Torslunda Pattern Ziphoodie
$69.00
$69.00
Worldwide Shipping
● Production time 4-7 business days
● Estimated delivery 2-3 weeks
Product Information
20% Cotton, 75% Polyester, 5% Spandex (waist/cuffs)
Slimfit - Size one up for comfortable fit and size up two for loose fit
Brushed microfleece inside
Mediumweight - best for cooler summer evenings or on other seasons
The story & symbolism
Featuring three of the known four Torslunda plates. Dated to around the 6th and 7th century they were rediscovered in 1870 from Öland. The plates were likely used to press metal sheets to be used as helmet decorations , like we see with the Valsgärde, Vendel era and Sutton Hoo helmets. This way the blacksmith could press the plates against thin sheets of metal to replicate the design and mass produce these designs. The depictions on these could be myths and known stories from that age, where a man fought two bears and an army of boar warriors and how Odin is followed by shapeshifters or warriors wearing wolf pelts. We don't know for certain but this drives our attention to how much lore and more there is to these gods and how very little we know nowadays, this design lives as a reminder of that.
Boar warriors
Called the Svinfylking in Old-Norse meaning 'Boar array/formation' these warriors fought in a formation that was referenced to as a boars head with two men in the front forming the boars snout and referenced to as the tusks of the formation. This can also be seen on the plate where two boar warriors are depicted, likely a reference to the formation or perhaps there was a story or myth associated with it as well. The boar warrior along with boar worship is among one of the oldest animal warrior types and not much survives about them - just artifacts we have found and a lot of it is left for speculation and looking at neighbouring tribes for possible references.These boar warriors were also popular already in the Germanic world where they were called the 'Schweinskopf' meaning 'Boars Head' and the formation was associated with them as well. The invention of the formation is associated to Odin, with supposedly the god of war teaching this to the humans.
Odin and a berserker
Berserker is the more common name and is used as an umbrella term for all kinds of animal warriors. But actually the different animal warrior types have their own names, this one here is an Ulfhednar meaning a 'Wolf Head' and the wolf cult was associated with Odin where as the bear cult was associated with Thor and the boar cult with possibly Freyr or Freya although I don't think there is a direct source that suggests the boar warriors were associated with any god except that the formation was invented by Odin. Also the plate has a missing eye on the spear dancer figure which suggest even more that it is the All-Father. And if that doesn't convince you yet - he also has two things coming from his head which appear as horns, they are actually meant to symbolize two birds, Huginn and Munnin. So we can be very sure this is Odin himself with a wolf warrior following him - considering the boar warrior image, this could be a hint that Ulfhedinn fought alone or as a sabotage unit with a smaller number of men.
Man between two bears
This is the most mysterious one. There are no stories of a man fighting two bears that I can recall but if we were to follow the previous plates - it could also be a plate associated with the Berserkers. If the first plate of the boar warriors is a reference to the two men in the front of the boar formation become the animal warrior called Svinfylking. And the second plate showing a man becoming a Ulfhedinn by following the path of Odin or being guided by Odin. Then perhaps this plate shows how to become a Berserker? This is my own speculation and as far as I'm concerned there is no evidence to what this plate means, but seeing as all of these plates are associated with a person or people and an animal then I'm making that guess.
The fourth plate
This one is not depicted on the design. But here we see a man taming what seems to be some gryphon-like beast. Now as associated above - perhaps these are mentions of how to become a certain warrior type? Fighting bears makes you a Berserker, you also get the pelt by slaying one. Following Odin and learning from him makes you a Ulfhedinn. Fighting in a war in the frontlines makes you a Svinfylking. And taming this beast makes you another certain type of warrior. Perhaps this is some unreachable goal or a joke to some certain tribe, maybe it's a myth that we have lost or not found yet. To me it seems all these plates depict some sort of ceremony or an occupation.
The story & symbolism
The word Erilaz / Erilar appears again and again in inscriptions. It usually comes along with "I, Erilaz, have carved these runes…" so that leads us to believe that it had something to do with proficency in writing the runes or carving them. Perhaps it also carried some magical connotations, as someone who could write and read would be pretty magical during those times, as runes were used for spells and such. How I've thought about it, is if you imagine writing runes to something like being able to code nowadays - writing a bunch of words and having a machine do something is pretty magical imo.
So this design is for those who also are familiar with this title and would like a more subtle way of hinting at their knowledge, this is part of my smart-casual collection so it is not as screamingly RAA I R VIKING but if you wear this out and others who know about this will understand the refence and that could be a great conversation starter!
So this design is for those who also are familiar with this title and would like a more subtle way of hinting at their knowledge, this is part of my smart-casual collection so it is not as screamingly RAA I R VIKING but if you wear this out and others who know about this will understand the refence and that could be a great conversation starter!
ERILAZ
The title Erilaz is written in elder futhark again and again on the design, you can think of it as a visual chant of this magical profession, title or name
Torslunda Pattern Ziphoodie
$69.00
$69.00
Worldwide Shipping
● Production time 4-7 business days
● Estimated delivery 2-3 weeks
Upperbody
Lowebody