#harii

Above photo: Otto Höfler’s Characterisation of the Germanic Peoples: From Sacred Men’s Bands to Social Daemonism by Courtney Marie Burrell (published 2023 by ‎De Gruyter) along with a couple of my journals used to take notes on various books & essays.

---

During the early 20th century the term Männerbund ('alliance of men') gained foothold, most notably in Heinrich Schurtz’s “Altersklassen und Männerbünde”, published in 1902, where the concept was later developed by Austrian philologist Lily Weiser (1927) and popularized particularly by Otto Höfler (1934).  

Researchers like Otto Höfler went so far as to state that the Perchten run and the Wild Hunt were vestiges of pre-Christian männerbund. He described pre-Christian männerbund as a group of male youth with initiation rites and rituals that were perhaps linked to the cult of Odin. Höfler claimed these male societies could have even been the basis for stories of the Einherjer, citing what 1st century CE Roman historian wrote about the Harii as an example: “with black shields and painted bodies, they choose dark nights to fight, and by means of terror and shadow of a ghostly army they cause panic, since no enemy can bear a sight so unexpected and hellish; in every battle the eyes are the first to be conquered.”

The book "The One-eyed God: Odin and the (Indo-) Germanic Männerbünde" stated that during these initiation rituals the male youth would simulate death, it was a ritual death and rebirth, which was viewed as the only real death. As the book commented: "Once initiated, he belongs to the dead ancestors, who are the immortals. His physical death is meaningless". How they would become the dead would be by masks, but "mask" is not always something that covers the face, it could also be painting the body (as Tacitus described the Harii). The purpose is to show the wearer is daemonic or more than human, not himself but an ancestor.

Harii

I have written about them a year earlier but I have rewritten this post to include more information about them.

The Harii were a Germanic tribe shrouded in mystery. Little is known about the origins of this tribe and its exact location. Some historians claim that the Harii came from modern day northern Germany but others suggest that they came from the south, modern day southern Germany and Poland, if Tacitus is correct this would be a more likely location of them.

There is of course also the possibility that the Harii were not even a tribe at all. Perhaps it is just a name for the legendary warriors who belonged to it. The name Harii is Germanic and is derived from the word 'ger' which means 'spear. The name is in plural so you could translate it into 'spears' or perhaps 'army'.

We only know of their existence thanks to a description made by Tacitus in his work the Germania:

"The Harii, fierce beyond the superiority of strength they possess over the other just enumerated people, improve their natural ferocity of aspect by artificial helps. Their shields are black, their bodies painted, they choose the darkest nights for an attack and strike terror by the funereal gloom of their sable bands, no enemy being able to sustain their singular, and, as it were, infernal appearance since in every combat the eyes are the first part subdued." - Tacitus, Germania

Tacitus describes here a ghostly army of painted men who attack in the night. Some historians compare these warriors to the Einherjar and others theorize that these warriors were the inspiration for the dead in Wodan's wild hunt. Their blackened appearance might have actually been inspired by legends of the wild hunt. It is possible they tried to emulate the hunt in order to terrorize their enemies, which apparently, according to Tacitus, was a very succesful tactic.

One thing I do really want to mention is the theory that the Harii were perhaps not even Germanic at all. If you read the Germania more closely, the Harii seem to have been part of the Lugii community:

"for a continued ridge of mountains separates Suebi from various remoter tribes. Of these, the Lugii is the most extensive, and diffuses its name through several communities. It will be sufficient to name the most powerful of them: the Harii, Helvecones, Manimi, Elysii, and Naharvali." - Tacitus, Germania

The Lugii were not a tribe but a confederation of tribes of Celtic origins. Although it is uncertain if all tribes belonging to this confederation were fully Celtic, it seems some Germanic tribes like the Semnones and the Lombards were part of it as well. Also according to Strabo's work Geographica, the Lugii were subjected to the rule of Maroboduus, ruler of the Marcomanni tribe, which was a Germanic tribe.

