Sagas, Legends and Trolls

The Supernatural from Early Modern Back to Old Norse Tradition

12-14 June 2014 at Ülikooli 16, Tartu

The conference aims to facilitate the incorporation of folkloristic material and approaches into Old Norse studies as well as to encourage the use of Scandinavian material from the 1400s through to the 1600s to throw new light on the earlier traditions about supernatural beings, encounters and events in Old Norse literature. 

Six keynote speakers will speak on the following topics:

• Ármann Jakobsson: Bergbúa þáttr
• Barbara Hillers: Supernatural Healers: A Healing Charm in Medieval Literature and Modern Folklore
• Bengt af Klintberg: Scandinavian Folklore Parallels to the Selkolla Episode in Guðmundar saga biskups
• Catharina Raudvere: Same Theme – Different Contexts. Blood in Performance, Narration and Belief. Long and Short Term Perspectives
• Joseph Harris: Edda and ballad: Svipdagsmál and the challenges of ‘retrospective methods.’
• Marteinn Sigurðsson: Grettir and Guðmundr góði

There will be sessions on the following topics:

1: Eyrbyggja Saga
2: Byskupa sögur
3: The Troll
4: Law and the Supernatural
5: Late Heathen Cultic Activities
6: Open Session

There will be 30 minutes set aside for each paper, with about 20 minutes for the paper and about 10 minutes for questions and comments.

There is no registration fee, but participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

See the conference programme here.

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