Showing posts with label Tanzlinde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tanzlinde. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Sacred Trees - Dance Tree or Tanzlinde

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 238-365













In the Holy Roman Empire, a Gerichtslinde (German for "court linden, doom linden"; plural -linden) was a linden tree where assemblies and judicial courts were held. Rooted in Germanic tribal law, the custom has left traces through the Germanic language-speaking areas.
Located in the center of its village, the tree was also at the center of festivities, in this respect known as Tanzlinde "dance linden".

After Christianization, the linden remained associated with justice and benevolent protection, often re-dedicated to Mary mother of Jesus (Marienlinden) or to the twelve Apostles (Apostellinden).


The branches of an enormous tanzlinde, or dance tree, in Steinfurt, Germany, require the support of scaffolding. Dance trees are highly manicured and sculpted so that they can provide a sheltered place for gatherings. They are commonly time-tested, non-citrus-bearing lime species, like the one above.

In many European villages they were the center of social activity—from community dances to court sessions. The bark is strong and used for making textiles and ropes, as well as metaphors for the strength of community bonds.
 
And as the mythology goes, dance trees represent a cosmic connection between Earth and the heavens. The trees helped people measure the passing of time through seasonal changes and became the centerpiece of local folklore around goddesses of love.

The heart-shaped leaves of the lime, also called the tilia, linden, or basswood, are a symbol of passion, and the trees attracted amorous couples seeking seclusion

History

Many surviving linden trees may sometimes retain names Thie-Linde, Thing-Linde or Tilly-Linde, but often simply Dorflinde "village linden". The oldest of them is in Schenklengsfeld, Hesse, planted in the 9th century, in the time of Louis the Younger.

Numerous examples of sacred trees and groves exist amongst the pre-Christian Germanic peoples. The linden is often claimed to have been sacred to Freyja in the pre-Christian period, forming a polarity with the oaks sacred to Donar.

Dance lime-trees, as a special form of the customary village lime-tree, arose during the romanticism and the Biedermeier period time. Now with from May traditionall to famed village dance parties it was danced in moreover especially hergerichtetetn lime-trees ' in the tree '.
 
The branches of the lime-tree were bent in about three meters of height horizontally outwardly, so that on the branches a hölzeener dance ground can be inserted. Beyond the dance floor again upwards to growing branches trained with her foliage work a wide, shady roof about vdem dance ground.