*This is reminiscent of the description of the Thor idol in the temple at Old Uppsala by Olaus Magnus (1555), —a fact that Scheffer points out further along. Here he cites his apparently Icelandic source as:  Historia Herrodi, ch. 7: Their komu as stalle theim, sem Iomali sat a. Af honum toku their Koronu med XII. gimsternum gulls oc men thad, sem kastadi thrin hundred markur gulls. This is: Tum veniebant ad aram sive sellam, sui insidebat Iomala et detrahebant coronam, lapidibus pretiosis duodecim distinctam, item torquem, cujus pretium erant marcæ anri trecentæ.

**Olaus Magnus says "Thor was depicted with a sceptre and crown with twelve stars." Where this detail originates is uncertain; it does not derive from the original account of the temple by Adam of Bremen in the 10th century, which only states that "Thor with his scepter apparently resembles Jove." A textual note adds "a golden chain goes round the temple." In the Book of Revelation (12:1, 2 & 5), St. John describes the Virgin Mary with such a crown: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." In Ovid, the unhappy Ariadne is turned into the constellation Corona Borealis (Crown of the North) made up of nine stars, modelled on a jeweled crown she wore presented to her by the god Bacchus. Although the crown is described in several literary sources, no classical depictions of it have been found. In Titian's painting 'Bacchus and Ariadne' (1520–23), the constellation is shown above Ariadne's head as a circle of 8 stars. In Baroque art, a crown of stars came to represent immortality.

The word Men which is made use of in the Original, is commonly interpreted by the word Collar, it being obvious, that both are made use of about the Neck by a String, which was the reason that Charles was forced to cut it to pieces, before he could take it away; which had been needless, if it had been a Chain. It is therefore my Opinion, that this Men was a certain Golden Badge or Jewel, finely engraven and set with precious Stones; what confirms me in it is, that in the History of Herrodus no mention is made of its weight, but only of its value, which would have been otherwise, had it been a Chain. This Jewel, as I suppose, being ty'd round the Neck by a String, did hang down upon the Breast of the Image of Jumala, a thing not unusual in former Ages, as I have shewn in the before mentioned Treatise; which Custom is also obferved to this day among us, nothing being more frequent, than to see Golden Badges or Jewels fastned by a String or Ribband about the Neck. Wormius in his Dictionary [Lexicon Runicum  p. 39] says: Men was a round piece of Gold fastened on a Collar; a Mene, which signifies as much as the Moon, its rotundity resembling the shape of that Celestial Body. Thus the Latins call them Jumala's, as I have told you in the before mentioned Treatise. But whatever the Signification of the word Men may mean, thus much is certain, that they paid Divine Worship to the Image of Jumala, being of a Humane shape, with a Crown on its Head, set with twelve Gems, as it is described by the Author of the History of St. Olaus; which shews us, that in this, as well as in the other parts of his Habit, he had near a resemblance to the God Thor, which was worshipped by the ancient Swedes, according to the description we have given of that Image in our Treatise of Upsal; for this God was made fitting in the shape of a Man, with a Crown on his Head, adorned with twelve Stars, as Jumala with as many Gems; from whence I am apt to persuade my self, that the Biarmi, and afterwards the Laplanders did worship the same God under two different Names, or at least made use of both Names promiscuously. For they called the true God, whom they knew partly by the Dictates of Reason, partly by Tradition, Jumalia; but after the Name of Tor was introduced among them, they either called him Tor, or gave the Name of Jumala to Tor; what confirms me in this Opinion, is, that to this day the Laplanders attribute the same Power to Tor, that in former Ages they did to Jumala, viz. the supeam Command over all the inferior Gods, especially the bad and hurtful, over the Air, Thunder, and Lightning, Health, Life, and Death of Mankind, and such like, of which more anon. Thus much of the shape of Jumalia. What this Idol was made of, is not very well known, tho I am of opinion, that it was of Wood; because we are told in the History of St. Olaus (Heimskringla, Ólafs saga helga), that Charles did with his Ax cut off its Head, and that at one stroak, which could not have been done, bad it been of Gold or Silver; considering especially, that the Author speaks in that Passage of it as an accidental thing, Charles's Aim being only at the Collar on which the Jewel was fastned; but, says he, the blow was fo terrible, that at once it struck off the Head of Jumalia. Besides, from the History of Herrodus, it seems to be evident that this Image was of Wood, because it is said that it was burnt to Ashes with all that belonged to it. These are his words: Then, after they had taken away all the Gold and other precious Things, they set the Temple on fire, and burnt all to Ashes. He says, All, viz. the Temple, the Idol, and all the Furniture, except the Gold and other precious Things. The Gold here mentioned used  to be offered to this God; because the Biarmi paid their Homage to Jumala by casting as much Gold into a large Golden Bason of a vast weight, as it would hold, which stood upon his Knees to receive the sacred Offertory. Herrodus in his History says thus: They took from betwixt his Knees (Jomala's) a large Golden Bason, which is fill'd, might contain as much Liquor, as was sufficient for four Men; this was full of Gold. The History of Olaus makes this Vessel not of Gold, but only of Silver; and instead of the Gold within, full of Silver-Coin: These are his words: Thorer came back to Jumala, and took, away the Silver Bason, full of Silver-Coin, which rested upon his Knees. There it is to be observed, that instead of bare Silver, mention is made of Silver-Coin; so that probably the before-mentioned Gold ought to be taken in the same sense. Therefore why mention is made here of a Silver Vessel and Coin, is, because long before the time of Olaus, the Biarmi had lost their Golden Bason with the Golden Coin, and since that time had not been in a Condition to repair the Loss of it, by getting another of the same Metal. For the rest, the Biarmi did not worship this Jumal every where, but in a few particular places, and perhaps in one only, where a Structure was erected in the nature of a Temple. Herrodus seems to intimate this in his History, when he mentions this Temple as a peculiar place, known but to few, and places it among thick and remote Woods; for this he introduces a Country-Maid speaking: In this Forest is a very fine Temple, belonging to King Hareker; this is the Residence of a  God, called Jumala, who is worshipped far and near. I said in the nature of a Temple, because it was not built with Walls and Roof, as our modern Temples are, but only enclosed with a certain Fence; for the word Hoff made use of in the Original implies no more, Hoff signifying to this day a certain place enclosed round about tho’ open at the top. Thus Halo, by which the Latins undersland the Circle which appears round the Moon, is called Monshoff; perhaps by reason of its Resemblance to those Fences, wherewith they used to enclose the Statues of their Gods. The Roman Temples were built in the same manner, open on the top, which makes Testus say, A Temple is a place, which may be seen from all sides, and from whence you may look, every where; which could not have been done, had they been covered on the top. And such was the Temple of Jumala, placed in a thick Grove: They approached, says the History of Olaus, to a certain Grove, and in it they found a very high Fence, the Door of which was lock'd. Here you find the Fence and the Door mentioned, by which those were excluded who were not to be admitted to the Worship of Jumala. In this they did imitate moft of the other ancient Nations, who, tho' they commonly worship their Gods in Groves, yet were always careful to defend the sacred Residence of their Idols, by a sufficient Fence, or Hoff, which is the same with what the Romans called Templum. Thus much of Jumala, and the ancient manner of worshipping him among the Biarmi, as far as it is transmitted to us, by the ancient Writers. What concerns Tor, the Sun, and some other of an inferior Rank, there is scarce any Footsteps left of them, unless what we find intermixed with the Christian Religion, some of these Superstitions continuing among them to this day, of which we shall speak in a peculiar Chapter.

