Votive site

Votive sites are sites where animal sacrifice in the form of bones deposited in a split in a block of stone or beneath a cairn are made.

The sites strongly resemble graves or tombs, however no human bones are found. Such finds are made in Hallstatt culure sites, and they presumably also represent graves. Votive sites, or (North & East Saami) "seite" or (South Saami) "storiockare" (storjunkare) are representative especially among Saami groups and hence are most common in Lappland. It was believed that stones ruled over the food resources and hence were protected from Giants by the help of Thor. However, findings are also made down to Scania, Sweden where an earlier interpretion in 1589 was a rendezvous point of Huns and Goths. Findings in Central Europe are usually devoted to the Hallstatt culture. A similar worship in stones is known in Crete.

See also

• Votive deposit
• Ex-voto
• Votive candle
• Grave goods