My "Outdated" Archaeology Library

NOTE: This article is focused on an ever-growing bibliography and will therefore be updated at irregular intervals.

A selection from my collection of old history & archaeology books.

One of the most interesting challenges that faced me during the early stages of researching the first book in the Professor Korrigan series (The Starseed) was that I quickly realised that I couldn’t entirely rely on up-to-date archaeological research. After all, Korrigan's adventures take place around the middle of the 20th century, meaning that any advancements made in the field of archaeology (as well as our general knowledge of history) in the past several decades was not always usable to me. And scrubbing away recent advances in academia while doing my online research is difficult at best and impossible at worst. My solution therefore was an appropriately old-school one where I established a sort of personal library of “outdated” archaeology and history books.

One of my hobbies—if you can even call it a hobby (maybe ‘esoteric fascination’ is a more accurate description)—is to study how people in the past perceived the world around them. As a society we tend to quickly forget what we "all" believed yesterday and one of my biggest pet-peeves in movies and literature is when characters in historical settings talk, behave, and interact with the world around them in a manner that is comparable, or straight up indistinguishable, from the current zeitgeist. This is not simply anachronistic but it betrays the apathy and lack of genuine historical curiosity in the people responsible for such stories. I would also argue that there is more to be gained from getting a genuine glimpse into the past than it is to simply transplant “modern” thinking into a vintage setting.

IT STARTED IN OXFORD

This vintage library properly began its life at the University of Oxford during a research trip to the Archaeological Institute in 2023. I wanted to familiarise myself with Professor Korrigan’s Oxford stomping grounds and was given a quick tour of the building by Robin Mason, the Communications and Outreach manager at the School of Archaeology. During the tour we briefly passed a bookcase filled with mostly older research books during which she made a brief comment about how much more interesting the older book covers usually were (something which I very much agreed with), though I must admit that I took little note of it at the time. In my defense, though, my focus at the time was primarily on the building itself (and it is quite a complex maze of corridors and stairs to focus on) and I was at the time going through the final stages of a pretty bad cold I had been dealing with during my travels across both Norway and the UK during the past two weeks. 

Upon my return home, however, I quickly realised that I had missed a golden opportunity by not snapping a few photos of the bookcase, so I emailed Mason and asked her if she could take a few pictures for me. She happily obliged and within the next ten minutes after having received the photos I had already purchased several of them online.

The Institute of Archaeology at 36 Beaumont St, Oxford.

BOOKS VS THE INTERNET

I earlier alluded to how difficult it can be to find out-of-date research material online, but keep in mind that the process is barely any easier when trying to discover older research literature to purchase. The problem is that most algorithms are designed to give you the newest or most popular information related to your search words. I won’t go into how I feel that this trend can be problematic even when dealing with current, up-to-date information, but suffice it to say, in my particular situation, this function is completely antithetical to my goals. Also, simply Googling “old archaeology books” mostly just confused the algorithm as all archaeology effectively deal with “old” things anyhow. You need to give it specific titles or author names, but then you're back at square one; how do you find old books if you don't know what to look for to begin with.

[2026 addendum: this issue has become somewhat easier since I started my Korrigan-related research in 2022/2023, though even with modern algorithms, finding the right outdated research without too many specific parameters can still be somewhat tricky.]

Once again, the old-school method proved the most efficient one. With my reference point from the School of Archaeology in Oxford, I managed to branch out to several books and authors based on the references found within. What started with a few general history books have developed into a collection of often highly esoteric books, ranging from half-a-century old ordnance surveys to beginner guides that would have been used by university students in the 1950s and 60s, much like the ones Korrigan would have taught during his fictional tenure at the university.

Of course, libraries in general are, and have been, a good source of information for me, especially the library at the Museum of Archaeology in my hometown of Stavanger, and I cannot stress how important websites like archive.org have been for finding scans of rare and/or expensive out of print books, though I will limit this article to just the books that I actually own. 

In my case I think I'd have more luck with a card-catalogue than with Google. 
(Photo taken at the Institute of Archaeology, May 2023.)

DON'T UNDERSTIMATE THE WEIRD AND UNUSUAL

I also want to point out that one of the areas where I find that a lot of “modern” views can most noticeably get in the way of authenticity, is in the field of mythology and folklore. A lot of modern researchers have an unfortunate tendency towards a strongly reductionist view of the world that can often come off as dismissive and emotionally cold, though this has in my experience become less of a problem in recent years and, I must point out, have never been too big an issue among anthropologists and religious scholars. Granted, if you go too far back in time the research literature you'll come across is often be prone towards the exact opposite problem, i.e. blatantly unscientific and often flamboyant assumptions that dabble in the esoteric and paranormal. But, in the context of my fiction writing, rather than proper historical research, these eccentric interpretations can often be exactly what I am looking for. Yet another benefit of “outdated” research books.

A great example of this latter point is Sigmund Freud’s Moses and Monetheism. In this peculiar, but very fascinating analysis, the founder of psychology himself argues through psychoanalysis (naturally) that Moses was not only an Egyptian priest under Akhenaten, but that he was murdered by his semitic followers during the exodus. Freud proposes that through a long-remembered collective sense of guilt Moses was eventually elevated to the role of prophet as a form of spiritual atonement. Now, is this theory based on any scientific reasoning? Not really. But is it interesting? Definitely! And it is exactly the kind of odd thing that an eccentric researcher like Professor Korrigan might have found interesting.

It is important to stress that this collection isn’t only for my own fascination and private research into historiography, but an attempt to get into the headspace of the character of Professor Korrigan himself so that I can make him a more rounded and believable (not to mention more interesting) character.

PS. Since I'm a bibliophile geek, I naturally have my own Ex Libris book stamp. The design, which depicts Wotan (Odin), is taken from a 1910 edition of The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie illustrated by the great Arthur Rackham. This isn't strictly relevant to this article but when else will I get the chance to show off my personalised stamps—yet another of my old-school interests.  

Adding to the provenance of a book that has been through many owners over the years (including a boarding school). Much of my collection consist of former library books.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Andronicos, Manolis. Delphi. Athens: Ekdotike Athenon S.A., 1982. 

Andronicos, Manolis. Olympia. Athens: Ekdotike Athenon S.A., 1982.

