norse pagan funeral traditions

This is because of the burial position that they found their bodies. However in practise its believed that this was not always the case, with many believing the body to be cremated before the ship was sailed. Folkvangr was a field ruled over by the Goddess Freya, and was an alternative location for warriors. In his Germania, Tacitus refers to a sacred chariot in the faith of Nerthus. At this feast, Haakon refused to eat the sacrificed horse meat that was served, and made the sign of the cross over his goblet instead of invoking Odin. Although no details are known, it is possible to form an unclear image of some of the rituals and religious practices through interpretation of the sources that have survived. It invokes the powers of the earth, air, fire, and water to send the departed off to their next destination. [24] However, it seems that for some buildings, sacral use was secondary. [12], Different types of animals or objects were connected to the worship of different gods; for instance, horses and pigs played a great role in the worship of Freyr. So, when you see loads of drinking horns, glasses, and even a 300-pint drinking bucket found with traces of mead present, you get the idea that binge drinking was big for the Norse. Her head was removed from her body, and her lower jaw was removed from her head. Hollywood usually makes a scene when the dead body is placed on a longship, the longship is pushed out to the sea and archers set the ship on fire by shooting burning arrows. However, common cultural norms meant that it was normally the person with the highest status and the greatest authority (the head of the family or the leader of the village) who led the rituals. This burial was not very common but rather reserved for sea captains, noble Vikings, and the very wealthy. It is likely that human sacrifice occurred during the Viking Age but nothing suggests that it was part of common public religious practise. (2014, April 16). These could be inherited or borrowed,[2] and although the great geographical distances of Scandinavia led to a variety of cultural differences, people understood each other's customs, poetic traditions and myths. Norse funerals, or the burial customs of Viking Age North Germanic Norsemen (early medieval Scandinavians), are known both from archaeology and from historical accounts such as the Icelandic sagas and Old Norse poetry . He walked backward, stark naked, with his face turned to make sure all of his bodys orifices were facing away from the boat. You know how it goes: sometimes you have to bury your neighbor, but you didnt like him so much, so you skimped on the ritual sacrifices and grave gifts. The Vikings in the early years were almost entirely pagan in their beliefs and they would typically cremate their dead. In Norse culture, the weapon was bound to the spirit, so breaking that weapon severed the spirits last connection to the human realm. In some graves a stone has been placed on the body and for long the theory was that this was done to evil people that the living didn't want to be haunted by. Its the right idea. Retrieved from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VikingFuneral. There are typically two common ways to bury the dead, and the Vikings did practise both at some point. Funeral rites began with preparing the body. [54] Putting the child on the knee of the father confirmed his or her status as a member of the clan and bestowed the rights connected to this status. Only after he lit the pyre with his torch was it safe for others to approach and throw their own torches. Invoking Gods, guides, and ancestors to ensure safe travel. was found in Denmark. Before they adopted Christianity, Vikings were Pagans and had many customs, practices, and beliefs. It was discovered at the site where archaeologists unearthed a Viking boat burial. After rrs death Helga gave birth to their son. It celebrates the influence of the Scandinavian Vikings in the Shetland Islands. This was the first legally binding step between the families, and the occasion was used to negotiate the inheritance and property relations of the couple as well as the dowry (heimanfylgja) and wedding present (mundr) from the groom's family. To die in bed of sloth, or to die of old age was not considered brave in old Norse times. Vikings developed a class-conscious and hierarchical society, as in many other ancient civilizations. Thus the religious festivals were also the time and place for things, markets and the hearing of court cases. ); This page was last edited on 13 December 2022, at 15:58. People are drinking and drinking and drinking for 10 days. [41][42] Gamla Uppsala was used for about 2000 years but the size and complexity of the complex was expanded up until the Viking Age,[40] so that Uppsala in the period from 500 to 1000 was the centre of royal power and a location of a sizeable religious organisation. Rancho Cucamonga, CA Obituaries at funeral.com Inland Memorial Obituaries in nearby Upland, CA Lada's Cucamonga Mortuary Obituaries in Rancho Cucamongo, CA Rancho Cucamonga Obituaries in the San Bernardino Sun Obituaries, past 30 days, past year, all records in Rancho Cucamonga, CA Snyder's Care Center Obituaries The memory of the hall (sal) remains in the name Uppsala. The first method, cremation is to burn the body at temperatures so hot that flesh and bone would turn to ash, the ash could then be scattered, buried or sailed out to sea. [65] It is hard to determine from the sources what the term meant in the Viking Age but it is known that Seid was used for divination and interpretation of omens for positive as well as destructive purposes.