Horned spear dancer

In this blog, we delve into the horned spear dancer who is associated with the Germanic culture from the  Migration Period and in the Viking Age linked to the Odinistic warrior culture. In this blog, we explore the long history and its shamanistic origins. We also explain how this motif is connected to the Indo-European koryos, the Celtic god Cernunnos and even with the Christian image of the devil.

The tradition of wearing antlers and horns dates back to the Mesolithic. In Bedburg-Königshoven, an antler-headgear was found, and in Star Carr in England, as many as 21 similar headdresses were discovered. These headdresses likely had a shamanistic purpose and were used for ritual transformation.

A rock carving from Rodøy in Norway likely depicts a shaman with antlers and skiss. This could be a figurative expression of a shaman undertaking a shamanistic ecstatic journey. Adjacent rock carvings show hunting scenes and figures with weapons. Sometimes they depict dancing, horned figures. These images are interpreted as ritual or symbolic representations of warrior rituals. 

Another example of an ecstatic dance can be seen in the engraving of the "Dancing God" in Järrestad. This engraving also includes depictions of ibexes and a man holding the horns of an ibex.

Both the images and the antler headdresses likely point to the shamanistic ecstatic journey in which the shaman ritually transforms into the animal, probably under the influence of intoxicating substances.

Deer were associated with fertility because their antlers fall off and renew annually. The ibex was associated with fertility because they mate mainly between October and January, the dark season. The antler may also be associated with hunting or thereby indirectly with warfare. 

From 3,000 BC, the Proto-Indo-European steppe herders migrated from the Pontic steppes to Europe. Their culture merged with that of the Neolithic peoples already living in Europe, both peacefully and violently. These steppe herders also associated deer with fertility.

The Strettweg cult wagon (600 BC) displays naked warriors and naked women. In the center stands the mother goddess or the goddess of the dawn. At the front of the wagon is a deer with large antlers.

The Celtic god Cernunnos is often depicted with antlers, as seen on the Gundestrup Cauldron (2nd-1st century BC). Cernunnos is the god of nature, prosperity, and fertility.

Parallel to the tradition of wearing deer antlers, a new tradition of wearing horns developed in the bronze Age.

During the Bronze Age, the religious iconography in Scandinavia shifted. Representations of the sun wheel and the axe (often attributed to the Indo-European thunder god) became increasingly prominent. At the same time, shamanistic religious iconography declined.

A rock painting from the bronze Age, as well as a small figurine from the early bronze Age, depict a horned bull with small spheres at the ends of its horns. These bulls are regularly depicted with plows, snakes, and sun crosses.  In Veksø and Zealand (Denmark), two horned helmets were found from the bronze Age (857 and 907 BC). The helmets were thrown into the water as offerings to the gods. They are decorated with bird motifs and likely had a ritual purpose, as they were too cumbersome for use in war.

Images of similar horned headgear can be found on a horse harness from Fogdarp in Scania (Denmark) and two figures from Grevensvænge (Denmark). The headgear is always found and depicted in pairs.

Cattle were of great importance to the Proto-Indo-European steppe herders, as a symbol of fertility and continuity. The horned humans are regularly depicted alongside the sun cross and other elements that can be associated with sun worship and fertility.

The headgear is in pairs. This possibly refers to the Proto-Indo-European cosmic twins *Manu and *Yemo and the creation story. 

In the beginning, *Manu and *Yemo were accompanied by a great cosmic cow. To create the world, Manu had to make a sacrifice: he had to sacrifice his own brother Yemo (in some traditions he did not sacrifice his brother, but the cow). With the help of the Sky Father (supreme god: *Dyēus ph₂tḗr), Yemo's sacrificed body was transformed. From his parts, the foundations of the world emerged: the wind, the moon, the sea, and the various kinds of people (aristocracy, warrior class, working class/herders).

Manu became the first priest and created the sacrificial ritual, which maintained the cosmic order and harmony. The ritual connected the world of humans with that of the gods, through reciprocity. Thus, the cosmic order was established.

We suspect that the Bronze Age rituals with two horned people were a reenactment of the creation of the world and were related to sacrifices to the gods to restore the cosmic order. The horned headdresses symbolize the cosmic primordial cow.

From the Bronze Age, horned figures are depicted dancing with spears in Scandinavia. Next to them, warriors are often depicted. A well-known example is the rock carvings from Tanum, Sweden.

Timmis Maddox suggests that these weapon dancers from the Bronze Age and Iron Age may be related and symbolized a long-standing focus on the warrior identity in these societies.

According to our theory, this may point to the second part of the Proto-Indo-European creation story:

After the world was formed, the Sky Father gave cattle to the hero *Trito. Trito was a human and protector of his people. But the cattle were stolen by a six-headed serpent , a demonic creature that represented chaos. 