Blindheim, Charlotte., Ellen-Karine Hougen, Jon Høsøien, Arne Bjørn Thorbjørnsen, Henning Sinding-Larsen, Erik Lunde, Harald Brynildsen, Helge Ingstad, Anders Hagen, Sverre Marstrander, Alf Næsheim. Vikingtog og Vikingtid. Oslo: Chr. Schibsted Forlag, 1977.

Brodrick, M. & A. A. Morton. A Concise Dictionary of Egyptian Archaeology. London: Senate, 1996. First published in 1902 by Methuen & Company Ltd, London. 

Budge, Ernest A. Wallis. The Mummy: Funeral Rites & Customs in Ancient Egypt. London: Senate, 1995. First published in 1893 by The University Press, Cambridge.

Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 1987.

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1973. First published in 1949 by Bollingen Foundation Inc., New York.

Ceram, C.W. (Marek, Kurt W.). Gods, Graves & Scholars: The Story of Archaeology. Second, Revised and Substantially Enlarged Edition. London: Book Club Associates, 1971. First published in 1949 by Rowohlt Verlag GmbH., Hamburg-Stuttgart. 

Ceram, C.W. (Marek, Kurt W.). The First American: A Story of North American Archaeology. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1971.

Childe, V. Gordon. The Dawn of European Civilization. Paladin, 1973. First published by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd in 1925. 

Childe, V. Gordon. What Happened in History. Pelican Books, 1948. First published in 1942.

Clark, Grahame. Archaeology and Society. London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1972. First published 1939.

Deiss, Joseph Jay. Herculaneum: Italy's Buried Treasure. New York: Harper & Row, 1985. First published 1966.

Doblhofer, Ernst. Voices in Stone: The Decipherment of Ancient Scripts and Writings. Trans. Mervyn Savill. London: Souvenir Press, 1961 (1st UK edition). First published in 1957 in German by Paul Neff Verlag, Vienna.

Freud, Sigmund. Moses and Monotheism. New York: Vintage Books, 1967. First published in 1939 by Hogarth Press.

Gibson, A. V. B. Instructions in Archaeology. London: Museum Press Limited, 1963.

Ginzburg, Carlo. The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 2013. First published in Italy in 1976 by Giulio Einaudi editore.

Greene, Kevin. Roman Pottery. London: British Museum Press, 1992.

Hagen, Anders., Gerd Hennum, Egil Mikkelsen, Asbjørn Klepp, Anne Skatvedt, Sven Krohn, Arne Emil Christensen. De Første Nordmenn: Da Landet ble Befolket. Oslo: Chr. Schibsted Forlag, 1975.  

Hawkes, Sonia Chadwick & Andrew Selkirk. Silver Jubilee Reflections. Oxford University Institute of Archaeology, 1987. Facsimile.

Her Majesty’s Stationary Office. Field Archaeology: Some notes for beginners issued by the Ordnance Survey. London, 1963 (fourth impression 1966).

Hole, Christina. Witchcraft in England. London: Book Club Associates, 1977.

L'Orange, H. P. & P. J. Nordhagen. Mosaikk: Fra Antikk til Middelalder [translation: Mosaics: From Antiquity to the Middle Ages]. Stavanger: Dreyers Aksjeselskap, 1958.

Lillehammer, Grete. "Death and Grave: Burial Rituals of the Kvassheim Cemetary, Hå in Rogaland, SW Norway." AmS-Skrifter 13. Stavanger: Arkeologisk museum i Stavanger, 1996.

Oekonomides, Al. N. The Acropolis of Athens: A Supplementary Explanation. Translated by C. Tassouli. Athens: N Gouvoussis, 1996.

Revold, Reider, et al. Etruskernes Gåte: Etruskernes liv og kunst. Oslo: J. Chr. Gundersen, 1956. 

Richmond, I. A. Roman Britain. Pelican Books, 1964. First published 1955. 

Saklatvala, Beram. The Origins of the English People. David & Charles Newton Abbot, 1969.

Smith, Reginald Allender. Guide to Early Iron Age Antiquities. London: British Museum, 1925. Second edition.

Thompson, J. A. The Bible and Archaeology (Third Edition). Grand Rapids (MI): William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989. 

Papahatzis, Nicos. Ancient Corinth: The Museums of Corinth, Isthmia and Sicyon. Athens: Ekdotike Athenon S.A., 1981. 

Petsas, Photios. Delphi: Monuments and Museum. Athens: Krene Editions, 1981.

Piggott, Stuart. Ancient Europe from the beginnings of Agriculture to Classical Antiquity. Edinburgh University Press,1967. First published in 1965.

Piggott, Stuart. Approach to Archaeology. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1960. First published 1959.

Piggott, Stuart. The Druids. London: Thames & Hudson, 1993. First published in 1968.

Piggott, Stuart. Scotland Before History. Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd, 1958.

Proctor, G.L. The Vikings: Then and There Series. London: Longmans, Green and Co Ltd., 1964. First published in 1959.

von Bothmer, Dietrich. Guide to the Collections: Greek and Roman Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1968. 

von Hagen, Victor Wolfgang. Realm of the Incas. New York: The New American Library, 1964. First published in 1957.

Webster, Graham. Practical Archaeology: An Introduction to Archaeological Field-work and Excavation. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1963.

Wells, H.G. & Raymond Postgate. The Outline of History: The Whole Story of Man, volume I. New York: Garden City Books, 1956. 

Wells, H.G. & Raymond Postgate. The Outline of History: The Whole Story of Man, volume II. New York: Garden City Books, 1956. 

Wheeler, Sir Mortimer. Archaeology from the Earth. Penguin Books, 1968. First published in 1954 by The Clarendon Press, Oxford.

Wheeler, Sir Mortimer. The Indus Civilization. London: Book Club Associates, 1976. Third edition. First published in 1955 by Cambridge University Press.

Wilson, Edmund. The Scrolls from the Dead Sea. Fontana Books, 1957. First published by W. H. Allen in 1955. 

Wood, Eric S. Collins Field Guide to Archaeology in Britain. London: Book Club Associates, 1973. First published in 1967.

