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126 THE SCANDINAVIANS, AND
men of Dublin were not exclusively pagan in A.D.
1040, as the Welsh chronicles seem to imply.
But that those who remained pagan adhered to the
worship of Thor,then the religion of Nor way, can only
be inferred from the few events, which are rocorded
in our Annals. For instance, we know that the
Scandinavians sometimes sacrificed their prisoners to
Thor or Odin, by "crushing the spine" (or "break-
ing the back on a stone"), 1
or by plunging the victim
head foremost in water, and auguring from the sacri-
fice future victory or defeat. Such sacrifices may be
alluded to in the statements, that, " A.D. 859, Mael-
gula Mac Dungail, King of Cashel, was killed by the
2
Danes, i.e., his back was broken with a stone ;" and
A.D. 863, that, " Conor Mac Dearmada, half King of
Meath, was stifled in water at Cluain Iraird, by Aulaf,
King of the foreigners
" of Dublin. 3
Again, we find it stated, that after the death of
and sword of Aulaf Cuaran, which is supposed to have occurred in
A.D. 992, there was a contest for succession between
Imar and " Sitric, the son of Aulaf," 4 and taking ad-
vantage of this dispute in "A.D. 994, the ring of
Tomar, and the sword of Carlus were found carried
1
Thordus Gallus mentions the spicuous in the centre of the circle,
Thorstein on which men were Thor's Stone, where the backs of
sacrificed (broken), and where also the victims were broken, still show-
is the circle of stones, " Domhring," ing signs of blood." Eyrbyggia
or place of justice. Landnamabok, Saga, cap. x., p. 27 ; 4to, Havniae,
p. 94. And the Eyrbyggia:
1787.
" *
Here (at a spot in Iceland) was Ann. Four Mast., A.D. 857. "Was
set up (A.D. 934), the place of stoned by the Norsemen till they
judgment; and here is seen to this killed him." Ann. Innisfall, A.D.
day (A.D. 1250), the judicial circle 859. Ann. Four Mast., A.D. 867.
of stones where human victims were 8 Ann. Four Mast., A.D. 862.
offered up to the gods; and- con-
4 Ann. Four Mast., A.D. 992, 993.