*Samuel Edvardi Rheen (ca 1615–1680), a Swedish priest and author of En kortt Relation om Lapparnes Lefwarne och Sedher, "A Short Relation of the Lapps' Lives and Customs" (1671). 
 
They are likewise great observers of Omens; and among the rest make particular Reflection upon what Beast they meet with first in the Morning, from whence they judge of the good or ill Success of that Day; which, if they think Ominous, they return to their Huts, and stir not abroad again all that Day. According to the Nature of that Creature, says Ziegler, they meet with at their first going abroad in the Morning, they judge of the Success of the Day.  Amongst these kind of Superstitions, this is none of the least, that they will not allow a Woman to go out of the same Door, thro' which a Man went abroad a Hunting, as judging that nothing bur ill Success would attend him in his Hunting, if a woman trod his Footsteps; as we are told by the before-mentioned Author: They look on it as unprosperous for a Woman to walkout of the same Door, thro which a Man has gone abroad a Hunting the same Day. Among the rest of their Superfluous Customs, Lundius observes, That they are used to throw the Bones of the wild Raindeers into a River, or other watry Place, after they have eaten the Flesh; and that before they fall to Eating, they always lay a piece of their Cloths, or some other Covert, upon the Plank or Table; which if they should happen to neglect, they say that their Raindeer would not be lively, but be tired at the beginning of their Journey.
 
We will now proceed to the second Head, under which belongs what is Impious and Heathenish among them. The first Thing to be taken notice of here, is, that they don't frequent the Church out of any Inclination, but rather by Compulsion. It is by Compulsion, says Samuel Rheen, that they go to Church and hear the Word of God. The Second is, That they don't give entire Credit to what is taught them concerning some of the principal Heads of the Christian Religion, especially to the Articles of the Resurrection of the Dead, the Union of the Soul and Body, and the Immortality of the Soul; it being their Opinion, that the Souls of Men, as well as those of Beasts perish for ever; and many of them can scarce be persuaded that there is another Life after this. To confirm which, I will give you the Words of the before mentioned Author: The Laplanders are to this Day so Ignorant, as not to believe the Article of the Resurrection of the Body, of the Union of the Soul and Body, and the Immortality of the Soul; but aye of Opinion, that there is no difference betwixt the Spirit of Men and Beasts. And in another Passage he says; Many of the Laplanders live in this erroneous Opinion, That there is no Resurrection of the Dead. Johannes Torneus tells us of a certain Priest, a Laplander by Birth, in the Lapmark of Torna, who desired to be Buried among them, whereby he hoped they might be persuaded of the Truth of this Article. These are his Words: I took Care to have a certain ancient Priest, a Native of Lapland, buried in the Church of Rounala, who at the point of Death desired to be buried among his Country-men, in hopes that this might induce them into an Opinion of the Resurrection of the Dead, and that they were to be raised again with him on the Day of Judgment, as he had often told them in his Sermons. Samuel Rheen does however confess, that they believe there remains something of us after Death, but knew not what it is; which is the very same Opinion the Pagans had, from whence they called their Manes*, the remains of Men after Death; it being my Opinion, that this is the true Etymology of it, rather than from Manando. They do believe, says Samuel Rheen, that something remains of Men after Death. Lundius speaks much to the same purpose, when he says, That if some among them do believe that something of the Soul remains after Death, they are quite Ignorant as to the present or future State of the Soul. Thirdly, They share there Devotion betwixt God and Christ, and their fictitious Gods, whom they Worship at the same time, just as if their might be an easie agreement made so twixt God and the Devil, or that either of them might or would rest satisfied with his Share. The Inhabitants of the two Lapmarks of Pitha and Luhlah have their Gods of the first and a lesser Rank.

*Manes: In ancient Roman religion, the Manes or Di Manes are chthonic deities thought to represent souls of deceased loved ones. 