Updated 16 July, 2024: added Voices in Stone & Oxford Institute of Archeology Silver Jubilee Reflections.
Updated 04 September, 2024: added The Indus Civilization & The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a 16th Century Miller.
Updated 01 February, 2025: added Death and Grave: Burial Rituals of the Kvassheim Cemetery. 
Updated 01 March, 2025: added Mosaikk: Fra Antikk til Middelalder, Guide to the Collections: Greek and Roman Art & The Acropolis of Athens.
Updated 21 May, 2025: added The Dawn of European Civilization, Archaeology and Society, Instructions in Archaeology, Roman Pottery, Roman Britain, Guide to Early Iron Age Antiquities, The Scrolls from the Dead Sea & Collins Field Guide to Archaeology in Britain.
Updated 25 November, 2025: added What Happened in History, Herculaneum & Delphi.
Updated 20 March, 2026: added Greek Religion.
Updated 16 July & 20 August, 2026: added Etruskernes Gåte & The Bible and Archaeology. 
Updated 22 August, 2026: added Delphi, Olympia, Ancient Corinth & The Outline of History vol I & II.

Making The Wild Huntsman

In spring of 2021, as lockdowns were starting to ease in Norway, and after having spent the previous year writing my first novel, I felt the need to flex my filmmaking muscles again and decided to make a short Fantasy film. Equipped with a meagre budget of roughly 10,000 NOK (the equivalent of about $900 or £700) and not much else—I was pretty much on my own and had little to no experience with the small film culture that exists on the Norwegian south-west coast around my hometown of Stavanger.

Inspired by the English folktale of the Odinic character Herne the Hunter, I quickly wrote a simple script and set out looking for my cast and crew.

My biggest stroke of luck was when I come in contact with actor and model Thor Rosland, who is generally known for his commercials for The Beard Struggle, in which dressed as a Viking, he promotes a series of beard oils and grooming products in comedic skits which had become something on an online sensation.

And with the upcoming release of The Pendragon Cycle, in which Thor plays Hengist, the warlord of the Saxons, this seemed like a good opportunity to reminisce a little about my short film with Thor; The Wild Huntsman.

Thor Rosland as The Huntsman. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

THE PREMISE

First off, I should probably explain in more details where I got the idea for the Huntsman and why I chose to make a short film out of it. 

I’ve always been fascinated by fairy tales, folk stories and myths from across the world. I'm especially fascinated by symbolic archetypes, doubly so when they appear across borders in the myths of neighbouring cultures. So, while looking for inspiration for my script, I came across the Danish/German folk tale of "The Fairy Hunter," a simple story about a hunter that kills an elf-girl (note that elf in this case refers to a more mischievous fay-like creature rather than the noble elves popularised by books/films like Lord of the Rings). Shortly after I came across the British legend of Herne the hunter, an antlered huntsman who is believed to be an incarnation of both the Celtic god Cernunnos and the head of the Norse gods; Odin—the latter of which is also the leader of the Wild Hunt. With these two simple stories in mind, I decided to combine them and create my own little cross-cultural archetype myth.

Thor Rosland as The Huntsman. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

The simplicity of both stories also made them perfect for my meagre budget and resources. I knew that my hometown of Stavanger could provide me with plenty of beautiful nature scenery befitting both folk tales, but also a perfect replica of an Iron Age farmhouse. I contacted the owners early on in the production and received permission to shoot parts of my short there, as well as borrow some of their period-accurate costumes.

I was off to a good start.

RALLYING A CAST & CREW

The lead (different from the titular character) proved to be the most difficult to cast as I required someone fairly young but who still had a Viking-quality to his appearance. The casting of Thor as the Huntsman had been something of a lucky stroke, and all the characters (despite there only being four) proved difficult. Stavanger simply isn’t a place with that large a film industry or acting community, and the fact I was producing a micro budget short film and was only offering to cover expenses didn’t exactly help much either. 

All attempts at casting the lead led me to an assortment of Oslo actors that had to be rejected due to the travel costs, though I eventually got into contact with Vegard Heggelund, a young actor with a proper Nordic look to him who, despite living and studying in Oslo, was actually from Karmøy—a large island not far north of Stavanger. It just so happened that he was planning a visit home for the summer holiday and he was more than willing to sacrifice a weekend for this project provided I could cover the cost of the relatively short trip down to Stavanger and accommodation, a request I was more than happy to oblige.

Actor Vegard Heggelund. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

The shooting crew consisted of three media students from the University in Stavanger, a somewhat meager number for a film shoot but perfectly serviceable for a small project like this—it's worth mentioning that I have worked with less in the past, though I wouldn't recommend it. Still, it was an odd adjustment after having recently spent some time in London with film crews of at least a dozen or so people (which is still quite small). 

At the risk of sounding like a money pincher, I've found that you can save a lot of money by "hiring" students as they are usually more than happy to get the chance to add any project to their CV before they've even finished their education. I also got the camera equipment for free via the university as I had borrowed from them before, so they knew I was someone who could be trusted with their equipment.

A small but very efficient film crew. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

The on-set photographer; Kornelius Kiil Enoksen, (whose excellent photos I’ve used throughout this article) is a friend of mine from my days studying Media & Communications. The rest of the crew consisted of pretty much every family member, friend, or friend-of-a-friend that I could convince to spend a weekend in July hanging out in a park while the rest of us were running about within the nearby woods getting our shots.

ANTLERS, SPEARS & COW TAILS

In the same way that digital cameras have become a godsend for the low budget filmmaker (though I do love analogue film), so has Etsy for the micro budget prop-maker. 

You’d think the Huntsman’s antlers would have proven to be the most difficult part of the pre-production—and in a sense it still was—but after some brief online searching I came across someone who made realistic looking horns and antlers for fantasy cosplayers. As luck would have it, she was also Norwegian, albeit living in Oslo, but after contacting her and explaining what I needed she was more than willing to make me some custom antlers with strengthened supports for the production. 

Etsy also provided me with a pretty convincing ancient-looking spearhead made from fiberglass and polyester resin, as well as the Mystery Girls’ animal appendage. One learns many strange things while working on projects like this, and the fact that you can buy real cow tails online is one of those things that really shouldn't surprise you, but receiving one in the mail is a whole other thing.  