It appears that the truth lies somewhere in between. It is very well possible that the Harii were actually Celtic in origin, that would explain the painted bodies since that is not a Germanic but a Celtic tradition. They might have been greatly influenced by the Germanic culture and perhaps adopted it as their own.

What is also a bit mysterious is the fact that the Harii were never mentioned again after 98AD. Were they perhaps fully absorbed into the Lugii confederation and were thus known as the Lugii instead of the Harii? There is also of course the small possibility that the Harii migrated to an unknown location.

If the Harii were Celtic in origin, judging by their probable location, they might have once belonged to the Hallstatt culture and their origins could predate the Germanic culture itself. The Hallstat culture is the first Celtic, Proto-Celtic, culture in existence, dating back to around 1200-800BC.

The question that remains however, did these legendary warriors really exist? If they were Celtic in origin, it is very well possible that they would have used woad in order to intimidate their enemies. Combine Germanic guerilla tactics with nightly raids and painted warriors screaming to the Gods as they attack, I bet anyone who faced them would have been absolutely terrified.

You might have recognized the image of the Harii in the band Heilung. During their live performances they use volunteers dressed up as Harii warriors.

Another piece of Tacitus' Germania on different tribes.

"This section of Suebian territory extends into the more remote regions of Germania. Nearer to us, if we now follow the Danube as before we followed the Rhine, come the Hermunduri, a state loyal to Rome. They are therefore the only Germani who trade with us not on the riverbank but deep inside our borders, in the illustrious colony of the province of Raetia.

They come over where they will and without a guard. To other nations we show only our arms and our camps, to them we open our homes and our villas and they do not covet them. In the territory of the Hermunduri rises the river Elbe, a famous river once known in deed but now by name alone.

The rear of the Marcomanni and Quadi is enclosed by the Marsigni, Cotini, Osi and Buri. Of these, the Marsigni and Buri recall the Suebi in language and mode of life. The Cotini and Osi are not Germani, that is proven by their languages, Gallic in the once case Pannonian in the other, and also by the fact that they submit to paying tribute.

All these peoples are settled in country with little plain but plenty of uplands, mountain peaks and high ground. Suebia in fact is split down the middle by an unbroken range of mountains, and beyond that live a great many peoples among whom the name of the Lugii is the widest spread, covering as it does a number of states.

I need only give the names of the most powerful, the Harii, Helvecones, Manimi, Helysii and Nahanarvali. In the territory of the Nahanarvali, there is shown a grove, a hallowed from ancient times. The presiding priest dresses like a woman but the Gods, in Latin translation are Castor and Pollux. That expresses the power of the divine presence, their actual name is Alci.

There are no images, no trace of foreign superstition but they are certainly worshipped as young men and brothers. As for the Harii, they are superior in strength to the other peoples I have just mentioned. Savage as they are, they enhance their innate ferocity by trickery and timing.

They blacken their shields and stain their bodies and choose pitch-dark nights for their battles. The shadowy horror of this ghostly army inspires a mortal panic, for no enemy can stand so strange and devilish a sight. Defeat in battle always begins with the eyes."

-Tacitus, Germania

Repost @simonkalypso • • • • • • Have an axecelent weekend!

The Harii

Thought to be the predecessors to the Berserkr and Úlfheðnar of Norse lore, The Harii (named after a nocturnal monster that ate disobedient children) where a warrior class who exhibited incredible ferociousness and strength in battle, along with terrifying tactical prowess that struck fear into the enemies who faced them. They were known to paint their bodies and weapons black and attack at night like a military ghost unit.

It is also believed that the actions and religious motivations of the Harii led to the formation of concepts about the Einherjar and the “Wild Hunt”. It has been theorised that they were linked to the early idea of the Einherjar as an Odin cult, centred on warriors with a close connection to the Allfather.

Tacitus wrote: “As for the Harii, quite apart from their strength, which exceeds that of the other tribes I have just listed, they pander to their innate savagery by skill and timing: with black shields and painted bodies, they choose dark nights to fight, and by means of terror and shadow of a ghostly army they cause panic, since no enemy can bear a sight so unexpected and hellish; in every battle the eyes are the first to be conquered.”