To the First belong Three, whom they worship with more than ordinary Reverence, viz. Thor or Thordoen, Storjunkare, and the Sun (Samuel Rheen ch. 25). Damian á Goes tells us, that they worship the Fire and Stone Images. Their Religion, says he, consists in this, that they take the Fire and Statues of Stone for Gods. But by those Stone Statue sought to be understood no others but those Images, which were dedicated to the Worship of the Storjunkare, as we shall see hereafter; and the Fire mud be taken only as an Emblem of the Sun, for that they should have worshipped the Fire as a God, is contrary to Truth, and nothing like it among them. Johannes Torneus says, Some of our Divines affirm, that the Laplanders, as well as the Eastern Nations, did worship the Fire; but after the best enquiry I could make concerning it, I could not find the least Footstep of it even among the most ancient Traditions of the Laplanders. What ancient Divines he means here, I am not well able to guess, unless he speaks of Paulinus, who, what he says upon this Point, had taken it from Damian Peucek, tells us, That they worshipped both Stones and Wood as Gods; which must be referred to the Image of Thor made of Wood, as we shall shew hereafter. So that those Three before-mentioned are only accounted of the first Rank, at lead by the Inhabitants of the two Lapmarks of Pitha and Luhlab; for those of Torna and know nothing of them; and those of Uma and Angermanland are so little acquainted with Storjunkare, that they laugh at those, and look upon them as beyond their Wits, who speak of him; but in their stead worship a certain Deity, called by them Seita, as Lundius observes. Johannes Tornæus (ch. 7) says expresly; The Inhabitants of the Lapmark of Torna and Kima don't understand  what Storjunkare is. And of the Seita he has these Words: They worshipped Wood and Stones, each Family, nay even each Laplander having his own Idol placed near a Lake. Besides whom however they had one chief Idol, unto whom the whole Village paid divine Worship. And this, as well as all the lesser Gods they called Seita (a).
 
(a) Lundius says, that the Inhabitants of the Lapmarks of Uma and Argermanland call those domestick Idols Padde.
 
Tho' considering that the word Seita is a general Word among the Laplanders, denoting any God, without exception, it is very probable, that they worshipped under that Name the same whom those of Luhlah call Tiermes or Auke, i.e. the Thunderer, or Grandfather, or Thoron's, as the Chief and Head of all the other Seita's;  and that the rest were in the same manner with them, as the Storjunkare among the Inhabitants of the Lapmark of Luhlah; so that the whole difference does not so much consist in the Gods, as in their Names; those of Torna making use of a general, the rest of a more special Name; the First naming both their greater and lesser Gods indifferently Seitas, whereas the last Name the Greater Tiermes or Auke, the lesser Storjunkare. Truly if we attend the manner and other Circumstances of their Worship used both among those of Torna and the rest it will be evident, that there is not the least difference among them, as will be shewn more at large hereafter. But besides these Gods of a higher degree mentioned before, those of Luhlah, Pitha, and their Neighbours, worship some other Gods of a lesser Degree; the same is practised among the Inhabitants of the Lapmark of Torna with this difference only, that they call the greater and lesser promiscuously, Seita; except only One, whom they called Wikku Accha, which signifies as much as a Livonian old Woman (anum Livonicam). If l am not mistaken, this is the same mentioned by Olaus Petri Niurenius (ch. 19); The God of the Inhabitants of Kima, says he, called Viresaka, represents (the Face of a Man fixed on the top of a Trunk of a Tee. But instead of those of Kima, he should have said of Torna, and for Viresaka Wirka Accha, as we find in Joh. Tornaus, these are his Words: In the Center of the Lapmark of Torna stood formerly a famous Seita, called Wikku Accha, which signifies as much as a Livonian old Woman: This all the Circumjacent Laplanders did Worship and offer Sacrifices to for a longtime, till the Birkarli of Torna, who in those Days had a Priviledge to Traffick with the Laplanders, did pull it down. But notwithstanding they removed this idol, and hid it in a remote Place from thence, yet in a little while after it was found and put up in the same Place again, but now is wholly rotten. This had not any resemblance to a Humane Shape, being no more than the Trunk of a Tree. This was therefore the only God worshipped among those of Torna, under a peculiar Name, being now quite destroyed and forgotten; All the rest, whether of a higher or lower Degree they called by the same Name. 'Tis true Torneus has neglected to give us a Description of the manner of Worshipping used by them, both in ancient, and our Times; nevertheless, we may guess at it from what we find to have been observed of this kind in the rest of the Laplanders. First, therefore they comprehend under those, and worship as such, those we called before Manes. That they look upon those as Gods, is evident from thence, that they are much afraid of the Dead, being of Opinion, that what remains of Men after Death, is of such a Nature as to be able to hurt them; in which they approach in some measure to the Sentiments of the ancient Romans, of whom Servius says thus: Manes are called the Souls of Men, when having left their bodies, they are not as yet lodged in others. Samuel Rheen says; It is their Opinion, that there remains something of Mankind after Death, for which reason they fear the Dead. Paucer speaks much to the same Purpose: They are terribly afraid of the Manes or Remainders of their Kindred after they are Dead. What may confirm us in this Opinion is, that they offer them Sacrifices, In a certain Manuscript without a Name I find these Words, They Sacrifice to the Death, or the Dead. But of their Sacrifices we shall have occasion to say more hereafter. Besides these Manes, they believe certain Spectres or Dæmons, which they say, wander about among the Rocks and Mountains, and near the Rivers and Lakes; those they worship also like Gods, in the same manner as the ancient Romans did their Fauni, Sylvani and Tritons. They believe, says Samuel Rheen, that there are certain Dæmons wandring among the Rocks, Mountains and Rivers. They believe Thirdly, That there is a certain kind of good and evil Genius's, wandring in the Air, especially about Christmas Eve, of which we have said something  before. The before-mentioned Author speaking of certain Sacrifices they used to offer to them lays: Those they offer to the Juhlian Company, which they suppose are wandring, about that time in the Air.** These they call the Juhlian Company deriving their Name from the word Juhli (Yule), which now signifies as much as the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, but in former Ages was used for the time of the new Year, as I have sufficiently demonstrated in my Treatise of Upsal. But it being their Opinion, that more especially about this time the Air is filled with Spectres and Genius's, they have given it this Name. Thus having given you an Account of the Gods which the Laplanders even to this Day, suppose they may worship in Conjunction with the true God and Christ, we will now proceed to a more particular Relation of their manner of Worshipping them.