Vegard Heggelund mending a prop between takes. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

The more “normal” props, such as a mediaeval fishing rod, I constructed myself. There’s not much to say about the making of the rod, it’s about what you’d expect, a bit of whittling, some twine, glue, etc. and the bone hooks were fashioned out of clay. But the one thing that I am quite proud of about this prop is just how historically accurate it turned out to be. No fishing rods have ever been found by archaeologist in Scandinavia, though based on the numerous discoveries of hooks made from deer bone it is safe to assume that they were used during the Viking Age. The simple rod I made was based off recreations of English fishing rods from the Middle Ages, but only a year or so after the film’s premiere I went to the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger and saw an exhibition of experimental recreations of bone hooks, and I was pleased to see that they looked virtually identical to my fake ones.

A few weeks before the shoot I met Thor in his home for a costume fitting and to try out the newly arrived antlers from Oslo. 

When it came to the costume for the Huntsman, I chose, both for practical and thematic reasons, to do the complete opposite that I planned on doing for the main character (the "Young Viking") and his family, and ignored historical accuracy completely. The practical reason for this was, of course, primarily because Thor could provide his own costume, which was more Hollywood inspired than anything based on history or archaeology. But because I knew the Huntsman would have to stand out and appear otherworldly when compared to the more "normal" characters, the exaggerated costumes he used for his Beard Struggle commercials fit perfectly, though admittedly I did end up choosing the most down to earth pieces he had in his wardrobe. Being a mythical creature that is part of the natural order I felt the brown leather gave him a suitably “earthy” look, while the fur around his shoulders complimented the animal-hybrid look of the antlers, making him appear somewhat elemental. 

Thor Rosland putting on his costume. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

THE IRON AGE FARM

To paraphrase what I wrote in a previous blog article (The Locations that Inspired The Starseed); Just a few kilometres uphill from the inlet where Harald Fairhair united the tribes of Norway into a single nation after the battle of Hafrsfjord in 872 AD, a trio of carefully reconstructed Iron Age longhouses lie in the shadows of three brutalist apartment blocks from the mid-1970s.

I’ve been coming to this location semi-regularly since childhood (I even spent a night there as a Boy Scout) and have always been fascinated by the feeling of being transported back in time when visiting, that is, as long as you look away from the aforementioned apartment blocks, or the nearby visitors centre, and if you look south you can pretty much see the entirety of the University in Stavanger, but, if you point your camera in the right direction, or simply stay within the longhouses, then it really does feel like you’ve travelled back to the Iron Age. And that’s exactly what I ended up doing.

Setting up a shot at the Iron Age Farm in Ullandhaug. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

As mentioned, I had contacted the manager of the Iron Age Farm early on in the project and I quickly received permission from her to shoot in and about the open-door museum, that is, provided we arrived before opening time, so as to not crash with any potential visitors. We were also given permission to pick out some of the authentic period-costumes they had for Vegard to wear throughout the shoot (even when not filming on the site) and we were told that the shoot would be overseen by one of their regular hosts—in costume no less. They were, however, somewhat vague on who exactly would be there when we arrived for the shoot, but assured me that whoever they were, they wouldn’t mind being on camera. So, I adjusted the script slightly by adding a brother/sister/mother background character, depending on who actually did show up.

We arrived early in the morning on June 26, having pretty much just a little over an hour to prepare and shoot everything we needed before the tourist would start arriving. We were greeted by a young woman in a period accurate dress named Johanne, and as such the main character ended up with a sister. Vegard was taken to the costume room and quickly fitted with his costume, while actor Pål Gunnar Eid Gribbestad, who played his father, provided his own costume. 

Pål Gunnar Eid Gribbestad inside the Iron Age longhouse. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

The host proved very enthusiastic about the project and lit a fire within the largest longhouse. She even dropped by the kitchen in the visitor centre café to get some fish to cook on the stone plate to add some domestic realism to the film's opening scene. She had no qualms about being on camera and even ended up becoming the first character we see in the finished film. Lit primarily by the fire (and a flickering red LED light), the opening shots of Johanne and Paul Gunnar are, I think, some of the best in the film. 

All went according to schedule, and we managed to wrap up just as the doors officially opened on the Iron Age Farm. While the film crew began carrying all the camera equipment away from the longhouses towards the visitor centre a small group of period-dressed hosts crossed us going in the opposite direction carrying wooden swords and other replicas of Iron Age implements meant to entertain and educate visitors.

Vegard Heggelund. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

THE LAKE AND THE FOREST

The rest of the film was shot around a small lake called Lille Stokkavann (lit: Little Stokka Lake) a short walk from where my mother, aunts and uncle grew up—I even spent part of my own childhood here, so it was very familiar territory.

When we arrived at our "green room," a nearby barn turned into a community centre, the rest of the crew had already unpacked and were waiting for us. We shot everything needed around the lake that day, as well as a long sequence within the nearby woods which in the final edit was cut down to a mere two shots. That’s filmmaking for you.

Discussing the scene with Vegard Heggelund. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

We returned to the same location for the second day, this time being joined by Thor Rosland, and spent the entire day within a small clearing close to a well-travelled gravel footpath hugging the edge of the lake. The crew of friends and family kept watch while the rest of us were working within the forest, informing joggers and people simply out for a stroll that there was a shoot going on. Most people were quite polite and passed by quietly, though we did receive a fair number of curious onlookers peeking at us through the bramble. Hardly surprising really, it’s not every day you see a large Viking with antlers while walking your dog. 

I had originally planned to use a smoke machine for this sequence to add a haunting, mystical atmosphere to the already picturesque forest clearing, but although I had acquired one via the university and had successfully tested it in the studio there a few days earlier, once we set it up in the forest, with a portable battery, spare fluid and everything, the little box-like machine merely sputtered out a few wimpy whisp of smoke and refused to give us anything else. 

Vegard Heggelund & Thor Rosland between takes. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

While irksome, the smoke machine was hardly necessary to finish the scene, even if I did loose much of the mythic aura I wanted to convey. At least the lights worked as intended, and I could console myself by getting a chance to play with some coloured gels for the first time, something which I learned a lot from and intend to continue to do in future film projects. I may have been denied my smoke, but I did succeed in using the unnatural green lighting as a means of conveying that there was something otherworldly about this forest and its two supernatural inhabitants.

Once the broken smoke machine had been ditched the shoot went quite smoothly, that is as smoothly as a shoot can be when an actor is forced to wear wobbly antlers on his head inside a dense forest, but apart from the logistics of shooting everything out of order (more so than usual) there were little to complain about, that is, except for the poor actress playing the Mystery Girl, who, unlike the two men, wore a pretty skimpy dress that made her an easy target to a swarm of very persistent gnats. I later learned she’d been bitten quite often, but she had merely soldiered on and finished the shoot with very few complaints.

