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Wild Huntsman of Northern Europe 175
a specimen of the same type of brooch as fig. i ; its subject
is different, but it seems to belong to the same period.
No. 2, was found in an ancient grave near Bregenz on the
Lake of Constance, together with another brooch also of a
Norwegian character :
these
two latter, probably also date
from the earlier Iron Age of .Scandinavia. The only way
in which we can reasonably account for the presence of
such objects, so far away from their original home, is—that
when the Swedes took Bregenz by stratagem, about two
hundred years ago, Norwegian soldiers formed a part of
their army, and that some of these were buried with their
ornaments as they fell, and again that these two brooches
must either have been reproductions of the old forms, or
have been preserved for generations as heirlooms.
To return to Odin, Dr Hans Hildebrand, in his Manual of
Scandinavian Art, gives an illustration of a warrior on horse-
back on an embossed bronze which was found at Vendel
in Sweden. This figure is armed with a circular shield
and a heavy spear, it is preceded and followed by a bird,
and a serpent is in the act of raising itself to sting one of
the horse's fore-legs. Dr Hildebrand is of opinion that
this is doubtless a mythological subject, and presumes that
its correct explanation is to be found not very far off. He
says, " The horseman is Wodan who, according to the
Scandinavian legends, had a heavy spear, and was, as here
represented, attended by two ravens, which brought him
news from all over the world." He adds— "The serpent
attacking the horse, reminds us of the mythological Midgards
serpent, or the serpent encircling the central world, the im-
placable enemy of the gods."