But tho' this Idol is generally thus Shaped, yet are there not a few among the Laplanders, especially those of the Lapmark of Torna, who worship a bare Stump. The Seithæs, says Tornæus, have no shape, or any certain figure, those Wooden Idols being either the Trunks of Trees with their Roots, or else Stumps fastned in the Ground.* They have no peculiar Image of the Sun, either because it is known to every one by Sight, or because, according to the Sacred Mystery of their Religion, he is the same with Thor. The Image of Storjunkare is represented by a Stone. The Idols of Stojunkare, says Samuel Rheen, are of Stone. And the before-mentioned anonymous M. says these Words; With this they anoint these Stones, they call Storjunkare. It is in this Sense that the Words of Peter Claudi are to be taken, when he says of the Lappofinni; That they have their Idols, which are no more than vast Stones, among the Deserts and uninhabitable Places. The Stones he mentions here could not belong to Thor, whose Image is always of Wood, neither to any other God, but to Storjunkare. In the same sense also must be interpreted Damian á Goes and Jacob Ziegler, when they say of the Laplanders; That they Worship certain Stone Images in the Mountains as Gods. It was very well observed that they are in the Mountains, these being the proper Places, where Storjunkare used to be worshipped, as has been shewn before. If we rely upon the Judgment of Olaus Petri Niurenius, They resemble in Shape a certain Bird. Lundius is of the same Opinion, and tells us, that they call this Bird Sedde. Samuel Rheen affirms, that sometimes they are shaped like a Man, sometimes like some other Creature. They resemble, says he, a Man, or some other Creature. But this Resemblance is so Rude, as not to be discernable by any Body but themselves, who imagine it to be like something, without being able to persuade others that it is so. Their chief Reason, why they Dedicate them to their Storjunkare, being, because they Fancy to have found such and such a figure in them. For they never take any Pains to form them into any Shape, but such as they find them upon the Banks of the Rivers or Lakes, they Consecrate them as the Image of Storjunkare. Their Storjunkares, says Samuel Rheen, are nothing else but Idols of Stone, such as they find either among the Rocks and Mountains, or near the Waterside. They are extreamly taken with such a Shape, which they don't look upon as made by Chance, but by the peculiar Influence of their God Storjunkare, who ought therefore to be worshipped in this Image; which being erected in some certain Place, in order to be worshipped as such, they call it Kied Kie Juhmil i.e. the stone God. The Shape of these Stones being so Rude, and rather imaginary than real, has moved Tornæus to affirm that these Idols have no Shape at all. The Seithæ, says he, have no certain figure or Shape form’d  either by Nature or Art; Their Stone Images being no more than a common Stone, blacky rough and full of Holes, occasioned by the continual falling of the Water upon them near the Cataracts. Questionless this roughness interspread with several small Concavities, has given occasion to the Laplanders to Fancy their likeness to something. He confesses however, that in one Place he met with some that resembled a Humane Shape: These are his Words; Near that Place, where the River Tornatrask sends forth a Branch, making an Island, is a Cataract, called Darra; in the midst of this Island are certain Scithæs of Stone, of a Humane Shape, set up in good Order. First one as high as a tall Man; next to him are Four more, but somewhat shorter, having altogether a kind of Hats on their Heads.** But it being very dangerous, by reason of the Cateract or Waterfall, to pass over into that Island, the Laplanders have not of late years frequented that Place; so that it is not easie to be determined now, how, and in what manner they used to Worship them, and by what means these Stone Idols were fix’d in that Island. They don't always set up one Stone, but increase their Number, according as they find more or less. The First they give the Title of Storjunkare, the Second is stiled his Spouse; Thirdly comes his Son or Daughter, and last of all his Men and Maid Servants. In some of these Mountains, says Samuel Rheen, you see Two, Three, or more of those Stones set up, the First they stile Storjunkare, the Second Acte, i.e. his Spouse; Thirdly comes his Son and Daughter, and the rest of the Stones are his Men and Maid Servants.** In this they imitate Persons of Quality, for having observed that the King's Governours came among them, being accompanied by their Spouses, Children and Attendants, they would not have their Storjunkare, whom they look upon as the Lieutenant of Thor, or the Vicegerent of God, appear in a worse  Condition. The Image or Idol of Storjunkare, you may see in the following figures; the First of these I have drawn according to the best Description. I received of this Stone and their Worship. For the Second I am obliged to Mr. Grape, a young Gentleman, who brought me One of those Stones out of the Lapmark of Torna, of which I give you here the Draught, done to the Life. The Third is likewise a Stone of this kind, being dent out of the same Lapmark into Sweden, and which is preserved as an extraordinary Piece of Curiosity in the Royal Cabinet of Antiquities of the City of Upsal.

