Trees in History - PowerPoint Presentation

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