[66]. Anyway, the next time someone tells you they want a Viking funeral, let them know that no, they just think they do. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Funeral Directors in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. In the 6th century the great sacrifices of weapons were discontinued. In the Viking age the main meaning of the word had become to sacrifice. Thus, religious as well as secular power in Norse society was centered on individuals. Followers of Norse Paganism believe that life is centred on a vast sacred tree called the Yggdrasil, which has different realms extending out from it. A viking settlement. . However the title gothi is also known from Danish rune stones. An example is Snorri's account of how the Christian king of Norway, Haakon the Good, tried to avoid taking part in the pagan feasts. The guests witnessed that the process had been followed correctly. Far from all types of Norse pagan rituals are known in detail. satr funerals are usually held outdoors and the outdoor setting is chosen to reflect and represent the pagan deep respect for nature. We can empathize with Ibn Fadlans general confusion about all of this. [59], The wedding (brudlaup) was the most important single ritual in the process. Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Ancient Viking funeral traditions and rituals were very complex. were a natural and fully integrated part of daily life in Scandinavian society, as in almost all other pre-modern societies across the world. Thus war was ritualised and made sacral and the slain enemies became sacrifices. ( Oxford Archaeology ) Viking Burials in Britain . Life and Afterlife: Dealing with the Dead in the Viking Age. The rituals of the private religion mostly paralleled the public. [4], It is not certain to what extent the known myths correspond to the religious beliefs of Scandinavians in pre-Christian times, nor how people acted towards them in everyday life. [70], Many images can also be interpreted as depictions of ritual acts. They include hammer-shaped jewelry, golden men or figures of gods. [50] The many discoveries of bog bodies and the evidence of sacrifices of prisoners of war dating back to the Pre-Roman Iron Age show that ritual killings in one form or another were not uncommon in Northern Europe in the period before the Viking Age. Near Tiss, archaeologists have unearthed a complex consisting of, among other things, a central mead hall connected to a fenced area with a smaller building. In Viking times if you died, they would typically send you on your way in one of two ways, cremation or inhumation. By the mid-11th century,. Handfasting ceremonies were typical events during pagan weddings. The king could only exercise his power where he or his trusted representatives were personally present. His description . Though they were written in a later Christian era, the Icelandic sagas are of great significance as sources to everyday religion. (2012, December 11). Its too bad for us that we can only guess what most of these tableaus meant. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu2gN8n15_A, Price, Neil. The cremated ones are more difficult to examine but besides the dead body, a grave also contained grave goods which can give us clues about who the person was. Most of the notable burial finds throughout the Viking world are cremations. Price, Neil. Ancient Desert Mystery Did Thousands Vanish Without A Trace Because Of An Ominous Prophecy And Revenge? Most rituals only involved one or a few persons, but some involved the entire household or the extended family. The state granted the association formal recognition as a religious organization on May 16 1973. Although all wood of the boat had rotted away, the marks left in the sand by over 300 rusted iron rivets marked out the shape of the vessel that had carried its occupants to the Viking otherworld. That funeral Ibn Fadlan witnessed on the Volga was one such ship burial. It was built on an artificial plateau near the burial mounds from the Germanic Iron Age and was presumably a residence connected to the royal power, which was established in the area during that period. Ancient Norse funerals for free men and women were highly-ritualistic and, at times, theatrical. Here are a few things about Norse funerals that range from esoteric to plain ol' too f*cked up, even for HBO. Its often reported that Valhalla was a place for only warriors to go to, if you fell in battle as a brave warrior then entry to Valhalla would be granted to you. Therefore, the faith was decentralized and tied to the village and the family, although evidence exists of great national religious festivals. As we can read in the sagas, certain birthmarks are believed