Una maschera di morte: musica, danza e nágríma nella Bósa saga ok Herrauðs

Abstract

This article aims to analyse a wedding dance mentioned in the Bósa saga ok Herrauðs, a Norse text whose oldest surviving codices were composed in Iceland in the late 14th century. The dance performance was combined with the melodies of a harpist, whose identity was concealed by a mask made of human skin. The contribution will then explore the relationship between the macabre disguise and the performance, highlighting the peculiar features of the choreomusical ritual.