*In the Rusila of Ibn Fadhlan, an Arab travelor in the 10th century describes idols of the Scandinavian Rus in a similar fashion: "[E]very one of them disembarks, carrying bread, meat, onions, milk and alcohol, and goes to a tall piece of wood set up. This piece of wood has a face like the face of a man and is surrounded by small figurines behind which are long pieces of wood set up in the ground. he reaches the large figure, he prostrates himself before it and says, “Lord, .. I have brought this offering,” leaving what he has brought with him in front of the piece of wood." 

**Two metal representions of the gods Thor and Freyr, dating from the heathen period (See Early Art) have been recovered  both wearing pointed hats on their heads. In Hymiskviða, Thor is depicted wearing Hymir's brewing kettle on his head as he leaves the giant's hall. Thor secures the kettle for Ægir to brew beer for all the gods. Might this suggest that the hlaut-bowl which catches sacrifical blood at a blót was placed sometimes on the head of the wooden idol, perhaps when not in use?

***In the Eddas, the Germanic gods are represented as an extended family. In Icelandic sagas and in the account of the temple at Old Uppsala by Adam of Bremen, it is not uncommon to see a number of related idols residing in the same place. At Upsala, we find Odin, and his son Thor, and a third god Fricco (probably Freyr), whose name is a masculine form of Frigga, Frekka, Odin's wife. Similarly, in the Rusila of Ibn Fadhlan the large idol is surrounded by a number of smaller idols representing his family and followers: "If his wishes prove to be impossible he brings an offering to every single one of those figurines and seeks its intercession, saying, 'These are the wives, daughters and sons of our Lord.' He goes up to each figurine in turn and questions it, begging its intercession and grovelling before it.  ...He procures a number of sheep or cows and slaughters them, donating a portion of the meat to charity and taking the rest and casting it before the large piece of wood and the small ones around it. He ties the heads of the cows or the sheep to that piece of wood set up in the ground." 

Neither of them has the resemblance either to a Humane Shape, or to the Head of any other Creature, unless you will Fancy something like it by the Strength of your own Imagination. To speak the real Truth, they are nothing else but large Flint Stones, which are full of Holes, and are frequently found in or near the High Ways. They are about a Roman Foot in height, of a blackish Colour, which however I don't look upon as their natural Colour, but adventitious, viz. from the Blood and Greese wherewith they have been besprinkled, when the Sacrifices were offered unto them. Considering the Qualifications of this Stone, we have all the reason in the World to believe, that its natural Colour is a mixture of Black and White, which we call Gray, or an Ash Colour; all the other Stones found in Lapland being of the same Colour, which is the reason that in their Tongue they call them Grausteen, i. e. Gray Stones. It is now time we proceed to the third Head, viz, their Sacrifices, and other Ceremonies belonging to their Worship. The first Thing to be taken notice of, is, That the same are performed by the Men only, all Women being excluded; it being their constant Opinion, that a Woman ought neither to Sacrifice, nor to approach near any Place whatsoever, Dedicated to the Worship of God. No Woman is permitted, says Samuel Rheen, to offer Sacrifices. The Second is, That they never Sacrifice, without having first made an enquiry, whether the Sacrifice will be acceptable or nor, to the God they are to offer the Sacrifice to. This is performed by the help of a certain Instrument, called by them Kannus, resembling our old Fashion Drums, from whence it is commonly called the Lapland Drum, of which we shall give you an exact Description hereafter (See Chapter XI). At the beat of this Drum, and the singing of some Songs, they offer the Sacrifice, intended to be kill'd, to Thor, which if it be accepted of (which they know by a certain Sign given by a Ring) they Sacrifice with the usual Ceremonies; if it be not pleasing to him, they apply themselves in due Order; First to the Sun, and afterwards to Storunkare. till one of them gives the Sign, that the Sacrifice is acceptable to him: The manner of it is very circumstantially described in the aforementioned Anonymous M S. in the following Words: When the Laplanders have taken a resolution to offer a Sacrifice, they present it to Storjunkare; whilst one is beating the Drum, the rest, as well Men as Women, sing together; What sayest thou O great and sacred God? Wilt thou, be pleased to accept of this Sacrifice I intend to offer to Thee? To this they add the Name of the Mountain, where they intend to Sacrifice. If the Sacrifice be pleasing to Storjunkare, the Ring stands still upon the Drum, at that very place, where the Image of Storjunkare is painted; if Storjunkare refuses it, they offer the Sacrifice to Thor, in the same manner as before. Singing at the same time; and thou Father God, wilst not thou accept my Sacrifice? If the Ring stands fix'd upon the Image of Thor, the