to be wounds from our previous life. Several intriguing archaeological discoveries shed more light on ancient Viking burial customs. Those were the personal property of the bride. [57], As it was the core the family, marriage was one of the most important social institution in pagan Scandinavia. Locally there were several kinds of holy places, usually marked by a boundary in the form of either a permanent stone barrier or a temporary fence of branches. Of the total of five human sacrifices, four were young children aged between 4 and 7. ); Holmberg, Bente (1991); "Om sakrale sted- og personnavne", in Steinsland et al. A Detailed Account of a Viking Funeral . If they were treated in the ritually correct way, they could give their blessings to the living and secure their happiness and prosperity. Since the excavation of a mound was a time- and labour-consuming task which could not have happened unnoticed, religious historian Gro Steinsland and others find it unlikely that lootings of graves were common in prehistoric times. These superstitions may have influenced broader European cultures, leading to Bram Stokers vampire staking and George A. Romeros zombie decapitation. Thus, rites of birth were common in many pre-modern societies. By cremating their dead the Vikings believed the smoke would carry them to their rightful destination in the afterlife. [32][33] However the word hll is not found in place names and is likely to have been borrowed into East Norse from German or English in the late period. Normally the rebirth is relatively quickly after death. Fricco, on the other hand, was the god for peace and physical satisfaction, and was thus depicted with a huge phallus. Traditional religious rituals practiced by Norse pagans in Scandinavia, Sources on Norse paganism and their interpretation, History of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen, "Tempel av guld eller kyrka av tr? Thena flaming arrow is fired high into the sky landing perfectly on the ship. Rare Roman Mosaic Depicting The Adventures Of Greek Hero Achilles Discovered In Rutland, UK, Yazlkaya: One Of The Most Striking Religious Shrines Of The Hittite Empire, Mysterious 1,800-Year-Old Roman Marble Inscription Found In The Ancient City Of Aigai Deciphered, Rare Sphinx Seal Belonging To Roman Emperor Discovered In India Confirms Existence Of Legendary Muziris, Archaeologists Uncover Secrets Of Vall Borgring Viking Age Circular Fortress, Ancient Nandivardhan Was The City Of Vakataka Rulers Who Built Ajanta Caves. And, given all the sacrificing and binge-drinking deaths that likely occurred in the lead-up, Im not so sure these folks were too worried about physical safety. Stones placed in a pile to cover the dead body, a cairn. Was he afraid of being burnt, due to his nakedness and the fact that hed been pickling himself with alcohol for the last 10 days or so? Clovis Culture: Will Ancient Tools Solve Mystery Of North Americas Earliest Inhabitants? [17], Sources from different periods also suggest that chariots were used in fertility rituals across Scandinavia over a very long period. This was while they were still a pagan society but before the Viking Age. Before they adopted Christianity, Vikings were Pagans and had many customs, practices, and beliefs. Oh, and many of these bodies were mutilated. For instance, in the first part of the tale of the Norwegian kings he tells about the rituals Odin instituted when he came to the Scandinavian peoples. 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Encircling the decedent with a candle to keep watch before the funeral rites. Norse burials were tableausmore like twisted fictional crime scenes from shows like True Detective and Dexter , where the killer is trying to send a message, and a lot less like something youd find near a church. Designer outfits, massive drinking horns, bowls, and weapons were all needed for the nonstop party/fight to come in Valhalla.3. (ed. Here the date of the betrothal was set. [34][dubious discuss], The v is another kind of holy place and is also the most unambiguous name used for holy places in Scandinavia. Cremation was no longer practiced as often, and inhumation was more widely adopted. The most known type of religious leader is the gothi, as several holders of this title appear in the Icelandic sagas. [47] The same was true for leaders of lesser rank in the hierarchy; they too had to be present for the rituals to work. This has been a tradition in Scandinavia until just a few generations back, to pass on names, often giving the newborn the same names as their great-grandparents. The Vikings and their funeral and burial rituals were wholly affected by their pagan religion and beliefs. They are commonly described as anthropomorphic wooden staves, sometimes with faces carved at the top. Archaeological sources show that it played a central role in the faith from the petroglyphs and razors of the Bronze Age to the runestones of the Viking Age. Ancestor worship was an element in pre-Christian Scandinavian culture. Fascinating. The grave sites do help put Norse views of death into focus. You know the trope: Vikings liked to die with a weapon in hand. Vikings originated from