Scandinavian nature in the period of Christianization, according to Latin sources

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the reciprocal relationship between humans and nature in Norway and Sweden between the 9th and 12th centuries. The period under study is that of the Christianization of Scandinavia, when Scandinavians, who practiced paganism, changed their culture and society. The first missionaries sent to Christianize Scandinavians wrote Latin sources about their mission. These sources give medieval Christian authors' worldviews, perceptions of nature, and descriptions of the Scandinavian environment and culture. This study applies medieval environmental history, linguistic analysis, and archaeological sources to study human-nature relations. Archaeological sources complement the Latin texts to understand these relations better. The research uses Richard Hoffmann's interactive model of culture and nature to discuss reciprocal relationships between culture and the environment; Julian Steward's culture area concept to understand the role of culture in these relationships; Malthusian theory to comprehend the human impact on the environment since increasing demography leads to greater use of natural resources. The interconnections of humans and medieval nature are represented through agricultural and wood utilization activities, which depended on how people perceived their surroundings.