Directing a scene with Thor Rosland. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

THE MYSTERY GIRL

Now, unless you're a Scandinavian, or just so happen to be well-read on Nordic folklore, you are probably not familiar with the creature that the Mystery Girl is revealed to be at the end of the short film. Although certain liberties have been taken with this myth, most Scandinavians watching the short will instantly recognise her as a Hulder (or Huldra) the moment her cow tail is revealed.

The Hulder is for all intents and purposes the Nordic equivalent of a siren or nymph, i.e. a seductress that leads men to their doom by enticing them to follow her into the forest.

Shooting a scene with Helen Sertsu. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

As with most folklore it’s hard to pin down the exact nature of a Hulder, though they are consistently depicted as young, beautiful blonde girls with a cow’s tail (which they usually try to hide). In many stories they also have a large hole on their back described as resembling a rotten tree stump. My Hulder obviously deviates a fair bit from much of this, the back-hole simply because it wouldn’t have been doable within the tiny budget (and frankly I don’t see what the point of it is beyond being weird) and although I originally intended to cast a Norwegian actress with blonde hair, actress Helen Sertsu was chosen due to her enthusiasm for the project and her availability. With this change in ethnicity, I decided to update the originally planned costume from an Iron Age dress to something more Mediterranean, specifically a Greek-inspired Khiton dress, implying that this creature in human form did not solely prey on Scandinavians, but had been chased by the Huntsman across multiple countries for who knows how many centuries. I also added additional details to her costume to further imply this long history, such as an amber necklace which suggested she had been in central Europe, a Celtic broch attached to her belt, and I even had some silver thread worked into the hem of the dress to add a subtle anachronism that made her seem just a little out of place in the “real world” of the Young Viking. 

Helen Sertsu. Photo © Kornelius Kiil Enoksen.

POST-PRODUCTION & RELEASE

The post-production phase proved to be somewhat more international than the shoot. The music was composed by Swedish artist Zacharias Wolfe, whom I had first heard of via The London Film Academy, and “Yggdrasill,” the song which plays over the end credits was licensed from Dutch singer and songwriter Jonathan Barendsma, AKA Gealdýr. The visual effects were done by Guilherme Filipe, while the rest of the process, such as film editing, colour grading, etc. was either done by myself or Kevin Nordlander (who was also the Assistant Director).

The Wild Huntsman had its premiere in the US, February 18, 2022, at the Pensacon Short Film Festival in Pensacola, Florida.

Dawn of the Karabu Lore: The Animal Clans

The following text is taken from a "fact sheet" I made to assist me during the writing process of what would become my 2020 novel, Dawn of the Karabu. This second part is a summary of the culture, religion and social hierarchy related to the faction known as The Animal Clans. If you have not yet read the first part covering the human faction, you can read it here; The Children of the Light.

Whether this is merely a reminder or your first time reading about the world of my novel, I hope you will find it interesting. 

I do, however, want to make it clear to anyone who has not yet read the book that this, and the previous article, are in no ways required to understand the world depicted in the novel. I took great care to reveal the lore piece by piece through the narrative in a natural manner, so please consider this as either reference material or as trivia.

NOTE: No story spoilers have been included in this article, but the nuances of the Animal Clans can by itself be considered mild spoilers for the 2nd half of the novel. The text has also been partially altered and updated from the original to fix some minor incongruities between the final novel and the original document. Most of the reference photos originally used had to be removed for copyright reasons and have been replaced with stock images.

War always marks the beginning of change 

- from the Extended Discourses by Bala-Chatur Ō-Inari.

THE UPLIFTING OF THE ANIMALS

Before the transfiguration of the Talos there was the great beast-war. With knowledge now lost, and for reasons intentionally forgotten, the first men to call themselves the Karabu uplifted the animals in the wild by bestowing them with human qualities. This angered the Talos, who strived for human perfection, and the practice was deemed heretical. 

- from A Summary of the History and Religion of the Children of the Light by The Master Chronicler in service of the Karabu Queen, first ruler of the 2nd dynasty.

The first animals to be uplifted were the Apes; Chimps and Gorillas, due to their physiology and intellect being the closest to humans. They were used as warriors.

Second came the Pigs. They served humanity as labourers.

Third came the Dolphins, chosen for their intellect and manoeuvrability under water. It is said they were given artificial arms to carry out underwater repairs and even sabotage to the enemy navy. Little is known about their current state as they are, without their arms, completely indistinguishable from natural Dolphins. However, legends do persist among both humans and animals that tell of societies of intelligent Dolphins living somewhere in foreign oceans. 

Finally, as a last effort to win the war, Foxes were uplifted and used as spies, saboteurs, and assassins.

The Animal Clans is a triad consisting of the Ape Clan, the Pig Clan and the Fox Clan.

THE ANIMAL CLANS

THE APE CLAN

The Saru Kuran (lit. “Ape Clan”) are the warriors of the Animal Clans. They follow a strict warrior code. Honour and authority are of the utmost importance to them. Since their ancestors once fought side-by-side with humans they speak the same language, albeit with some different words (the same applies to the Pigs and the Foxes). In addition to speech, they employ a complex sign language. This is said to be a remnant from their pre-uplift years, from before Man taught them to speak. Their use of sign language has proven itself useful in battle as a silent way to give orders and tactical information.

Military

All warfare is based on deception. Appear weak when you are strong, emerge where you are not expected, then strike when your opponent thinks he is untouchable. 

- excerpts from A Treatise on War by The Warlord Xerxes of the Chandra clan.

The majority of the Ape army is stationed in a series of fortified settlements lining the edge of the thin strip of desert, roughly 40km across, that divides the land of the Animal Clans from the territory of the humans. The sands of the desert stretches all the way from the western sea to a gap in the great mountain range referred to as the Shield Wall which protects them from the greater toxic desert known as the Forbidden Lands. Little is known of this mysterious wasteland other than what is told in myth and legend. It was once the domain of the mythic Talos, the name used by the humans before recorded history, before they used their now forgotten craft of uplifting. (For more on the legends of the Forbidden Lands refer to previous article on the Children of the Light.) Unlike the sands of the toxic desert the desert strip can be crossed without any harm beyond the natural perils of an inhospitable desert. It has effectively served as a neutral zone between the Animal Clans and the humans for several millennia, though in the past land has been occupied on either side. 