Trito, determined to retrieve the cattle, called upon the storm god, a mighty warrior among the gods. Together they went to the mountain where the serpent was hiding.

In a heroic battle, they killed the monster and freed the stolen cattle. Trito thus became the first warrior. He regained the wealth of his people and gave the cattle to the priests. This allowed them to make offerings to the gods, and the Sky Father received his share of the gifts.

This act sealed the circle of giving and receiving between humans and gods. The gods bestowed abundance and protection upon the people, while the people showed their gratitude by making offerings. Thus, the cosmic order remained in balance.

In contrast to the headpieces that are always found in pairs, the horned weapon dancer is depicted alone during the dance. According to our theory, the dancer symbolizes Manu and likely represents a priest during a 'shamanistic' dance. He calls to restore the cosmic order.

The warriors standing beside him symbolize the hero Trito. It is the warriors' task to restore order by attacking the enemy and 'reclaiming' the 'cattle'.

This symbolism formed the mandate for warfare, such as cattle raiding. A similar explanation for cattle raiding can be seen in the Rigveda. 

In the Celtic Bronze Age and Iron Age, many horned men were depicted in Great Britain and the European mainland.

Stone piles with horns of various types—usually of a ram—are found throughout Great Britain and on the European continent, although they are rare in Scandinavia. A famous bronze horned helmet from this period was found in the Thames near London, the Waterloo Helmet. A similar helmet is depicted on the Gundestrup Cauldron, which was likely made by Scythian craftsmen.

During the Roman occupation of the West, images of horned men in the aforementioned traditions are rarely found, although they are not entirely absent. An example is a rough stone depiction of a horned figure at the fort of Alauna near Maryport, Cumbria, Northern England. The person is naked and wears a spear and shield. He is often identified as the Celtic god Belatucadrus, who was worshipped by the Carvetii tribe. Belatucadrus was sometimes compared to the Roman god Mars and could be associated with the sun and war.

Before the Roman occupation of the British Isles, the Celts of Southern England focused primarily on agriculture, and the Celts of Northern England on cattle keeping. Julius Caesar mentions this, and this tradition continued during the Roman occupation. It is therefore logical that the Carvetii tribe still valued this thousand-year-old way of life. 

The 4th-century bishop Nicasius of Reims issued a law prohibiting people from wearing pagan ritual clothing or antlers. An edict by Emperor Constantine the Great, the Council of Arles (314), and the Council of Tours (567) also sought to eliminate pagan ritual attire such as antlers.

The apostle Paul compared the ancient nature religions to the devil. The devil was black painted and depicted with horns. In the New Testament, devils represent magic, diseases, and possession, referring to the shamanistic ecstasy and battle frenzy during the horned ritual.

During the Migration Period, the weapon dancer became a common motif in art objects, such as jewelry and helmets. 

Horned figures are depicted on the 5th-century horns , found in Gallehus (Denmark). Both horns were decorated with figures of men, animals, and mythical creatures. On the top panel of the runic horn, there are two figures, naked or clothed in loincloths, wearing helmets/headgear with long, curved horns. One holds a sickle and a pointed staff, the other a short spear, a ring (or possibly a shield), and a staff. On either side stands a warrior with a bare torso wearing a neck ring. Between the warriors are boars and an animal that can represent a horse or a deer. The sickle, spear, and possible shield may connect them to fertility and war. Here too, the warriors stand in pairs, and two horns were found. 

Horned horses also appear in another series of finds from the Migration Period. A special group of bracteates shows a man on the back of a horse, which bears horns decorated with discs. Often, the rider's hair falls from his head backward, forming the head of an eagle or raven. Swastika's (sun symbol) frequently appear in the design, and sometimes the animal is not a horse, but a wolf or a dragon. Another group of bracteates often shows a dancing young man, naked except for his belt and headgear. 

A late 7th-century buckle from a male grave in the Anglo-Saxon cemetery of Finglesham, Kent, depicts a dancing horned spear dancer holding two spears and wearing only a belt. Grave 138 at the Finglesham cemetery also contained a cast bronze horned head terminating with two ravens. This depiction is unmistakably of the god Wodan. Also in Kent, England, in grave 161, which was a female grave, a large pin with a similar anthropomorphic head was found. These horns also terminate in two bird heads. The last comparable image was found in a 7th-century Christian grave in Niederdollendorf, Germany. On one side is a large crescent moon with bird heads. On the other side, a naked man horned spear dancer is depicted.

In the Vendel period, a number of richly decorated helmets were made. Some have been found in the royal boat graves of Valsgärde 7 and 8 (in Sweden) and in Sutton Hoo (in England).

The helmets are decorated with thin tinned bronze (pressblechs), which depict, among other things, a ritual with a spear dancer. A similar pressblech was found in Caenby, Lincolnshire.