Sacrifice is to be offered to him. In the same manner they proceed with the rest. Samuel Rheen mentions another Circumstance, viz. that they used to tye a Hair pull'd out of the Neck of the Beast to be Sacrificed, to the Ring: These are his Words; When they would be satisfied, unto whom they ought to offer their Sacrifice, whether to Thor, to Storjunkare or the Sun, they proceed thus: After they have tyed the Sacrifice to be kill’d on the backside of their Hut, whither no Woman is permitted to come, they pull out a Hair of the lower part of its Neck, which they tye to one of the Rings, of which they have a whole Bundle, design'd for the use of the Drum. While they beat the Drum, the Bundle of Rings moves round about, till that Ring on which the Hair is fastned, coming to the Picture of Thor, or of Storjunkare, or the Sun, remains fix'd upon the Drum in one of these Places, as a Sign that the Sacrifice is pleasing to either one or other of them; neither does the Ring move from the Place of that Picture, till the Sacrifice be promised to the said God. What I have told you before concerning the Drum, has been long ago taken notice of by Peucerus, tho' in a different manner, thro' either misinformation or misapprehenfion: These are his Words; They make use of a Drum of Brass, whereon are Painted several sorts of such Four Legged Beasts, Birds or, Fishes, as they are able to procure without much difficulty They have likewise a Brazen Frog, put upon an Iron Pearch, which being fix'd perpendicularly in the middle of the Drum; they begin their enchantments  under the Beat of this Drum, at the Sound of which, the Frog leaps upon one or other of those Creatures; the Creatures upon whose picture the Frog  happens to fall, must be Sacrificed to the Gods. Their most usual Sacrifices are Raindeer, tho' sometimes they also make use of other Creatures; Sperri Nils, a Native of Lapland, observes that they Sacrifice sometimes Cats, Dogs, Lambs and Hens. In the Lapmark of Lubhli, says he, they offer several Sorts of Sacrifices to Storjunkare, such as Cats, Dogs, Lambs and Hens. Some object that no such Beasts are found in Lapland, but Spirri Nils, speaking of these Sacrifices, says; Which they fetch out of Norway. Which is confirmed by Samuel Rheen, when he says; But especially they buy speaking of the Laplanders, when in Norway) those Creatures they are to Sacrifice to their Idols in Autumn. These Words lead us to the third Head to be taken notice of, viz. That most commonly they offer their Sacrifices in Autumn; which I gather from these Words, They are to Sacrifice to their idols in Autumn. It seems as if they most generally did perform their solemn Sacrifices in Autumn, by reason of the approaching Winter and long Darkness, during which they are most in need of God's assistance. Which I suppose is also the Reason, that about the same time, they erect a new Image to the Honour of Thor. For after those Preparations before mentioned, one Thing they strictly observe in those Sacrifices, is, That they make every Year a new Image of Thor, which is done fourteen Days before Michaelmass. Fourteen Days before Michaelmass, says Spirri Nils, they make a new Idol of Thor.* The next thing they do is, that they Consecrate the said Image with certain Ceremonies, viz.  by killing a Sacrifice, with the Blood and Fat of which they anoint the Idol. Near the Idol, says the same Author, they kill a Raindeer, then taking out the Bones, they anoint the whole Idol with the Blood and Fat. Last of all they bury the Reindeer's Flesh and Bones under Ground. This is the solemn Consecration of the Image of Thor, which is usually repeated every Year; tho' besides this Idol they set up many others, viz. One every time they Sacrifice a Raindeer. As often, says Samuel Rheen, as a Laplander Sacrifices, as many Idols are to be erected for the God Thor. All these they place one by another upon the Scaffold behind the Hut, of which I have spoken before, where they offer the Sacrifice, in the following manner: First of all they tye the Sacrifice approved of by Thor, according to the Signal given by the Drum, on the backside of the Hut. The Raindeer chosen for this purpose, (which must be a Buck, if offered to Thor) they run with a sharp pointed Knife thro' the Heart, and gather the Heart Blood in a Vessel, wherewith they anoint the Image of Thor. After they have placed the Image, and adorned the Table or Scaffold (which, as I told you, is done as often as they Sacrifice) they approach with a great deal of Reverence, and Worship the Idol, by anointing the Head and Back all over with Blood, but the Breast they only Paint with several Crosses, made with the same Blood. Making certain Crosses, says Samuel Rheen, upon his Breast. Behind him they place the Horns of the Sacrificed Raindeer, as likewise some part of the Skull, and the Feet; and before him a Box made of the Bark of Birch, in which they put a bit of every Member of the Raindeer, and some of the Fat; They place, says the Anonymous M. S. the Horns and Bones of the Skull upon the Scaffold of Thor. The remaining part of the Flesh they convert to their own use. Thus far the Ceremonies of the Laplanders, observed in their Sacrifices made to Thor. 

