In order to understand why the Vikings felt compelled to decapitate ghosts, I conducted
some further research into Viking beliefs about reanimation and hauntings after death.
My research produced two forms ‘ghosts’ that were essentially believed to be reanimated
corpses that were capable of movement and causing harm to the living. Also, I will be referring
to these spirits as male because I was not able to find accounts of any deceased women coming
back as any form of 'ghost'. The first form is the haugbui, a person that remains within his own
burial mound and will generally only reanimate if the mound is disturbed or disrespected.
The ‘ghost’ that Grettir defeats when he steals from the dead man’s burial mound is an example
of a haugbui. The second, and more insidious kind of ‘ghost’, is known as a draugr and is
essentially a grotesquely bloated corpse that rises up after nightfall. Again, Grettir faces a such
a foe in the form of Glaum. Draugrs were thought to have supernatural abilities, such as
Glaum’s paralyzing gaze. Additionally, stories recounting draugrs often portray them as
having an insatiable hunger for life and as disturbingly violent spirits -- even by Viking standards.
Luckily, Vikings gave very specific instructions as to how to vanquish such a disturbing foe.
In order to kill a draugr, one must first engage the dead man in ritualized combat before severing
his head. Then, the entire corpse must be cremated before being buried on land or simply
dumped at sea. Grettir and Thorbjorn follow this example and burying Glaum’s ashes in various
places after his head is severed and placed between his buttocks. However, I was not able to find
a reason as to why a spirit’s head needed to be placed between its own buttocks in order to kill it.
some further research into Viking beliefs about reanimation and hauntings after death.
My research produced two forms ‘ghosts’ that were essentially believed to be reanimated
corpses that were capable of movement and causing harm to the living. Also, I will be referring
to these spirits as male because I was not able to find accounts of any deceased women coming
back as any form of 'ghost'. The first form is the haugbui, a person that remains within his own
burial mound and will generally only reanimate if the mound is disturbed or disrespected.
The ‘ghost’ that Grettir defeats when he steals from the dead man’s burial mound is an example
of a haugbui. The second, and more insidious kind of ‘ghost’, is known as a draugr and is
essentially a grotesquely bloated corpse that rises up after nightfall. Again, Grettir faces a such
a foe in the form of Glaum. Draugrs were thought to have supernatural abilities, such as
Glaum’s paralyzing gaze. Additionally, stories recounting draugrs often portray them as
having an insatiable hunger for life and as disturbingly violent spirits -- even by Viking standards.
Luckily, Vikings gave very specific instructions as to how to vanquish such a disturbing foe.
In order to kill a draugr, one must first engage the dead man in ritualized combat before severing
his head. Then, the entire corpse must be cremated before being buried on land or simply
dumped at sea. Grettir and Thorbjorn follow this example and burying Glaum’s ashes in various
places after his head is severed and placed between his buttocks. However, I was not able to find
a reason as to why a spirit’s head needed to be placed between its own buttocks in order to kill it.
This leads me to speculate that this is such a sign of disrespect that the slayer is quite literally
silencing the spirit as any message it tries to speak will go right up its own rear end. In other
words, it makes me think of this ritual as a spin on the modern ‘kiss my ass’ by instead implying
‘kiss your own ass’. While I personally find this explanation to be entertaining, there may also
be no concrete explanation as to why this ritual was used to ensure the dead could not return.
For example, burning witches at the stake was often employed so that they were not able to
escape their own executions or be able to haunt those who executed them. Why was this done?
Presumably, it seemed a more permanent and inescapable fate to medieval Europe than hanging
from the gallows. Perhaps the placing of the severed head between the buttocks held a similar
significance in Viking culture due to the finality and extreme force of the ritual.
silencing the spirit as any message it tries to speak will go right up its own rear end. In other
words, it makes me think of this ritual as a spin on the modern ‘kiss my ass’ by instead implying
‘kiss your own ass’. While I personally find this explanation to be entertaining, there may also
be no concrete explanation as to why this ritual was used to ensure the dead could not return.
For example, burning witches at the stake was often employed so that they were not able to
escape their own executions or be able to haunt those who executed them. Why was this done?
Presumably, it seemed a more permanent and inescapable fate to medieval Europe than hanging
from the gallows. Perhaps the placing of the severed head between the buttocks held a similar
significance in Viking culture due to the finality and extreme force of the ritual.
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