AI Summary

A group of northern Germanic Goths, living on a flat plain north of Stockholm, built large burial mounds that date back at least 2,500 years. The Goths were pagan polytheists who worshiped deities such as Odin, Freyr and Thor. Archaeological evidence shows they made precise measurements of the sun and moon, despite their limited interest in astronomy. They timed nine days of midwinter human and animal sacrifices with exactness, believing that failing to perform these sacrifices every eight years could bring catastrophe. The practice highlights a sophisticated calendrical system among a culture not typically associated with advanced astronomy.

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