Fig. 1092.—The Church-door of Versås, Vestergötland. Representation of Sigurd slaying the serpent Fafnir: Runic inscription, Asmutr Kärthi Dyrr = Asmund made the door; and svastica.
The halls were used for feasts,[[192]] and were built east and west, the long walls running north and south; along the latter were the benches, and in the middle of each of these were the hásæti or high-seats, also called Ondvegi or Ondugi, because the two seats were opposite each other (Ond = opposite, vegi = way). The most important benches were the œdri bekk, which ran along the northern wall, and the high-seat or the chief seat in the hall, which stood facing the sun, and was for the use of the master of the household, who never allowed any one else to use it. The long bench which ran along the southern wall was called “úœdri bekk” (the lower bench); the high-seat on this bench was called annat ondvegi, nordr ondvegi and ondvegi a hinn uœdra bekk, and was opposite to the other high-seat. To be placed in this ondvegi was the highest honour that could be shown to any one, and consequently this place was only assigned to most prominent men. The nearer the place on the benches assigned to any one was to the high-seat, the greater the honour; the places farthest away, near the doors, were the lowest.
Fig. 1093.—Door of Faaberg’s Church, 9 feet high, 3 feet wide. Only three doors of the same kind (with ironwork) are preserved.
Fig. 1094.—Door from Vånga Church, Ostergötland, Stockholm Museum.
“Thorkel Hák (an Icelander) had been abroad and became renowned in foreign countries ... he went out to Sweden and became the companion of Sörkvir, and they ravaged the coast of the Baltic. East of Balagardssida, Thorkel, when going to get water one evening, met a finngalkn (a kind of dragon monster), which after a prolonged struggle he slew. Then he went east to Adalsysla, where he also slew a flying dragon; afterwards he went back to Sweden, thence to Norway, and then to Iceland. He had these great feats carved above his locked bed, and on a chair in front of his high-seat. He was called Thorkel Hák because he spared no one, either in words or deeds, with whomsoever he dealt” (Njala, 120).
The seats on the œdri bekk were however more prominent than those on the lower bench. Next to the king, on the upper bench, on the right sat the under-kings or other prominent men.
On some occasions at a later period we find that to the left sat the queen with her women in the order of their rank, for the places of the women were then upon the long bench to the left of the king, and to the right of the other ondvegismen, the place of the men being on the left of the ondvegi.