*Michaelmas, traditionally falls on September 29th, on or around the Autumnal Equinox. This day, 14 days before Michaelmas, is marked as being of special significance on a wooden calander documented in "A Runic Calendar found in Lapland in 1866" p. 64 (cp. p. 63 for reference). However, as noted there, the symbol used and meaning of the date is unknown to the author Eirikr Magnusson.
 
When they are to offer a Sacrifice to Storjunkare (which must likewise be a male Raindeer) they first of all (according to Samuel Rheen, whose Words I make here my own) draw a red Thread thro' his Ear; then they tye the Sacrifices to be offered to Thor; and so kill him in the same manner as they used to do with the Sacrifices of Thor, preferring the Blood likewise in a Vessel. This done, he who offers the Sacrifice, takes the Horns, the Bones of the Head and Neck, as also the Hoofs and Feet of the Sacrificed Beast, and carries them altogether to the Mountain Consecrated to the same Storjunkare, for whom the said Sacrifice is intended. No sooner does the Laplander approach to the Sacred Stone, but he makes a dew Reverence, bareheaded, bending his Knees, and performing all the other Ceremonies with a most profound Respect, such as anointing the Idol with the Blood and Fat of the Beast, brought along with him for that Purpose. Thus far Samuel Rheen. The Anonymous M S. adds to this, [From the Latin] That they tie to the right horn of the reindeer, its penis, to the left a red thread, covered with tin and some silver. The Horns and Bones, says he, of the Head they carry to the Place Dedicated to Storjunkare, where they set them up. On the right Horn they tye the Privy Member of the Reindeer, on the Left a red Thred covered with Tin, and some small quantity of Silver. It is observable that the Rites observed in the Worship of Storjunkare are the same with those used in the Worship of Seithæ, from whence  is apparent, that the Idol of the Inhabitants of Torna differs from that of the Inhabitants of Luhlah and Pitha, only in Name. Johannes Tornius gives us the following Description of the Last: The Laplanders meet at certain appointed Times, especially on Holy-days, or when any Misfortune or Loss has befallen them, near their Seitha being equip’d in their best Apparel, they approach the Idol, and offer their Prayers and several sorts of sacrifices, viz. the Feet of the Raindeer his Flesh, Fat, Skin, Horns and Hoofs. There being, to this Day, great Quantities to be seen of them in those Places, where they worshipp'd the Seitha Here you see the Worship of the Seitha and the Storjunkare to be the same. There are in some Places found great Numbers of those Horns placed one above the other, which surround these Stone Idols like a Fence, and are therefore call'd by the Laplanders Tiorfwi-gard, i. e. a Court fenced with Horns. They call it, says Samuel Rheen, Tiorfwigard, i. e. a place inclosed with Horns, it being like a Fence to the Idol Storjunkare. If we believe the said Author, there are sometimes above a Thousand of these Horns in one Place; He adds, That those who bring along with them and see up those Horns, used to hang before them a Garland twitted of Birch-Tree Branches, stuck about with bits of Flesh cut from every Member of the Sacrifice. They take, says he, a bit of Flesh, out of every Member of the Sacrifice, all which they fasten to a Birch-Tree twisted in a circular figure, which they hang up before the Horns. From hence it is, I believe, that some have been milled into this Error, as if the Laplanders did Worship the Horns of the Raindeer; concerning which, these are Tornæus his Words: Some who either don't know or understand better, have given out, that the Laplanders Worship among other Things the Horns of Raindeer. They are, as I suppose, fallen into this Error, because there are great Heaps of Raindeer Horns found in several Places there: But with how little Reason this Assertion is made, I leave to those who a reasonable, that these Heaps are the Remains of those Sacrifices they used to offer to their Seitha; it being an ancient Custom among the Laplanders, to Sacrifice the Raindeer with their Horns and Hoofs. All the remaining Flesh they convert to their private use. This is the ordinary way  of Worshipping Storjunkare; besides which they have Two more less used; One is, when they carry the Sacrifice alive to the Mountain, where the Idol is placed; the Second, when they intend to Sacrifice on the Mountain dedicated to Storjunkare, but cannot approach it, by reason of its inaccessibleness. The First they perform by killing the Sacrifice near the Idol, and so proceeding in the same manner as we told before; they boil the Flesh of the Sacrifice upon the Spot, especially that about the Head and Neck, and unto the Feast they invite their Friends, leaving the Skin behind them; this they call the Storjunkare’s Feast.* This is not usually practised in all the Mountains Consecrated to Storjunkare, but only in such as he himself has chosen and intimated for that Purpose. Samuel Rheen says to this Purpose; upon some of these sacred Hills they kill the Raindeer to be offered as a Sacrifice, and consume the Flesh, after it is boiled, with their Friends invited for that Purpose; especially the Flesh of the Head and Neck: This they call Storjunkare's Feast; the Skin remains behind for some years after. The Second is, when by reason of the Steepness of the Holy Mountain, they can't carry up the Sacrifice to the Idol; in this Case, they throw a Stone, dip'd in the Blood of the sacrificed Beast, up to the Mountain, and so end their Devotion. They take a Stone, says the same Author, which they dip in the Blood of the Raindeer, sacrificed to Storjunkare, and so throw it up towards the top of that Mountain, where they believe he has his Dwelling Place. As we told you before, that besides their Worshipping Thor with Sacrifices, they used, especially once a Year, to erect new Images to his honour; so they practise the same with Storjunkare, by laying fresh Boughs of Birch and Pine round his Stone Image. This is commonly done twice a Year; in the Summer with Boughs of Birch, in the Winter with Pine. The Laplanders, says the just now mentioned Author, are obliged to Honour their Storjunkare's twice a Year,  in the Winter, by laying Boughs of pine, in the Summer of Birch or Grass, round about them. What we have mentioned before out of Tornæus, concerning the Seitha, is very agreeable to this Relation. As often as they intend to perform this Ceremony, they at the same time make an Enquiry, whether their God be propitious or not. For if the Grass, or what else they are to strew about him, is light, they look upon it as a good Omen; if it be heavier than ordinary, they fear he is angry with them, and therefore endeavour to reconcile him, by devoting some Sacrifices to him. The same Author says to this Purpose; If they find the Stones heavier than they ought to be, they look upon it as a Sign that Storjunkare is offended with them; but, if they prove lighter than ordinary, they esteem him to be Propitious; to avoid his Anger they are obliged to make promises of Sacrifices. Thus the Words of Peucer are to be interpreted, when he says; When they are going abroad a Hunting or Fishing, or are to go upon any other Enterprise, they endeavour, after some Enchantments, to move their Gods, whose Advice they ask, from the Place they stand in; if they move easily, they look upon it as a good Omen, if they do otherwise, they promise themselves no Success; if they are immoveable, they shew that they are Offended. This is not practised upon all Occasions, nor at all Times, but only when they are to strew the Grass and Boughs. For, otherwise, as I told you before, they try the Inclination of their Gods by the Drum. 
 
*At Hofstaðir, Iceland there stood an ancient heathen feasting hall, which contains evidence that sacrificial feasts were held there and the heads and horns of the animals slaughtered were displayed on the exterior walls of the structure.  
 
