandinavia is a classic issue in archaeology and history. In this paper the discussion is surveyed and new perspectives are outlined, based on the ritual differences between the two religious traditions. Churches were located in relation not so much to pagan ritual buildings as to different elements in multi-focused pagan ritual landscapes, for instance burial grounds. This means that the spatial patterns varied between different parts of Scandinavia.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Arkeologi (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- Archaeology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Burial grounds

Christianization

Christian rituals

cult continuity

location of churches

pre-Christian rituals

ritual buildings

ritual landscape

Scandinavia

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)