Trees in History

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.

Northern Europe

• Germanic, Celtic, and Norse tribes• Maypole• Yule Log

Northern Europe

• Druids

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.

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.

Christianity and Tree Worship

• Many of the most important trees were killed by Christian missionaries

• Substitution of the pine for the oak in midwinter festivals