Pacing around the mascot is a common behavior that can be observed at various events, such as sports games, parades, or concerts. It involves individuals walking or moving in a circular or back-and-forth motion around the mascot, often accompanied by cheering, clapping, and chanting. This behavior can be seen as a way to show support, excitement, or enthusiasm for the team or event. The main idea behind pacing around the mascot is the expression of energy and passion. By moving around the mascot, individuals are able to actively engage with the event and create a sense of unity and camaraderie with fellow supporters. It can also serve as a physical outlet for emotions, allowing individuals to channel their excitement or nerves into movement.
Other realms were less desirable, such as Helheim, the domain of Hel, the goddess of death.
The most common form of healing for early medieval Scandinavians was to strike their sickles against their arrows to deflect pain and power away from the body, as well as to preserve life and health by curative deities. The choice of cremation or burial depended on several factors, such as the region, the period, the personal preference of the deceased or their family, and the availability of resources.
It can also serve as a physical outlet for emotions, allowing individuals to channel their excitement or nerves into movement. Additionally, pacing around the mascot can be a way to interact with the mascot itself, as it is often positioned in a central or prominent location. This interaction can increase the sense of connection between the attendees and the event, creating a memorable and immersive experience.
How Did The Vikings Honor Their Dead?
Vikings made their bloody but brief mark on history hundreds of years ago through their nomadic lifestyle and wild practices of raping, pillaging and conquering anything or anyone who crossed their path. These nomads were often seen as savages as they traveled throughout Europe, but the Vikings held a high regard for the life (and death) of their fellow Norsemen.
Who Were the Vikings?So how did they honor their dead? Nailing down the exact rituals of Viking funerals is difficult, as they kept few written accounts of their lives and deaths, but thanks to a few remaining accounts, and archaeological remains that have been found throughout much of Europe, it’s possible to resurrect some of their funeral traditions.
Most Vikings were sent to the afterlife in one of two ways—cremation or burial.
Cremation (often upon a funeral pyre) was particularly common among the earliest Vikings, who were fiercely pagan and believed the fire’s smoke would help carry the deceased to their afterlife. Once cremated, the remains also might be buried, usually in an urn.
For both cremated remains and bodies, burial locations ranged widely, from shallowly-dug graves (often used for women and children) to burial mounds that could hold multiple bodies and groupings of mounds or “grave fields” that served much the same role as cemeteries.
View of Viking burial site Anundshog, in Vasteras, Sweden. (Credit: Rose-Marie Murray/Alamy Stock Photo)
In Norse mythology, boats symbolized safe passage into the afterlife on the same vessel that aided their travels in life, so they played a key role in funeral rites. Some grave mounds were built to resemble ships, with stones used to outline the vessel’s shape. For other high-ranked Norsemen, the honors went a step further, and they were buried with their actual boats.
But these types of elaborate boat funerals weren’t reserved for just men. One of the most extravagant boat burials honored two women, who likely died around 834 A.D. Known as the “Oseberg ship,” it’s one of the most well persevered Viking artifacts. While the Vikings were known for the craftsmanship that went into their vessels in general, the size and detail of the Oseberg was exceptional. Seventy feet long and nearly 17 feet wide, the ship had 15 oars on each side, a pine mast more than 30 feet high, and was spacious enough to fit 30 people.
The excavation of the Oseberg ship, a Viking vessel used as the burial chamber of an important woman in 834 AD. It was discovered on a farm in Vestfold, Norway in 1904. (Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
But contrary to popular belief, funeral boats were rarely sent out to sea, likely because the cost of building these legendary longboats was prohibitive. So it’s unlikely that there were many ships that were set sail and then set ablaze by fiery arrows shot from the shores.
Regardless of how the body was disposed of, a few rituals remained almost constant. The body was draped in new clothes prepared specifically for the funeral, and a ceremony was held featuring songs, chants, food and alcohol. Tributes and gifts, known as “grave goods” and usually of equal value to the deceased’s status, were buried or burned along with the recipient. These goods ran the gamut, from weapons to jewelry to slaves. One Viking site in Flakstad, Norway, contained multiple bodies (some decapitated) in a single grave. Based on analysis of their diets and DNA, it was determined that they were likely slaves, who had been sacrificed to spend eternity with their former masters. Women were often taken in as sex slaves as part of Viking culture, so the idea that they would be sacrificed with their master is feasible.
Largest burial site in Scandinavia has over 600 graves dating back to the Germanic Iron Age and the Viking period. Each circle of stones designates a burial site for man who had merit in the community. North of Alborg, Denmark. (Credit: Ted Spiegel/Getty Images)
And according to a report based on accounts from the Middle Ages-traveler Ahmad ibn Fadlan, one instance of the funeral of a Viking chieftain included a sacrificial female slave who was forced to drink copious amounts of alcohol, with large amounts of alcohol, then raped by every man in the village as a tribute to the deceased. From there, she was strangled with a rope, stabbed by a matriarch of the village (known as the Angel of Death), then placed in the boat with her master and set on fire.
Cremation (often upon a funeral pyre) was particularly common among the earliest Vikings, who were fiercely pagan and believed the fire’s smoke would help carry the deceased to their afterlife.
Overall, pacing around the mascot is a lively and spirited behavior that adds to the atmosphere of an event and fosters a sense of community among the participants..
Reviews for "The Benefits of Walking with a Mascot During the Pandemic"
1. John - 2 stars - I found "Pace around the mascot" to be quite boring and repetitive. The concept of the game was interesting, but the execution fell flat for me. The gameplay consisted of nothing more than walking around a mascot and trying to keep up with its pace. It quickly became monotonous and I lost interest after a few minutes.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I was extremely disappointed with "Pace around the mascot". The graphics were subpar and the controls were clunky and unresponsive. The game lacked any depth or challenge, and I quickly became bored. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time or money on this game.
3. Mark - 2 stars - "Pace around the mascot" had potential but failed to deliver an engaging experience. The game lacked a clear objective and there were no compelling gameplay elements to keep me interested. It felt like a mindless exercise in walking around without any purpose. Overall, I found it to be a dull and uninspiring game.