Prayer sticks

Several hundred wooden prayer sticks have been found underneath the church floor in Uvdal stave church. These sticks are often finely carved and carefully crafted. Prayer sticks would be placed under the church floor followed by a prayer, hoping for divine aid. Other things similarly found their way under the floors, such as strings and straps with knots.

Old folklore describes activities where small items would be deposited as a sacrifice, hoping for divine aid. Perhaps several of the items identified under the church floor of Uvdal stave church are remnants of such actions? Or perhaps they were simply dropped during long tedious Sunday sermons?