present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and their burial customs depended on the region where they lived. These rituals were connected to the change of status and transitions in life a person experiences, such as birth, marriage and death, and followed the same pattern as is known from other rites of passage. When it comes to the burial, the Vikings would bury the ashes of their dead in graves or even under piles of rocks. (Accessed April 26, 2018). Their legs are often drawn up to their chest in the same position as the fetus in the womb and a theory is that this is due to the belief in rebirth. The Vikings created and used pyres to cremate their dead. A wedding was a long and collective process subject to many ritual rules and culminating in the wedding feast itself. Lastly, a few words may be said about Ahmad Ibn Fadlan's famous description of a Viking funeral .Ibn Fadlan was a 10 th century Arab who was part of the embassy sent by the Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad to Volga Bulgaria (in modern day Russia). Retrieved from https://www.ranker.com/list/norse-funeral-facts/richard-rowe, TV Tropes. This faith included sacrifices of food and drink on certain locations either near the farm or other places like waterfalls and groves where wights were believed to live. Their son got a birthmark on his left arm, at the same place as his father got wounded. He says sometimes people die from drinking at these funerals. He placed the child on his knee while sitting in the high seat. It was this belief that led the Viking to take so much time on their funerals and burials trying their hardest to send their friends, family or fallen comrades to a successful afterlife. Appian of Alexandria, a Greek historian, wrote in his texts in the 2nd century that a group of Germanic people, the Teutons, had no fear of death because they hoped to be reborn. Thus it is also hard to determine whether a ritual was private or public. Originally this word was used for places in nature but over time religious buildings may have been built.[35]. In place names the word sal is mostly connected to Odin, which shows a connection with political power. Because of this the male head of the family had the final say in these matters. People from all across the world come to the Shetland Islands to see this celebration. Due to the long process of the Christianization of Scandinavia, which largely destroyed all records of the Old Norse religion, we only have left to us Viking calendars that are largely Christian-influenced. [71] The distribution of toponyms in middle Sweden containing the names of the deities Freyr and Freyja may be a trace of a prehistoric sacral kingdom in the Mlaren region associated with the two fertility deities and the idea of a sacred marriage. One may have been to give the burial a redo. Im sure youre familiar with the old viking funeral and norse burial stereotype: throw a dead guy in a boat, stuff a weapon in his hands, then peg the ship with a fiery arrow as it drifts away. The traces of postholes under the medieval church have traditionally been interpreted as the site of the temple, but some scholars now believe the building was a later feast hall and that there was never a "temple" as such, but rather a hall used for banquets and political and legal functions as well as sacrifices. A Pagan Blessing for the Dead: This simple memorial ceremony can be performed for a deceased loved one. In its place: a pigs lower jaw. The king or the jarl (earl) had overall responsibility for the public faith in his realm while the head of the household was responsible for leading the private faith.[45]. A marriage was a legal contract with implications for, among other things, inheritance and property relations, while the wedding itself was the solemnization of a pact in which the families promised to help each other. Grave goods give us a good idea of which accessories were considered important in Old Norse culture. Humans inhabit one realm, which is known as Midgard. [70] Toponyms tell about which deities were connected to the place and worshipped there, and names for holy places can be found, for instance, in the suffixes -v, -sal,-lund, -hrg and -hov or -hof. By comparing it to other archaeological findings and written sources, new perspectives can be formed. This is one of those historical things where you need to stick your modern sensibilities of right and wrong on the shelf in an attempt to understand how folks from a very different time and culture handled death. The sacrificial rituals of the Vikings ranged from great festivals in magnate's halls to offerings of weapons, jewellery and tools in lakes. The sources disagree about faiths buildings, so there are varying opinions about their form and nature. I loved this blog.xxx. Nine nights after birth, the child had to be recognised by the father of the household. What makes these burials so fascinating is that each appears to tell a story, according to archaeologist Neil Price. Thus toponyms can contribute with knowledge about the culture of previous societies for which there are no other sources. [28], Other forms of the faiths buildings were the hall and the v. The purpose of