Foramadmaninabox - E-Shrine To The Doctor

M42 - Orion nebula + running man nebula & M42 (second try) by Dávid Pálinkáš

Hey, I’m sorry if you’ve already answered this question, but in among the Thane/land nonsense, you mentioned silver arm bands. What is the significance of that?

A jarl or thane was bound to be generous and was expected to give out gifts of great worth to those who they led. Silver was the favored metal of the Norse, though gold was appriciated as well. The Norse used a bullion based system of exchange, and a bracelet or other jewelry is easily traded, and of course functions as an obvious display of your wealth. The Norse loved the shit out of decorating themselves, and particularly with silver jewelry, and particularly particularly with bracelets or arm bands.

So a leader is expected to give out treasures won by raiding (a leader who hoards their wealth is looked upon unfavorably) and one of the most popular forms of that wealth is in the form of arm bands.

The arm rings were also similar to the rings upon ring-hilted swords, which oaths were sworn upon, and the ring is a symbol of Thor. Because of this, and because of their association with being given by your lord, arm rings were often conflated with the oaths of loyalty and mutual burdens of service expected between a lord and their war band.

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