NorsePlay.

  NorsePlay has previously posted illustrations & photos of Viking Era grave reconstructions and about my awesome American Bully, Buddy Guillermosson. Buddy passed away this week, and much like the Viking Era arrangements of grave goods, I've decided to honor his life by including items with him for use in the afterworlds. As pictured above, I've included nine bully sticks, which were his favourite chews, his treat ball & bone, a stack of cheddar cheese slices, a huge greasy cow's knucklebone, a small Viking ship, and two finely carved & painted Swedish Dala horses. When representations or miniatures are interred or cremated, these items are thought to manifest full size in the afterworlds , and their bearer can use or barter them as needed. Horses in burials are huge prestige items, usually reserved for rulers or warriors of great stature. Once he's cremated, given my intentional funerary arrangement, Buddy Guillermosson will very likely show up to his d...

The re-enactment group Andrimners Hemtagare decided to recreate Viking burials using living models. This series of photos with grave goods is beautifully stirring, and reminds us of the  Hávamál 's  stanza 76 which this entry gets its title from. Much has been posited about what's included in a grave find , whether the items actually do or do not have anything to do with the role of the interred, if the body is intentionally positioned, and  even how nearby graves may provide a greater postmortem narrative/ritual theater grouped context for Viking Era communities. Artistically, using living model s for this connects more profoundly. The viewer can sense that they are still alive, and identifies with that on a greater level than if say they were actual dead bodies, which has more the feel of an inanimate & incomplete person that one gets at a present day open casket funeral. The photos also make us question what it is we wish the objects in...

Ask A Mortician 's charming Caitlin Doughty points out the historic & incendiary foibles involved in the fiery viking ship burial , while suggesting a more correct version, along with a smaller alternative as well. Grrr to legalities on the road to Valhalla. #  #  # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .