Old Norse Saga Insight - Egils Saga Part 5

The Curse Pole (Níðstang): Old Norse Ritual of Destruction

One of the most famous magical acts in the saga is Egil’s carving of a níðstang — a curse pole — against King Eiríkr and Queen Gunnhildr.

He:

1. Slaughters a horse

2. Mounts its severed head on a post

3. Carves runes or staves into wood

4. Rotates the horse’s head toward the land of his enemies

5. Declares that the land’s spirits should drive the royals away

This ritual is grounded in real Old Norse practice. Archaeology shows horse skulls mounted on posts in Viking-age contexts. Literary sources (such as Vatnsdœla saga and Landnámabók) confirm that níð — a curse, insult, and social-spiritual attack — had legal and spiritual weight. A níðstang was believed to call upon local landvættir (land spirits) to turn against the cursed person.

Egil’s act is not mere theatrics. It is a targeted spiritual assault, blending runic magic, ritual performance, and social condemnation.