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Rider on the Tjängvide Stone, interpreted as Odin on Sleipnir.
The horse in Nordic mythology is the most important animal in terms of its role, both in the texts, Eddas and saga, and in representations and cults. Almost always named, the horse is associated with the gods Æsir and Vanir, with heroes or their enemies in Nordic mythology. The horse is more than just a means of transport, as it is at the heart of numerous fertility rituals in connection with the god Freyr. Closely associated with the cosmogony of the ancient Germanic-Scandinavians and with profound shamanic symbolism, this psychopomp is entrusted with the task of carrying the dead to Valhalla. The horse pulls the chariot of the sun and moon and lights up the world with its mane. It is linked to many vital elements, such as light, air, water and fire. The male horse is also highly valued in comparison with the mare.
This importance in the founding texts and sagas reflects the high value of the horse among Nordic peoples, as also attested by the rituals linked to its sacrifice, the consumption of its meat or the use of its body parts, reputed to bring protection and fertility. His bones were used as instruments of black magic in the sagas. Demonizing and combating equestrian traditions and rituals, such as hippophagy, was a key element in the Christianization of the Nordic regions of Germania, Scandinavia and Iceland.
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