It remains now, we say something of the third Sort of Sacrifice, which is made to the Sun. This is chosen out of the Females; neither are the Raindeer to be full grown, but very Young, according to Samuel Rheen, whose Authority we always rely upon in this Point. They offer, says he, to the Sun young Raindeer, especially Females. The Ceremonies observed are near the Same, as has been related before, except that they draw a white Thred thro' the right Ear of the Raindeer, this being the Sign, shewing, that it belongs to the Sun; whereas the Sacrifices belonging to Storjunkare, are distinguish'd by a red Striing. They draw, says the same Author, a white Thred thro' the right Ear of the Raindcer, as a Sign that it is to be Sacrificed to the Sun. They make a Garland, not of Boughs of Birch, but of Willow, on which they fatten the Pieces of Flesh, which they fix upon a Scaffold, behind their Huts, not unlike that belonging to Thor, After they have kill’d, says he, the Raindeer, they take a bit of Flesh cut of every Member, which they fasten to a Garland of Willow, of the bigness of a Hoop, belonging to a Hog’s head. This they fix upon a high Scaffold, on the backside of their Huts, where they used to Sacrifice to Thor. This Scaffold is not the same, but like to that of Thor, as I said before; the chief difference is, that in this there is neither any Image nor Horns; the Beasts being not come to their Growth, and consequently destitute of Horns. The only thing in this Scaffold bearing any resemblance to the Sun, being a Circle made out of the Bones of the Sacrificed Beasts. These are the Ceremonies observed in Sacrificing to the Sun.
 
Besides those three Gods, which are accounted of the first Rank, they have others of a lower Degree, as we have shewn before; especially the Manes of the Dead, and the Juhlian Company. They don't give any particular Names to those Ghosts, but in general call them Sitte. Neither do they erect them any Images, as they do to Thor and Storjunkare, only they offer them some certain Sacrifices: The first Thing they have to do is, to enquire the Will of the Dead, by the Drum, whether he will accept of that Sacrifice. Whilst they are beating the Drum, after their usual way, some Sing thus; What sort of sacrifice would you have Manes? And the Ring shewing the desired Sacrifice, they draw a black Thred thro' the Beast's right Ear, which is to be Sacrificed. They draw, says the so often mentioned Author, a black String thro' the right Ear of the Raindeer, to be sacrificed to the Dead. The anonymous M. S. which likewise mentions the Words of the Song, says, that they tye the String about the Horns, being made of Wool; The Raindeer, says he, or other Beasts to be Sacrificed to the Dead, must have a black Woollen String tye’d to their Horns. This done they kill their Sacrifice, the Flesh whereof they spend for their own use, except a small Piece of the Heart and another of the Lungs; each of which they divide into three Parts, and put them upon as many Sticks, which after they have been well dip'd in the Blood of the Sacrifice, they bury under Ground. The before mentioned anonymous M. S. has these Words: They take a Piece of the Heart and of the Lungs which they cut in three Pieces, and after they have fastned them upon three Sticks and dip'd them in Blood, they bury them under Ground, in the same manner, viz. in a Chest or Box made after the Fashion of a Lapland Dray. The Words, after the same manner, have a relation to a preceding Passage, when he Speaks of the Bones of those Sacrifices, which they used to take out and bury, as Samuel Rheen informs us; Then they take all the Bones, says he, which they put in a Chest made for that Purpose, and thus bury them. Of this we shall have occasion to say more hereafter, when we come to treat of the Funeral Rites of the Laplanders, where the same is made use of. We will add no more at present upon this Head, but that these are the Ceremonies observed to this Day in Sacrificing to the Dead among those Laplanders, who have not shaken off the Superstitions of their Ancestors. We will now come to the Juhlian Company, whom, as I have shewn before, they call Juhlafolket.** These, as well as the Ghosts, have no Statues or Images allotted for their Worship, the Place where they are worshipped being a Tree, at about a Bow shot from the back-side of their Huts. They likewise worship them by Sacrifices, a Description of which has been left us by Samuel Rheen, in the following Words; The Day before the Feast of the Juhlian Company, being Christmass-Eve, and on Christmass-Day it self, they offer superstitious Sacrifices, in Honour of the Juhlian Company, whom they suppose wandring at that time thro' the neighbouring Forests and Mountains. The manner thus: On Christmass-Eve they Fast, or rather abstain from all sorts of Flesh; but of every thing else they eat, they carefully preserve a small quantity. The same they perform on Christmass Day, when they live very Plentiful. All the Bits they have preserved for these two Days, they put in a small Chest made of the Bark of Birch, in the shape of a Boat, with its Sails and Oars; they pour also some of the Fat of the Broth upon it, and thus hang it on a Tree, about a Bow Shot distant from the backside of their Huts, for the use of the Juhlian Company, wandring at that time about the Forests, Mountains, and the Air. Thus we have also given you an account of this kind of sacrifices, which resemble in a great measure the Libations of the Ancients to their Genius's. But why they do this in a Boat, they know not, nor can give the least reason for it. In my Opinion, this seems to intimate, that they had it first from foreign Parts, where perhaps they used to pay a certain Reverence to the Company of Angels, who brought the News of Christ's Birth; as I told you before, of this they could not be inform'd but by Christians, who probably might come thither in ancient Times by Sea and consequently in Vessels. So much concerning the Idolatry and superstitious Worship of the Lapland Gods, which is continued to this Day, if not by all, at least among a great many of the Laplanders, as far as we have been able to discover them by the experience and Enquiry of those, who have frequented and lived a considerable time in these Parts; for, as Lundius well observed, it must be acknowledged at the same time, that there are many things wanting, in relation to those Sacrifices, which, if they were to be described in all their Circumstances, would require the Pen of a Man, who had the opportunity of being present at, and an exact ocular Witness of them, as well as of their Magical Arts, both which they are very careful to hide from others, it being almost impossible to learn any thing of that kind from them, unless when they are Drunk, and that the Strength of the Liquor makes them speak what they would not at another time. Sometimes you may fish Something out of their Children, tho’ at the same time they give them a great charge not to discover the least Thing of this kind to the Swedes.

**Juhlfolket, the Yule Folk i.e. The Wild Hunt led by Odin.