The Lost Gods of England

Description

Fourteen hundred years ago Christian missionaries exorcised the pagan gods from the English countryside. But the legacy of pagan worship dies hard, despite the veneer of culture that the centuries have superimposed. The old Teutonic gods and goddesses have never really left English-speaking peoples. The Old English deities are with us each week from Sunday to Friday - Sun, Moon, Tiw, Woden, Thunor, and Frig. Through patient detective work Brian Branston has set about reconstructing the mythology of the "Lost Gods" in this absorbing book with its wealth of arresting illustrations. He examines the archaeological evidence related to early Anglo-Saxon worship and interprets it afresh, bringing out the significance of the sites and artifacts of our pagan ancestors in their mythological context. Using material from pagan charms; folklore; Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and Old Norse writings; and pictures and carvings in wood and stone, the author reminds us that it is still considered unlucky to catch our first glimpse of the new moon through glass, and that the maypole may represent Yggdrasill, the great tree that supports the universe. The story of the pagan gods of the early English has never been more timely, for it provides a new perspective on two important current topics - the pollution of our environmental and the new attitudes to woman's place in society.