The word is derived from ON goð ‘god’, thus indicating a cultic function. The goði cared
for the cult of specific gods, at the cult building called ON hof. Beside his religious
assignments he also had other societal functions, such as a lawman and a leader in battle
and trade etc. The religious aspect is sometimes emphasised in the sources. Widely
known is the story in Eyrbyggja saga ( 3 – 4 ) about the goði Hrólfr Mostrarskegg who emi-
grated from Norway to Iceland. Since he was such a good friend of the god Þórr he
changed his name and called himself Þórólfr. He built his new farm in Iceland on the
peninsula Þórsnes and called it Hofstaðir, and there he had a hof erected.
Other sources indicate that the goðar functioned in similar roles also in Norway,
Denmark and Sweden. OSw gudhe, guþi appears in Swedish place names. The
farm name Gudby, in Fresta parish, Uppland, has been interpreted as ‘the goði’s farm’
(Hellberg 1986 ). Three Danish Viking Age runic inscriptions contain the word goði
(Moltke 1985 ). The Glavendrup-inscription (DR 209 ) in Odense amt, Fyn, for instance,
tells us about ‘Alle, the goði’. He was not only the religious leader, but also an honour-
worthy þegn, that is, a ‘warrior, champion’. There are slight evidences of designations
referring to other types of cult leaders, for example the female equivalent of the goði, the
gyðja, as well as the þulr, véseti, vífill and lytir (Proto-Scand. hluti-wı ̄ha-) (e.g. Brink
1996 ; Vikstrand 2001 ; Moberg 2002 ; Elmevik 2003 ).
THE KING AND THE EARL AS CULT LEADERSIt is certain that the cult leaders mentioned above never monopolised the public
sacrifices as officials. According to Old Norse narrative sources the king (konungr) or the
earl (jarl) could appear in religious roles or perform central rituals during the ceremonial
feasts. They were also the custodians of the sanctuaries. Snorri Sturluson, for instance,
depicts in his Hákonar saga góða ( 14 – 18 ) the ceremonial feasts in Lade and Mære,
Trøndelag, where Sigurðr Hlaðajarl was involved. During the sacrifices the ruler carried
the beaker around the fire and blessed it as well as the sacrificial food. When drinking
the toasts to the gods ritual formulas were recited by him, such as til árs ok friðar. King
Hákon was expected to perform similar roles. In Snorri’s passage about these feasts no
cult leaders are mentioned other than the earl and the king. This text has been criticised
for reflecting Jewish–Christian notions. Klaus Düwel ( 1985 ) felt that Snorri either
misunderstood concepts or mixed them up with Christian ideas with no basis in
pre-Christian culture. Düwel’s criticism is partly well founded.
There are some elements in Snorri’s text, however, that are also present in the primary
sources. The idea that Earl Sigurðr played important roles in the religious sphere may
be supported by the contemporary skaldic poem Sigurðardrápa ( 6 ) (ad 960 ). In this poem
Earl Sigurðr is praised for his generous banquets and he is addressed as vés valdr ‘the
protector of the sanctuary’. There is also archaeological support for cultic activities in
Mære. Underneath the church of Mære, traces of a building from the Viking period were
discovered. Nineteen gold-foil figures were found in relation to some post-holes. They
are probably sacrificial objects and undoubtedly indicative of rituals performed in the
context of rulers.
Earl Hákon Sigurðarson is praised in the skaldic poem Vellekla ( 15 – 16 ) (ad c. 990 ) as
the one who restored Þórr’s sanctuaries and the shrines of the gods, which had been
plundered by the sons of Eiríkr. In this poem the ruler’s cult is connected with the
prosperity of the land. ‘Now the soil flourishes as before – again the destroyer of
–– Olof Sundqvist––