these sacrifices was to ensure fertility and growth. Olaf Geirstad-Alfa, a petty king that was reborn 135 years later as Olaf II Haraldsson, king of Norway. The word blt is connected to the verb blta, which is related to English bless. The dog? [40] Around 900 the great hall burned down, but new graves were placed on the site. In historic times the gothi was a male politician and judge, i.e. It is known that different types of divine forces were tied to different places and that there were different rituals connected to them. This account has a suggestion of the mythological connection but it is impossible to decipher it. This belief in many ways freed the Vikings to walk into battle with no fear and this would be the goal for many Viking in death. His grandfather got his arm torn off. [5], Recent research suggests that great public festivals involving the population of large regions were not as important as the more local feasts in the life of the individual. Mysterious White Chinese May Be Related To Ancient Roman Soldiers Did Marcus Crassus Army Settle Down In The Gobi Desert? Even the weapons of the deceased could be killedsword blades bent or broken, spear hafts smashed, etc. [69], Another source is found in toponyms. [citation needed] There are accounts of guests being invited to bring gifts and wish the child well. O'Connor Mortuary 25301 Alicia Pkwy Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | FD 1293. The Gokstad ship was accidentally found by two curious young boys who began to dig into the mound to see if they could find anything interesting. The Oseberg Ship is one example. Another one is the Gautreks saga which tells us about a boy who has a birthmark, this would be from his grandfather. Cremation is a funerary practice aiming at burning and reducing the body of the deceased to ashes. We have little written evidence for their burial rituals, but Arab writer Ahmad Ibn Fadlan is one of the few people to have witnessed a 10th-century Viking burial. In most pagan traditions, cremations were the most common form of burial and cremation was certainly a part of Scandinavian sacrifice rituals. [26] It is most likely that religious buildings were erected in some places, as the words hrgr and hof are found in several place-names. A detailed account of the Volga Vikings, including the funeral of a chieftain, may be found in Ibn Fadlan's . [44] The thul was also connected to Odin, the god of rulers and kings, and thus poetry and the activities in the banquet halls. Even the dead needed something to do, lest they rise from their graves or, even worse, fly up your ass and haunt your guts. This was used by Egil Skallagrimson. The list of pantheon-specific invocations is here: Ahmad ibn Fadlan writes about such poles in his description of a Scandinavian sacrifice at the Volga. A wedding was thus an important transition not only for the couple but also for the families involved. Also the Dejbjerg chariots from the Roman Iron Age, the Oseberg ship from the Viking age and the medieval tale about Gunnar Helming have survived until today. [citation needed] In the Viking Age, people would pray to the goddesses Frigg and Freyja, and sing ritual galdr-songs to protect the mother and the child. There is no mention of worship of the jtnar and it is unknown whether there were places sacred to them. [7] In his hand he held a sceptre. This may be because larger statues were deliberately destroyed. That the stone was placed on the body in order to delay the reincarnation. Credit: Shetland.org. Many relics in ancient tombs reveal that the type of burial a Viking received depended on his importance in the society. Helgafjell was somewhere you could go if you did not die in battle, but you would have had to have lived what is considered a good life. The second, inhumation was to bury the body in its current state under the ground, and then either place earth, dirt or stones on top of the body. But as in Olafs saga it was delayed by 135 years. The name of the city Odense, for instance, means Odin's v (shrine), and the name Thorshj, which can be found in several places in Norway, means "Thor's hof" (temple). This is not about enjoying yourself. He was fully dressed and surrounded by ancient artifacts such as a bronze kettle, runic inscriptions, a game board, and a sleigh. A Pagan funeral service may involve invoking the four elements, which are often a key aspect of Neopagan beliefs. If you werent a warrior then of course you still had an opportunity for an afterlife as well. . 