Sometimes these spear dancers are depicted in pairs, but usually there is a warrior next to them. These warriors are often half human, half animal (wolf or boar). The heavy armament indicates that they are part of the aristocracy. The appearance clearly refers to the Germanic Úlfhéðnar (wolf warriors) or the berserker (bear warrior), traditions closely related to the Proto-Indo-European Koryos ritual. 

In Torslund (Sweden), several 6th-7th century pressblechs have been found.

On pressblech 1, two heavily armed Vendel warriors are depicted. They are armed with spears and swords and wear a boar symbol on top of their helmets.

On pressblech 2, a Germanic warrior with a bare upper body is depicted. He wears a trousers, possibly made of bear fur. He is armed with a axe. Opposite him stands a bear.

On pressblech 3, a man is depicted. He stands between two bears and is dressed in bear fur. He is armed with a sword and sax.

On pressblech 4, a horned spear dancer is depicted. He carries two spears, a horned headgear or helmet, and a sword. The horns, like in other early medieval depictions, end in two ravens. Laser scans have revealed that the horned spear dancer on this plate is missing an eye, which was deliberately removed. It is therefore likely that it represents the god Odin. As in the other depictions, his belt is emphasized. Also in this case, opposite him stands a warrior, half wolf, half human. He wears a spear and sword. 

That the horned spear dancer is the god Odin is also clearly depicted on pressblech 7 and 8 where a mounted warrior is shown. The spear of the rider is accompanied by the horned spear dancer: the spear of the warrior is led by Odin himself.

The Christians tried to equate the horned spear dancer with the devil, but among the pagan Vikings this ritual persisted.

In the Oseberg ship burial (Norway), a tapestry was found depicting two separate horned figures. Both are wearing loose trousers or a long tunic with a slit. The first holds a sword in his left hand, grasped by the blade or scabbard, and is closely followed by two ravens and a spear. The other has lost his right hand but holds two spears in his left hand and is accompanied by a bird, a arrow, and possibly another spear.

The only other Viking example of a horned man found so far is a small silver model from a grave in Birka (Sweden). It is 2.9 cm high and depicts a horned man with a broad belt holding a sword in his right hand and a staff or spear in his right hand. 

The Old Norse creation story has preserved many elements of the Indo-European creation story. Odin takes the place of *Manu, and Ymir is *Yemo, who warns Odin of Ragnarok (total chaos).

Odin becomes the first priest and creator of the different classes of people. He thus becomes the ancestor of kings and the god of the aristocracy and warrior class.

Like *Manu, Odin teaches humanity how to sacrifice. As a war god and god of death, Odin guards the cosmic order. He is known for his fury, mastery of seidr (magic), and poetry, through which heroic warriors gain eternal fame. He sacrifices his eye to obtain divine wisdom.

Odin is the god of the war bands, the úlfhéðnar and berserkers. In the death season (between late October and Yule), he leads the Wild Hunt to restore cosmic balance. This process ensures that light returns during Yule (the winter solstice), after which the earth becomes fertile again.

Many of Odin's characteristics are reflected in the depictions of horned spear dancers, but there is another aspect that connects him to this symbolism.

From the Migration Period, the horns of the spear dancer always culminate in two ravens. Odin is accompanied by two ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who tell him everything.

The horns, an ancient symbol of fertility, may have lost their symbolism and meaning around this time. Although they continued to be depicted and remained characteristic of the Odinistic spear dance ritual, the ravens were added to this.

The ritual is likely performed by the priestly class. Among the Indo-European peoples, the religious and ruling class were roughly the same, with the king acting as high priest.

The spear dancer put himself into a shamanistic trance and the warriors transformed into bears and wolves. It was the task of these warriors to go to battle and restore the cosmic order.

The horned spear dance ritual is not only depicted in Proto-Indo-European symbolism, it was also actually performed. Therefore, we have assembled a 6th-8th century horned spear dancer in this composition. 

We assume that the priest (or shaman) who performed the ritual applied black makeup. Just like during the modern Sinterklaas festival, black makeup is used to hide identity and to come closer to the spirit world. The pagan use of applying black makeup can be seen throughout the Proto-Indo-European world. Additionally, the Koryos is associated with nocturnal raids, where they camouflaged themselves with black makeup.

The belt was of great symbolic value during the spear dance and kóryos ritual. The belt represented loyalty and commitment, to the kóryos but also to their god. In this setup, we prefer as broad a belt as possible, as shown below. 

In this setup, we have based it on a Germanic horned spear dancer. Hence, we have chosen the Germanic Thorsberg trousers. If you want to use this spear dancer as a Viking, we recommend a Rusvik puffed trousers. Historically, the ritual was also performed naked, where the belt remains an important part.

For the footwear, we have chosen Oseberg boots. 

We used a wooden torc for the horns and attached it to a headband. The torc ends in two dog heads.

You can use your own interpretation for this, such as a headgear of antlers, or cattle horns.