The Queen of the Mist and the Lord of the Mountain: Oral Traditions of the Landscape and Monuments in the Omberg area of western Östergötland

Authors

  • Torun Zachrisson Department of Archaeology, Stockholm University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37718/CSA.2003.06

Keywords:

inhabited mountain, giants, trolls, Omma, Rödgavel, narratives, folklore

Abstract

The mountain of Omberg rises high above the plain. It has functioned as a hub in the landscape, and many oral traditions have been woven around it. The mountain was not inhabited by man, but by supernatural creatures. In its interior, Rödgavel, the lord of the mountain, lived together with his people. H is female counterpart, Omma, who was the mist personified, was associated with the remains on top of the mountain. That a mountain has a female/male dimension is very unusual. Omberg can be interpreted as a gateway into the landscape where the supernatural and human worlds met.The article aims to make landscape visual by means of folklore traditions.

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Published

2003-12-28

How to Cite

Zachrisson, T. (2003) “The Queen of the Mist and the Lord of the Mountain: Oral Traditions of the Landscape and Monuments in the Omberg area of western Östergötland”, Current Swedish Archaeology, 11(1), pp. 119–138. doi: 10.37718/CSA.2003.06.

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2003): Water - Resource, Regenerato, Communicator

Section

Research Articles

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