Icelandic Galdrastafir; My 2-cents

Let’s talk about Galdrstaves and where they come from and why modern pagan-heathens use them. First all of these Islandic Galdr Staves are from about 1400 to 1800, most from the 1700s and have no known origin in the Viking age or earlier. They are truly modern. What we refer to as the Islandic Galdrstaves are really a Christin invention of the modern age based upon so sort of fantasy of Norse magic.

Why do modern heathens use these staves? The answer is simple, they look like something that might have been used in the days of yore. Now, I know that is no reason to propagate the misinformation surrounding these symbols, but what makes a simple magic of have some supernatural power? Is it the symbol itself, or the magic that the user charges it with?

Modern runecasters make bind runes, combining multiple runes to make a magically charge symbol. Thus, if these modern galdrstaves are painted by a modern user for their intended purpose why would they not hold magical power? There is no reason why a modern heathen cannot draw a symbol of his choosing on paper, wood, bone, or what ever and as a god, gods, wight, or ancestor to magically charge that symbol for a specific purpose.

I realize that some people are going to call me out on this and tell me how I am not following the letter of the law of heathenry, or I am distorting history. Let me make this clear, I have advanced degrees in history, and I am a historian. While my religious beliefs are based upon what we know from history/archeology that doesn’t mean a whole lot. What we know about ancient pagan religions practice we can fit into a shot glass. The rest is assumption or simply modern reconstruction. I do not feel we are recreating a religion historically accurately, but recreating a religion based upon the historical record for the modern age. Therefore, if one choses to use Icelandic Galdr magic or create his own, so be it.

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