January 17 2013 Tree Worship Arborolatry The tree with its branches reaching up into the sky and roots deep into the earth can be seen to dwell in three worlds a link between heaven the earth and the underworld uniting above and below ID: 359017
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Slide1
Trees in History
January 17, 2013Slide2
Tree Worship
Arborolatry
The tree, with its branches reaching up into the sky, and roots deep into the earth, can be seen to dwell in three worlds - a link between heaven, the earth, and the underworld, uniting above and below
.Slide3
Northern Europe
Germanic, Celtic, and Norse tribes
Maypole
Yule LogSlide4
Northern Europe
DruidsSlide5
Northern Europe
Pre-Christian
Pagans inhabited a land that they believed they shared with numerous Gods, nature-spirits, and
demons
A
common example was the Norse worship of the Oak
tree
When
the seasons turned, however, and winter brought with it numerous evils and malicious spirits stalking the shadows of wintery forests, the Pagan peoples would turn to the aid and magic of any nature spirits that would help
them
Norse
pagans would, by tradition, bring entire evergreen trees into their homes.
These
massive evergreens were called Yule trees, and it was believed that the spirits of the trees would inhabit their home and bless its inhabitants. Slide6
Christmas Tree
The oak was the original Christmas tree
Pagan
midwinter festivals
of the
northern European tribes worshipped the trees as totems of
nature
The
oak was seen as the greatest of trees and was decorated each midwinter with bright
colors.
This
was an attempt to lure nature to return to the trees each Spring.Slide7
Christianity and Tree Worship
Many of the most important trees were killed by Christian missionariesSubstitution
of the pine for the
oak in midwinter festivals