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Mar. 28th, 2003
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Mar. 28th, 2003 03:03 amLife is where the microscopic becomes gigantic, and vice versa.
fragmented myth
Mar. 28th, 2003 11:57 pmOldest Fragment of Nibelungen Myth Found in Austria
The oldest written fragment of the Nibelungen myth, an oral tale later standardized into the most famous Germanic text of the Middle Ages, has been found in a monastery in Austria, experts said Friday.
The Nibelungen Saga, a 2,439-verse epic that tells of the rise and fall of the Burgundian empire through the adventures of the mythical hero Siegfried, is considered the most important text of the Middle High German language.
There are three official written versions of the song dating to the late 12th century. But the pieces of parchment found recently in the Zwettl monastery in the province of Lower Austria are older than the official versions, art historian Charlotte Ziegler told Reuters.
"The (parchment) fragments contain the themes of the Nibelungen legend, but in prose, not in verse like in the later written versions of the Nibelungen Saga," said Ziegler, who analyzed the parchments with the help of international experts.
"They seem to be the oldest findings having to do with the Nibelungen myth," she added.
The tale achieved worldwide fame through composer Richard Wagner's adaptation of it into his opera "The Ring of the Nibelungen," whose twelve hours of stirring orchestration and themes of power and honor made it a favorite propaganda tool of the Nazi movement.
The oldest written fragment of the Nibelungen myth, an oral tale later standardized into the most famous Germanic text of the Middle Ages, has been found in a monastery in Austria, experts said Friday.
The Nibelungen Saga, a 2,439-verse epic that tells of the rise and fall of the Burgundian empire through the adventures of the mythical hero Siegfried, is considered the most important text of the Middle High German language.
There are three official written versions of the song dating to the late 12th century. But the pieces of parchment found recently in the Zwettl monastery in the province of Lower Austria are older than the official versions, art historian Charlotte Ziegler told Reuters.
"The (parchment) fragments contain the themes of the Nibelungen legend, but in prose, not in verse like in the later written versions of the Nibelungen Saga," said Ziegler, who analyzed the parchments with the help of international experts.
"They seem to be the oldest findings having to do with the Nibelungen myth," she added.
The tale achieved worldwide fame through composer Richard Wagner's adaptation of it into his opera "The Ring of the Nibelungen," whose twelve hours of stirring orchestration and themes of power and honor made it a favorite propaganda tool of the Nazi movement.