By Shade McCurdy, RFU Lawspeaker
"Óðinn established the same law in his land that had been in force in Asaland. [...] On winter day there should be blót for a good year, a blót in the middle of winter for a good crop; and the third on summer day should be a Sigrblót." (Ynglingasaga Ch. 8)
The Heathen new year traditionally coincided with the start of winter. This is why in Germania, Tacitus mistakenly claimed that the northern tribes had no word for the autumn season. The reconstructed Proto-Germanic word *jēran was synonymous with both "year" and "harvest,” and later gave way to words like Norse ár, German Jahr, and English year. The Norse also had the word haust for the time of the harvest in autumn, which leads us to the purpose of the first veizla of the Heathen year. Haustblót translates to “Harvest Offering,” and the most common refrain describing the purpose of this blót is til árs ok friðar, “to a bountiful year and peace.”
We are told that the god who receives this blót is Yngvi-Freyr. In Gylfaginning, Snorri wrote, "Freyr is the most renowned of the Æsir; he rules over the rain and the shining of the sun, and therewithal the fruit of the earth; and it is good to call on him for fruitful seasons and peace. He governs also the prosperity of men."
Adam of Bremen also wrote that, “Fricco [Freyr] bestows peace and pleasure upon mortals.”
Even more directly, in chapter 9 of the Saga of Gisla the Outlaw, we are told, "Thorgrim meant to have a Haustblót on Winter Nights, and to sacrifice to Freyr."
In Ögmundar þáttr dytts ok Gunnars helmings, an account is given about an idol of Freyr being pulled in a wagon to attend winter feasts and receive offerings of slaughtered cattle, silver, and gold, for his blessings.
As mentioned above, given that this time marks the beginning of winter, there is a general theme of withdrawing to the home and tending to domestic affairs. The festivities of Winter Nights would generally come after the final harvesting had been completed. It could have resembled something of a holiday of thanksgiving.
"That fall, the tidings were told to King Olaf at Trondheim that the freeholders had held a feast attended by many at Winter Nights. There was much drinking there. The king was told that there was a minni-ale blessed to the Æsir according to the Old Customs. The story continued that cattle and horses were killed and the altars reddened with blood, and a blót carried out, and the prayer performed that had to be made for better seasons." (Óláfs saga helga Ch. 113)
In Norway, the Haustblót was not only offered to Yngvi-Freyr, but possibly to the Álfar (or Vanir) and the landwights, as well, for their association with the fertility and abundance which made it possible to survive through the winter months. Some communities would have their children collect offerings from around the village to leave at graves, according to Vegard Solheim in Våre Tradisjoner. If these entities were not propitiated together, there is also the subsequent Álfablót which we will discuss tomorrow.
Happy Haustblót!
Hail Yngvi-Freyr!