Asatru altars

[David19]

I was just wondering, do Asatruer and other Heathens have altars, and if you do, what goes on them, what are they used for, are they like just shrines to the gods or specific gods or do you also use them for magic purposes like witchcraft and other things.

Also if you do have any altars or shrines, is it just the gods that go on or get a shrine, do other spirits like land wrights, ancestors, other things, have shrines.

Thanks, and hope this wasn't to many questions

[Gyda]

I have an alter set up in the bedroom, I have a drinking horn two candles, a blessing bowl, an ancestor candle and incence holder and a bowl for the Cofgodas and a stone with runes on it, and a two small hammer pendants on it. I use mine for offerings and Blots. No shrine to the God/Desses though, I spend more time with the Ancestors(sp) and Cofgodas, when I use magic it's usually done in the kitchen, not on the altar.

Gyda

[Mjollnir]

Lets see here.......the two horns made for our wedding, a Freya and Thor horn carved by Bob Stine of Medoburg Kindred, our offering bowl, Lisa's Freya statue she received for Yule, a Thor statue made by an MW member, my hammer when I was accepted into Vingolf Fellowship, a Thor and Tyr statue and a few miscellaneous items, an Odin "plate" a Thor offering bowl, a longship that can be used as an offering bowl. Everything pretty much stays where it is unless we are holding a blot to a deity that I have something of and then it is brought outside where we usually blot under the monster tree in the yard.

[seapearls]

Lets see here.......the two horns made for our wedding, a Freya and Thor horn carved by Bob Stine of Medoburg Kindred, our offering bowl, Lisa's Freya statue she received for Yule, a Thor statue made by an MW member, my hammer when I was accepted into Vingolf Fellowship, a Thor and Tyr statue and a few miscellaneous items, an Odin "plate" a Thor offering bowl, a longship that can be used as an offering bowl. Everything pretty much stays where it is unless we are holding a blot to a deity that I have something of and then it is brought outside where we usually blot under the monster tree in the yard.

I love your set up, mine is a few items on the bookshelf that has my Heathen books. Mine just consists of my homemade runes, a small figurine that looks like a young pig or boar & a gold horse broach. I plan on adding more definitely and moving my stuff to its own larger space.

[phoenix1010]

Great question, I was just wondering about heathen altars myself!

[Rick]

I have a... knick-knack shelf? that belonged to my grandfather, with... well... knick-knacks on it :smile: ; amongst them, a swan feather, a small figurine of Julinesse, some antler, some stones, a brass Thor... there's also an Ancestor space on another set of shelves, where my father's firefighter badge resides... of course, we have 'altars' all over the house...

[heathenwolf]

On mine i have my drinking horn, a deer antler,a wolf statue, three candles and a offering bowl, Brass, i want to get a statue of Thor someday.

[cowdragon]

Heh, I had this question a while back and didn't get much back on it. Glad to see this one got better responses!

Anyway, I just went ahead and set one up for my family and I.

We don't have much money, but I have some artistic skill. So my wife bought me a a bunch of bar soap and I set out to get some statues carved. So far we have Odin, Loki, Hel, Freya, and Huggin. Muggin is coming soon along with Thor. We have a buffalo horn that my dad bought for me that will SOMEDAY be converted into a drinking horn. Two candels. Looking for a proper tree to represent Yggdrssil. The Altar itself is an old speaker box that I hung on the wall up high because I have small children who love to get into everything. :)



The Cowdragon _wiz_

[Cgonathegne]

I am not exactly 'asatru', and am actually Theodish, but the two are similar enough. At any rate, I included a picture of my own altar (we use the term weohfod or wigbed as opposed to the cognate Norse hearg or blotstolli). There are at least three descriptions of heathen altars in the Icelandic saga's (the most notable being in the Heimskringla) as well as descriptions of heathen temples (thought they are in doubt as to the authenticity and the late date of the descriptions. None seem to be written within a lifetime of the heathen period with the possible exception of Adam of Bremens second hand description of the temple in Sweden and this was likely influenced by old testament descriptions of pagan shrines). There is a sectioned off entry way in my apartment which has a recessed area that was supposed to be a closet I think, but it was perfect for use a weohfod, so I made some minor changes to it (landlords in New Orleans don't really give much of a f**k what you do so long as they get their rent). The brass ship in the upper section was hand made by a local man that lived in an apartment I lived in several years ago and left it behind! I had the bletsiung bowl made by a local silversmith with the two Stag heads to symbolize Ingui-Frea. There is a statue of Ingui in a brass wheeled 'clinker' built saxon boat on the right, and Thunor on a stand on the left, with Woden in the center.

[seapearls]

Cgonathegne, That is very nice design. Thanks for the pics.

[Ælfred]

It's kind of blurry but here's a photo of mine.

Its a microwave table that I keep in the corner but set it up when I do a blot. There's a wood bowl (birch?) that I bought from IKEA and woodburned the futhark around the rim. An idol of Thunor (purchased) and a rather crude one of Woden that I carved from oak.