The border forts, much like the human ones on the other side of the desert strip, though larger and more complex, are effectively partially self-sufficient towns surrounded by wooden battlements. Within can be found everything that an army needs to function and survive, and although they generally rely on a regular stream of supplies from the nearby Pig Region, they can, if needed, survive for several months in the event of a prolonged siege (though no human has set foot on Ape territory for several centuries, more so on a large scale). Each fort stands roughly 7km apart from its neighbour on either side.

The centre of all military activity, which can also be considered the closest the Apes have to a capital city, is called Durga Candrodaya ("Fort Moonrise"). It is the largest and most central of the forts and lies more-or-less parallel with the city of Tanagra on the other side of the desert strip.  

The land considered part of the Ape Regions near the border consist of a fairly thin strip of land, functioning more as a secondary border between the desert strip and the nearby border to the Pig Regions. Although most of the Ape Clan's culture revolve around the military to some capacity, and most juvenile and senior Apes live among the Pigs, there are rural areas inhabited primarily by Apes, such as the tropical Wanay region to the north-west (the home of the gorillas). With this one exception, the Apes simply do not require as much land as the Pig Clan do, and the Ape Regions are therefore nearly synonymous with the land owned by the military. 

Armour

Ape armour is made of braided leather scales interwoven with small metal plates. Although this offers far less protection than the steel-plate armour of the humans it has the benefit of allowing far greater movement, something which compliments the inherent agility of the apes. The lack of added weight also allows them to swiftly charge at their enemy. It is not uncommon for the humans to have to face down a horde of apes sprinting towards them on all four while screeching and howling as a means of demoralization. 

Though seemingly crude when compared to the elaborate steel-plate armour of the humans, Ape armour allowed greater mobility and stealth.

Battle Rituals

Out gunned, and often outnumbered, the apes commonly use intimidation to gain the upper hand in battle. A common practice before a battle, when facing off against the enemy, is to rythmically beat-their chests to demonstrate strenght, resolve and battle-readiness. A general or commander (often a gorilla) will then call for a charge by stepping forward and giving a battle cry in the form of a ferocious roar. 

The chest-beating ritual is sometimes accompanied by a taunting chant intended to rouse the enemy into attacking first.

Headhunting has always been a common practice among the Ape Clan for as long as anyone can remember. When a battle is over a warrior will ceremoniously present trophy heads to his superiors (usually a general) who will in turn reward him with either promotion in rank, wealth, or land depending on the importance of the slain individual. The higher in status and caste the slain human is the higher the reward is. If the head belongs to someone of the utmost importance to human society, like f.ex a nobleman or a famous general, then it will be proudly displayed either in a public place or remain a priced possession of the general in charge of the battle. To achieve the latter the heads will be either mummified or shrunk in order to preserve them.

It is also common practice among the foot soldiers to collect human scalps to wear as decoration on their armour or as trophies in their homes. Silver hair of older members of the High Caste is especially prestigious.

Technology

Though their technology is quite crude compared to that of the humans, the apes are by no means primitive. Though they prefer to fight with blades, much like the humans, they possess an arsenal of sturdy and efficient flint-lock rifles. These are often used to fire off an initial volley to thin the ranks of Lumasi grunt spearmen protecting the Knights before they charge at them with their swords and/or daggers. Despite the heavy armour used by the Knights, the apes are well-versed in their weak-spots and can kill quickly with brutal efficiency.

Apes have been known to employ crude grenades in battle, but prefer the more direct approach. Even rifles are seen as somewhat cowardly and have generally been used out of necessity ever since the humans started to employ firearms.

The introduction of aviation among the humans three centuries ago did for a while greatly shift the balance of power. Not only did it allow the humans to recon their lands in a way that had never before been possible, but the subsequent air raids also devastated their border forts, forcing them to retreat into the nearby forests for the first time in remembered history. The Apes, with help from the Pig engineers, did however quickly come up with an ingenious solution in the form of bamboo rockets.

Simple but efficient, these disposable anti-air rockets consist of four parts: an arrowhead packed with explosives, the arrow barrel, the arrow feather, and the gunpowder tube. The gunpowder tubes, made from hollowed-out bamboo trunks, are filled with gunpowder for propulsion. A small hole is drilled into the tube for the fuse. When ignited, the gunpowder burns inside the tube, producing a large amount of gas, which, while shooting backwards at high speed, produce enormous forward-propelling force. Though generally fired one at the time, usually by a pair of Apes (or an Ape with a Pig armourer) in a manner comparable to firing a mortar canon, it is quite common to see bamboo rockets fired from a 'battle-wagon' which allows for the near-instantaneous firing of dozens of rockets at once. Despite the unpredictability of the rockets' trajectory, their low production cost means that when fired off in large enough numbers they can provide a deadly barrage that will take down all but the most skilled pilots.

Despite considerably lagging behind the humans technology-wise, the Apes (and Pigs) have proven quite ingenious when it comes to weaponry. 

Although not exclusively connected to the military, it is worth pointing out that the Apes are currently in the early stages of electricity-based technology and have in recent decades employed a simple but far-reaching system of telegraph wires, most between the border forts and various desert look-out posts, as well as the nearest Pig settlements, allowing them to efficiently warn of coming attacks or air raids. The code used derives from an ancient "talking drum" language employed by the Apes for as long as they can remember.

The Shogun

The current Shogun of the Ape army is General Khshayarsha (known as Xerxes among the humans) of the Chandra clan (“the Shining Moon clan”). Xerxes, which translates to “ruler over heroes”, was a name given to the general after he led the successful skirmish on Fort Alkaios. This was the first time in over a century that a force of apes had managed to get behind enemy lines. 

His birth name was Bhadran (meaning “auspicious” or “fortunate one”) Chandraketu (meaning “moon banner”). The general is known for being a traditionalist and a stern leader, the latter being a logical result of his famous military career which can best be described as highly offensive. He is a highly spiritual man, and as his clan-name suggest is a devotee of the Moon Spirit. The moon is not only an important symbol for his clan and his religious piety, but also for his military tactics which famously take place at night, aided only by the light of the moon. His night-time skirmishes are the stuff of modern legend among the Animal clans and earned him the title of Shogun. His reputation as a military leader, as well as his clan’s high standing, not to mention his high intellect, has made him one of the most efficient leaders of the Animal clans in a very long time. His leadership methods have blurred the line between fear and respect, something not unusual among the apes, but Xerxes has used it to better results than any known leader before him. His aggressive politics have garnered him much dissatisfaction among the Dayaamay (the political leaders of the animal clans), as well as the monks. His own devotion to the spiritual has however managed to avoid any direct conflict with the religious authorities.

