Views on cultic place-names in Denmark: a review of research

Authors

• Bente Holmberg

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67187

Keywords:

Denmark, Scandinavia, Names, Geographical, Gods and goddesses, Norse, Cults, Methodology

Abstract

Although interest has long been shown in the meaning of place-names, place-name research as a methodical study has only a comparatively short history. A favourite topic for several authors has been to describe the history of an area on the basis of its place-names. From among all the names in the district, they would select now one and now another. Sometimes they would add a little non-onomastic source material and gradually they would reconstruct — on an exceptionally fragile foundation — a picture of the cultic past of the region. However, Danish place-names containing pre-Christian elements, in spite of their small number, may form an important source of information about the history of religion.