Rosslandsguden
The Rosslandsguden ( German Rossland God ) is a 61 cm high stone head of local labradorite , who in the early 18th century in a wall in Rossland at Egersund in the Fylke Rogaland in Norway was found. The Rossland god is the only one of its kind in Norway. Today it is in the Dalane Folk Museum in Egersund. A replica is in Rossland.
There have been discussions about whether the head is a fake. The archaeologists concluded that it is likely authentic and dates from the Iron Age . The site is rich in archaeological finds. Other relics and place names testify that there was a center for a fertility cult in Rossland in the Iron Age.
It is believed that the Rossland god was associated with the worship of Freyr ( Frøy in Norwegian ). His nose was damaged, probably to make him "harmless". The stone troughs found nearby may have served ritual purposes. The name Rossland can be derived from the Old Norse word for horse "Hross". Horse sacrifices were part of the Frøy cult. According to Icelandic historians, the horses' blood was collected in sacrificial vessels and used to color the altar.
Pagan altar
In Haugen there is also an altar-like stone structure that has been interpreted as a prehistoric sacrificial site. The locals call it the ottoman or the altar. There is disagreement about the function and age of the altar, but place names and other finds in the area suggest that it was a sacrificial site in the Iron Age.
The Gygro building stone is located near Rossland.
Web links
Coordinates: 58 ° 21 ′ 50.1 ″ N , 6 ° 16 ′ 56.6 ″ E