The lunar symbol of clan Chandraketu has become a symbol of heroism among the Animal Clans and a harbinger of terror and death among the humans.

Apes Among Pigs

Although the farmland regions are generally inhabited by the Pigs, there is a small number of Apes living among them. In most Pig villages the local law enforcers are usually Apes, and if not all of them are, the sheriff is practically always an Ape. The majority of these are retired Ape military men enjoying a simpler life among their Pig brethren on the countryside while at the same time making themselves useful. Although crime is rare, and murder is practically unheard of, the position of sheriff and police officer is still considered more appropriate for Apes than Pigs, although no one would oppose the alternative. Ex-military Apes are however more qualified for the positions than Pig labourers and farmers. Law enforcers controlling larger towns, or whole regions, are commonly retired generals, whose experience in leadership, bureaucracy, and battle are ideal for the job. These ex-military apes commonly take their families with them when moving to countryside. Eventually their sons will be drafted into the army and will then travel to the Ape regions to be trained, only to later be transferred to the front lines. Those who survive will then choose whether to remain in the Ape regions and train future cadets or follow in their fathers’ footsteps and move to the country to take employment as lawmen among the Pigs, and eventually retire there. There are of course those who choose to become the law among the Apes, though this is usually a very common military advancement when living among their own people.

THE PIG CLAN

The Buta Kuran (“Pig Clan”) lives on and maintain farmland, feeding themselves and the Ape clan. The Pigs similarly provide the Apes with tools and weapons, build their vehicles, and provide them with housing. The Pigs also take care of all bureaucratic responsibilities for both clans, maintaining their economy. They are generally the scribes and artists of the clans, but these are not skills considered exclusive to them. Many retired Apes become scribes, and many of the Animal Clan’s greatest artists have been warriors.

The Pigs are known for their gentle and often timid nature, and live quiet, rural lives that are in stark contrast to the harsh and aggressive culture of the Ape Clan. Despite this contrast, their placidity is never looked down upon by the Apes, in fact, they are revered for the peaceful ways, though they are at times perceived as a little naïve. The Apes see it as their sacred duty to protect the Pig Clan and to preserve their innocent way of life. It is unheard of for Apes to harass or bully Pigs, even when serving as labourers within their own territory and military forts, though it is worth pointing out that Pigs can consider the rigorous structure of the forts to be highly stressful and rarely remain for long.

Most Pigs lead a quiet rural life. There are no cities in the Pig Regions. The largest settlements are modestly-sized towns that function as bureaucratical centres and trading hubs.

Pigs in the Army

Though Pigs generally shun violence, and it is in no way required for them to assist the apes in combat, many Pigs, especially younger ones, do volunteer for work in the army. The most common work carried out by pigs are that of medics, though it is not uncommon for them to act as armourers and weapon bearers during battle, a task usually carried out by young, low-ranking apes. Note that most Pigs working within the forts are not part of the army but merely labourers that work within Ape territory. 

Lumasi Among Pigs

The half-human, half-animal slave cast known as the Untouchables by the humans (known as Lumasi by the clans) are somewhat respected by the Animal Clans and, if captured in battle and successfully re-educated, are allowed to live in their own smaller colonies within the territories of the Pig Clan. They are generally treated well, though a close eye is always kept on them. Though the pigs generally keep them at arm’s length, only checking in on them to the extent that is legally or practically required, they are allowed to venture freely within the lands of the Animal Clans (with the exception of the military forts) and some Lumasi have been known to become respected members of Animal Clan society.

THE FOX CLAN

The Kitsune Kuran (“Fox Clan”) were the last of the animals to be uplifted as the beast-war drew close to the end, as a result they were bred in limited numbers and their population remain small to this day. They were uplifted to serve as assassins and saboteurs due to their nimble bodies and quick wits. Even after the human wars had ended, they continued fighting against the human castes that were eventually left behind. For a long time, they served their original function as assassins and saboteurs and were essentially a side-branch of the warrior clans. However, as the millennia went on, they eventually lost their interest in war, lacking the natural instinct of the apes and initially only fighting to serve a purpose and to appease the gods. They eventually decided to serve the gods through meditation and maintaining the land, and they left the fighting to the Apes.

Without their simple robes the Foxes are almost entirely indistinguishable from regular wild foxes. Only their squirrel-like hands (with opposable thumbs) and flat feet betray their true nature.

Culture

There is only one known Fox settlement, a small sanctuary known simply as Fox Village. This small settlement lies beyond the Pig regions and is hidden within a large forest that rests at the very edge of the Forbidden Lands near the only known natural opening in the Shield Wall. There the Fox Clan lives in harmony with nature, within the last patch of life before the barren wasteland created by the Talos untold ages ago.

They live off the forest and each individual or family unit is responsible for their own farming or hunting. The ascetics live a quiet life dominated by meditation and the study of philosophy and ancient history, though they also practice the clan's unique form of martial arts, though, unlike the hunters or the Guardians of the Forest, they use it primarily to maintain their health. The Foxes in general do not disapprove of violence but try to avoid it at all costs. Despite their peaceful ways, they are all descendants of warriors and are always ready for a fight. 

Legends

Due to their rarity, they retain a legendary status among both humans and the animal clans. Most humans however, having never seen an uplifted Fox, mostly assume that they are either extinct or that they never existed in the first place. Among the animal clans however they have a legendary status and are highly revered for their spiritual ways.

Foxes make numerous appearances in Pig and Ape folktales where they often possess magic powers. In fables depicting both uplifted foxes and regular foxes they are mischievous and very intelligent. They usually have the final laugh. However, there are other depictions of foxes as mystical, sacred creatures that can either bring wonder or ruin to ambitious animals.

