TY - JOUR

T1 - Naming holy wells

T2 - A case study of names on sacred springs in Denmark

AU - Jakobsen, Johnny Grandjean Gøgsig

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The majority of the 720 historically-known springs in Denmark have been accredited with healing power of supernatural origin, manifested in their namesand/or local folklore tradition still supported by cultic rituals celebrated way into the nineteenth century. While only 2.5 per cent of Danish spring names explicitly appear to be of pagan origin, at least 32 per cent were dedicated to Christian saints or named from other ecclesiastical terms, whereas 25 per cent had the religiously neutral name Helligkilde. Based on a case study of spring names in the region of north-western Sjælland, the whole question of age is discussed, just as several cases show how spring names and their attached folklore etymology are not always to be taken at face value.

AB - The majority of the 720 historically-known springs in Denmark have been accredited with healing power of supernatural origin, manifested in their namesand/or local folklore tradition still supported by cultic rituals celebrated way into the nineteenth century. While only 2.5 per cent of Danish spring names explicitly appear to be of pagan origin, at least 32 per cent were dedicated to Christian saints or named from other ecclesiastical terms, whereas 25 per cent had the religiously neutral name Helligkilde. Based on a case study of spring names in the region of north-western Sjælland, the whole question of age is discussed, just as several cases show how spring names and their attached folklore etymology are not always to be taken at face value.

U2 - 10.34158/ONOMA.56/2021/12

DO - 10.34158/ONOMA.56/2021/12

M3 - Journal article

VL - 56

SP - 235

EP - 250

JO - Onoma

JF - Onoma

SN - 0078-463X

ER -