Ancient 'X' marks reveal the hidden history of Saami rituals
Traveling through the forests of northern Scandinavia, one can often encounter characteristic X marks carved into trees. However, these are not ordinary symbols, as it is immediately apparent that they are many years old and carry a dark meaning. So, what secret do they hold? The answer may surprise you.
Many travellers starting their journey through northern Scandinavia have undoubtedly come across the mysterious marks carved into trees. They are usually in the form of the letter X, which, as it turns out, has a dark meaning and was used by the Indigenous people hundreds of years ago.
These types of symbols are typically found on old trees deep within the forest. Although at first glance they may resemble markings for trees to be cut down, upon closer inspection, this illusion quickly disappears. It is evident how meticulously they were made.
According to researchers, their origins are directly linked to the Saami people. Historically, they were known as one of the groups that resisted Christianization the longest. Their beliefs are said to have led to numerous signs appearing on trees in northern Scandinavia.
Centuries-old marks on trees in Scandinavia
During the period of forced Christianization, they believed that trees were a direct connection to the deities. The characteristic marks on trees were meant to signify places where, most likely, bloody sacrifices to the gods were frequently made. In other words, the X's on trees in northern Scandinavia typically symbolize places of worship from hundreds of years ago.
Unlike most other sacred objects, standing trees are not easy to collect and they have generally eluded the ambitions of the Church to erase the traces of the Indigenous religion – notes Dr. Ingela Bergman from Silvermuseet Museum, as quoted by phys.org.
However, the marks on trees could also have been created from a purely practical point of view. They were used to mark the boundaries between different territories.