In human folklore, foxes take on a much more sinister role. In these tales they are known to be able to shapeshift into beautiful women in order to seduce and transform humans into animals. They also appear as familiars in tales of witchcraft and heresy. Although few still believe in actual witchcraft, foxes still represent heretical behaviour for many. In fables they have become associated with wiliness and fraudulent acts. This is often exaggerated to the point of villainy. Mischievous conduct is applied to both uplifted foxes and regular foxes in human fables, especially moral tales intended as warnings for children.

COMMON CULTURE AMONG THE ANIMAL CLANS

Dayaamay

The Dayaamay (meaning; “full of mercy”) act as the local political figureheads. As the name suggests they are expected to act mercifully when dealing with the types of problems that take place in the Animal villages. Both Apes and Pigs can act as Dayaamay. However, no Fox has ever held this position as it would be perceived as being below them since they live lives of spiritual fulfilment and should not ever take on positions of power.

The shared banner of the Animal Clans. The three dots symbolise the three major clans with the outer circle, representing the great Karabu spirits holding them all together.

Monkhood

There is only one specific occupation, not counting anything necessary to survive like farming, that is available to all three clans; Monkhood. In fact, there exists no such thing as a single Monk, as a life devoted to spirituality must represent the three clans.

When an individual decides to devote his life to the spirits he must seek out a mandatory partner and make a spiritual journey to the land of the Fox Clan. A single person robed as a monk will often suggest a student monk who has yet to fulfil his spiritual journey. When, for example, an Ape decides to become a monk he will immediately journey to the Pig regions. Pigs on the other hand, knowing that a potential Ape partner will eventually have to come to them, since they reside between the Ape regions and the Fox region, will merely stay in their own village/town and wait for an Ape to come to them. It is a very common sight to see a lone Pig monk-in-training sitting in the streets of a Pig village, meditating in front of a begging bowl (for both money and food) waiting for his spiritual partner to come to him. Practically all Apes and Pigs will team up with the first monk-in-training that they meet, as the desire of both to dedicate their lives to the spirits is more than enough for ascetics to get along. It is a very common sight that an Ape in monk robes will casually walk up to a meditating Pig, politely bow, and give a simple blessing, the Pig will then stand up, return the gesture, and then they will both, without another word, simply start their pilgrimage towards the land of the Fox-clan.

The reason for this pilgrimage and partnership is that Monkhood consists of three individuals spiritually linked, representing the spiritual connection between the three clans. The term “a Monk” is by default a reference to three individuals, as a monk is three individuals linked as one. A monk is neither Ape, Pig, nor Fox, “he” is an “Animal,” a spiritual representation of the three clans. These individuals living as one will live together for the rest of their lives, never being separated willingly. It is absolutely mandatory for a Monk to consist of one member of each clan, but as the Fox-clan already lives a life of high spirituality, as well as segregation, the third member is always represented by a figurine, or effigy, referred to as a katabori-netsuke (meaning “sculpture” & “root” + attach”), representing his spiritual presence in the trinity. The Ape and the Pig will always carry with them this figurine of their Fox companion whom they both met and meditated with on their spiritual pilgrimage. Since there is a small number of Foxes it is common for one Fox to be part of several trinities. He will meet the travelling Ape and Pig, and they will meditate together and perform several rituals together. These rituals are mostly about creating the spiritual bond that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. The last ritual will consist of the Fox carving his own effigy, and they will likewise make effigies of themselves to remain with the Fox.

Two very typical katabori-netsuke made from ivory. Wood is most common but there are no rules for what material can be used, so figurines have also been made from metal and porcelain.

For any serious religious ceremony or ritual to possess any form of legitimacy a monk troupe will have to be present. Whether praying before a battle, performing a marriage or a funeral, an Ape and a Pig will always be seated next to one another (the Ape on the right, the Pig on the left, representing their species’ roles in society as warriors and labourers) with the Fox figurine sitting in between them, and slightly in front. Should a Fox die, it would have no effect on the trio as his spiritual link to them would still be valid without his physical form.

When a Fox monk dies, he will be buried along with the effigies of all his Ape and Pig brethren. Should an Ape or a Pig die on the other hand, the survivor is expected to search for a new partner. Many spiritual men go through more than one partner, as the first one they encounter is often an old man who’s recently become incomplete. There have however existed some controversial individuals who refused to find a new partner, and instead opted for making an effigy of their dead Ape or Pig companion. These individuals are considered mavericks and reformers, and despite never having faced harassment, they were rarely taken serious as a proper Monk. These individuals have gone down in history, and folklore as lone spiritual men meditating alone alongside the effigies of their two dead brethren. Many of these live on as local folk heroes.

THE GREAT KARABU SPIRIT

The Ape Clan; Proud warriors, determined to protect the animal lands at all costs from their common enemy: They are the right hand of the great Karabu spirit ⁘ The Pig Clan; Gentle creatures dedicated to the maintenance and well-being of the clans: They are the left hand of the great Karabu spirit ⁘ The Fox Clan; The heart of the great Karabu spirit. They live in peace and tranquility, always meditating, always hoping for peace ⁘ Such is the harmony of the Animal Clans. 

- from the Wéydos Scrolls on Existence, Consciousness & Bliss.

The Animal Clans, though a very spiritual people, don't have a system of gods, per say, though in addition to a series of guardian spirits, they share a single, unifying figure representing the triad that holds the three clans together; the Great Karabu Spirit.

Also known as the many-faced spirit, the Great Karabu Spirit is the embodiment of the concept of the World Soul. Depictions of the spirit are traditionally featureless, showing only abstract outlines of the common characteristics of all three clans, such as two arms and legs, and a head commonly depicted with three blank faces (four in the first dynastic era). Usually made of wood, they bear no ornaments or identifiable carvings other than the depiction of a heart at the center. Each of its three core limbs representing the three core virtues of the clans as represented by the societal duties of the Apes, Pigs and Foxes.

These figures are the centerpiece of any clan shrine and is often prayed to for spiritual guidance. The Apes, f.ex. will often gather in their fort shrine to pray before a battle. 

When told to describe the great Karabu spirit the Fox elder Gotami of the 1st dynasty famously answered; “None.” There is no other and more appropriate description than this. The Karabu spirit does not possess any distinguishing features that can be described by words. By eliminating all differences, it becomes a symbol beyond all distinguishing marks such as name, action, species or allegiance. The Karabu is beyond specification as it represents the entire world soul. 

- from the Extended Discourses by Bala-Chatur Ō-Inari.