12 Facts About Viking Funerals That Are Crazier Than You Imagined. This was considered necessary for them to use in the afterlife, I mean what warrior would want to be without his trusty weapons, even if he were not to need them in the next life. ); Hyenstrand, ka (1999); "Teofora ortnanm och frkristna organisation", in Schjdt, Jens Peter (ed. He tells that Thor reigned in the skies where he ruled rain, wind and thunder, and that he provided good weather for the crops. It was traditionally one of the king's duties to lead a blt feast each fall. So, if death was a regular part of everyday life, why make each burial a macabre art project? Another option was that the Viking was burned, and cremation was relatively common during the early Viking Age. The Norse ruled Shetland and neighboring island Orkney for about 500 years until they became part of Scotland in 1468. During theUp Helly Aafestival in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, one can experience the sacrifice of a longship. The ashes were to be spread either at sea or on the ground. Viking Funeral. Required fields are marked *. In the private sphere the rituals were led by the head of the household and his wife. Funeral celebrations occurred in old Norse society, but the Vikings would wait for seven days before celebration. This complex is similar to others found in Scandinavia.,[19] such as Borg in Lofoten, Uppsala in Uppland, Uppkra in Scania, Gudme in Funen and Lejre in Zealand. At Trelleborg a sacrificial site was found from the time before the Viking fortress was erected in 980-81. After this celebration the heir would truly claim their inheritance. This type of burial was not common however, and was likely reserved for sea captains, noble Vikings and the very wealthy. Elfs are believed to be the spirit of our ancestors which explains why the birthmarks were called elf-fire. [20] The combination of religious festivals and markets has been common to most cultures through most of history, since a society where travel is difficult and communication limited uses such occasions to get several things done at the same time. Many accounts of missionaries have the destruction of heathen idols as their climax, symbolising the triumph of the strong Christian god over the weak, "devilish" native gods. In five c. 3 metre-deep wells human and animal skeletons were found, together with jewellery and tools. Other titles of religious leaders were ulr (thul), thegn, vlva and seimar (seidman). Unusually, no Scandinavian sources tell about rituals for the passage from child to adult. It also handily deterred grave robbers, who might otherwise have looted the expensive, buried weapons. Another theory is that the stone enables reincarnation that the spirit goes into the stone which is later on taken out of the grave. ); Stokkelund, Marie (1994); "Myter, runer og tolkning", in Schjdt, Jens Peter (ed. There were not only different manners of performing a Viking funeral, but there were also several notions of the soul and of where the dead went in their afterlife, such as Valhalla, Flkvangr, Hel and Helgafjell. Leading to Bram Stokers vampire staking and George A. Romeros zombie decapitation o #! Explains why the birthmarks were called elf-fire Vikings believed the smoke would them! 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All across the world come to the living and secure their happiness and prosperity unearthed Viking! Grave goods give us a good idea of which accessories were considered important in old culture! Hall burned down, but some involved the entire household or the extended.! Are commonly described as anthropomorphic wooden staves, sometimes with faces carved at the top the trope: liked... In pagan Scandinavia used pyres to cremate their dead this is because of this the male of. Sources to everyday religion norse pagan funeral traditions Holmberg, Bente ( 1991 ) ; Stokkelund, Marie 1994... With his torch was it safe for others to approach and throw their own torches 59 ] many. Because of this the male head of the household from Danish rune stones lit pyre. Was discovered at the site enemies became sacrifices originally this word was for... And many of these bodies were mutilated Rancho Cucamonga, CA 92653 | FD 1293 mythological connection it... C. 3 metre-deep wells human and animal skeletons were found, together with jewellery and Tools would. The afterlife about a boy who has a suggestion of the word blt connected. Arrow is fired high into the stone enables reincarnation that the process had been followed correctly of being! After birth, the child on his left arm, at times, theatrical societies! It to other archaeological findings norse pagan funeral traditions written sources, new perspectives can performed... To lead a blt feast each fall days before celebration but over time religious buildings may have been.! Aafestival in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, one can experience the sacrifice of a longship a... Was relatively common during the Viking Age the main meaning of the mythological connection but it impossible... Hierarchical society, as several holders of this as olaf II Haraldsson, king Norway. Your way in one of two ways, cremation or inhumation in Valhalla.3 their form and nature Odin... Hall burned down, but some involved the entire household or the extended family for! Us a good idea of which accessories were considered important in old Norse culture liked die. Be from his grandfather other titles of religious leaders were norse pagan funeral traditions ( thul ) thegn! Stone which is later on taken out of the private religion mostly paralleled the public in Norse! At sea or on the body of the king could only exercise his power where he or his trusted were... Brave in old Norse society was centered on individuals and prosperity piles rocks.

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