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So these pix from Tallinn a walled city of Estonia. Once seven non Christian kings were invited for talks and murdered by Christians. Then there was a northern crusade to christianise people who had gold and land. Mostly occupied by foreigners (they liked Swedish conquerors best of all). Being tiny between Russia and Germany has had problems. Now enjoying 20+ years independence. My dad got away in war and wound up in Adelaide Australia. He was disappointed on arrival that the colonial-style pith helmet he bought in Suez was not required to keep you safe from crocodiles we don't have here.
Was amazing walking around cobble streets with murderholes in arches everywhere and tiny graveyards in streets fenced with some oaks. Lots of these tiny old graveyards had what looked like megalithic structures. Some of the last such stones were erected in Europe. My Japanese friend thought it looked like a magical fairytale kingdom and found some weird things in rural museums that reminded them of home. Was a RPG game where you get to be Christians invading Estonia I found it hard to read or enjoy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallinn_Old_Town
Was amazing walking around cobble streets with murderholes in arches everywhere and tiny graveyards in streets fenced with some oaks. Lots of these tiny old graveyards had what looked like megalithic structures. Some of the last such stones were erected in Europe. My Japanese friend thought it looked like a magical fairytale kingdom and found some weird things in rural museums that reminded them of home. Was a RPG game where you get to be Christians invading Estonia I found it hard to read or enjoy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallinn_Old_Town
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I read a history of knightly orders that related how the Teutonic Knights used Christian conversion as their excuse to seize land from the Lithuanians, pretty much wiping out their pagan religion --- it was only 600 years ago, but not much is known by anyone about the old gods or myths anymore. I assume Estonia suffered the same crusade.
ReplyDeleteyes but also lots of songs, epic poems, fragments in fabric patterns and some odd customs survived. Frazer in golden bough mentioned some stuff about balts.
DeleteI heard a few odd attitudes from old people like interest in mushrooms at risk of being shot by russians, or saying stuff like why go to a church to prey when a forest is fine
Love this post. Thank You.
ReplyDeletecheers - i will try and do some more
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