Jarðarmen is an Old Norse word meaning strip of turf or ring of earth. In Germanic lore there are numerous instances where individuals who, out of love, mutual respect, and honor, choose to extend their relation beyond friendship by making an oath of blood/foster-brotherhood through he rite of "Ganga undir Jarðarmen", or going under the Jarðarmen.
The understanding is that these individuals would each spill some of their own blood on the Earth and swear an oath to one another while passing under an arch of earth supported by a spear. It is from this lore that we take our name and inspiration.
One well known example is in Gisla Saga--It'not a happy story, and hopefully ours will have a better ending....Gisli was at Thing with his brother-in-law Vestein, a Godi named Thorgrim, and his brother Thorkel. Gisli said:
“‘I think it right that we should bind our friendship still closer than before, and we four swear one another foster-brotherhood.’ To this they consented, and went on to a point of land, and there cut from the ground a loop of turf, both ends being attached to the ground, and under this placed a spear inlaid with ornaments, so long that a man could reach with his hand to the spear-nail. Under this were to go the four, Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel, and Véstein. They then drew blood from themselves, and let it run together on the ground under the loop of turf, and mixed together the earth and the blood; thereupon they all fell on their knees and swore an oath that each should avenge the other like a brother, and called all the gods as witnesses. ” (Gisli Súrssons Saga) adapted from Paul Du Chaillu- The Viking Age
The understanding is that these individuals would each spill some of their own blood on the Earth and swear an oath to one another while passing under an arch of earth supported by a spear. It is from this lore that we take our name and inspiration.
One well known example is in Gisla Saga--It'not a happy story, and hopefully ours will have a better ending....Gisli was at Thing with his brother-in-law Vestein, a Godi named Thorgrim, and his brother Thorkel. Gisli said:
“‘I think it right that we should bind our friendship still closer than before, and we four swear one another foster-brotherhood.’ To this they consented, and went on to a point of land, and there cut from the ground a loop of turf, both ends being attached to the ground, and under this placed a spear inlaid with ornaments, so long that a man could reach with his hand to the spear-nail. Under this were to go the four, Thorgrim, Gisli, Thorkel, and Véstein. They then drew blood from themselves, and let it run together on the ground under the loop of turf, and mixed together the earth and the blood; thereupon they all fell on their knees and swore an oath that each should avenge the other like a brother, and called all the gods as witnesses. ” (Gisli Súrssons Saga) adapted from Paul Du Chaillu- The Viking Age
