Centuries-old tree marks reveal dark secrets of Scandinavia

Many travelers beginning their journey through northern Scandinavia have undoubtedly come across these mysterious marks carved into trees. They usually take the form of the letter X, which, as it turns out, has a dark meaning and was used by the indigenous people hundreds of years ago.

These types of symbols are typically found on old trees deep within the forest. Initially, they may resemble markings for plants to be cut down, but upon closer inspection, this illusion quickly disappears. It is evident how meticulously they were crafted.

According to researchers, their origins are directly linked to the Saami people. Historically, they were known as one of the groups that resisted Christianization the longest. Their beliefs are said to have led to numerous signs appearing on trees in northern Scandinavia.

During the period of forced Christianization, they believed that trees were a direct connection to the deities. The characteristic marks on trees were meant to signify places where, most likely, bloody sacrifices to the gods were frequently made. In other words, the X's on trees in northern Scandinavia typically symbolize places of worship from hundreds of years ago.

Unlike most other sacred objects, standing trees are not easy to collect and they have generally eluded the ambitions of the Church to erase the traces of the Indigenous religion – notes Dr. Ingela Bergman from Silvermuseet Museum, as quoted by phys.org.

However, the marks on trees could also have been created from a purely practical perspective. They were used to mark the boundaries between different territories.