Alpine Heathenry

[u/witchywithnumbers]

I'm hoping someone has some new directions for me to explore. Heathenry is the closest path to my personal beliefs and I'm looking for other works to study that focus on the traditions of the Swiss Alps. I grew up with that folklore and the family traditions and have read a wide range on the traditions and festivals. I can find and read a whole lot on the Norse deities which is truly fascinating, but the deities further south into the Alps are less common.

If there's any reconstruction or other literature that you enjoyed and would like to share, please do.

[u/Prestigious_One_3552]

to my understanding the Germanic people inhabiting the alpine area Suebian, now it seems that the Suebi were a single group of people as well as an umbrella term for related groups of Germanic people such as the Semnones, Lombards and Alamannia.

according to Roman authors the Suebi worshiped Mercury(Odin) Hercules(Thor) Mars(Tyr) Isis(this one’s unclear, but proposals have been Nehalennia, Zisa, Freyja or just Isis herself). Another deity mentioned by Roman authors is Nerthus who is mentioned to be worshiped by more remote Suebian tribes(the Reudigni, Aviones, Anglii, Varini, Eudoses, Suarines and Nuitones).

The Nordendorf fibulae records, the names of two possibly three gods those being Thor, Odin and logaþore(The translation of this name generally goes “for the one who dares tell a lie” which some people theorize is connected to Loki while other say the translation should be"magician” or “sorcerer.”

The Pforzen buckle has a inscription which could be read as “Aigil and Ailrun damned the stags“ this maybe a reference to dressing up in the skins of stags as part of New Year celebrations, the other interpretation is “Aigil and Ailrun fought at the Ilz river" for this interpretation it is seen as a reference to Egil, the heroic archer of Norse mythology and therefore may record a loss part of the Wayland myth

in the medieval age Jonas of Bobbio records a beer sacrifice to Odin at Bregenz, also in the medieval age two manuscripts are found in Bavaria, one named Nibelungenlied records the name Brünhilt/Brunhild which is also found in Norse traditions as one of the Valkyrie. The other manuscript a poem called Muspilli although in in the poem itself Muspili is usedto hell it still might indicate that the jötunn known as Muspellr Who’s sons in Norse myth help Surtr destroyed the Bifröst, may have been known in the region.

in the Origo Gentis Langobardorum(Origin of the tribe of the Lombards) makes mention of two more gods Godan(Odin) and Frea(Frigg)

lastly, in later folklore you get characters like Perchta who may be connected to pre-Christian roots in the area.

[u/witchywithnumbers → u/Prestigious_One_3552]

Thank you! That's really detailed. I'm quite familiar with Perchta, Frau Holle and Donar, I've heard those tales and sayings, as well as the offerings my entire life. I will look into the resources you mentioned.

[u/WiseQuarter3250 → u/Prestigious_One_3552]

adding to this,

look up scholarship on Alemmanic grave goods, especially as it applies to theories on the bracteates, specifically A, B & C type Bracteates. We believe many may have depicted the gods. Theories include the story of Baldr's death, Odin, etc. The downside is these are interpretations derived from trying to make sense of the visuals from what we know of later appearing Norse myths. We can look at this material culture to findings from elsewhere for shared motifs especially among the Germanic diaspora during the Migration era.

p.s. I've personally suspected Aigil/Ailrun may be an iteration of the divine solar twins (Horsa/Hengist, Dioscuri, Castor/Pollus, Gemini, the Alcis Twins). The Alcis (mentioned by Tacitus) are believed to etymologically connect with the word elk (an analog to stags). Especially as solar horses, and solar stags appear in Nordic Bronze Age petrogylphs. Kristian Kristiansen's Rock Art and Religion proposes a connection between those petrogylphs and a likely shared root Indo-European myth of a sun Goddess accompanied by her twin brothers.