Editing Seljord (section)

==General information==
The [[prestegjeld|parish]] of ''Sillejord'' (later spelled ''Seljord'') was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law). On 11 October 1873, an unpopulated area of [[Kviteseid Municipality]] was transferred to Seljord. On 1 January 1883, an area of southeastern Seljord (population: 235) was transferred to the neighboring [[Bø, Telemark|Bø Municipality]]. On 23 January 1905, an unpopulated part of [[Hjartdal Municipality]] was transferred to Seljord.<ref name="Dag">{{Cite web |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>

===Name===
The municipality (originally the [[prestegjeld|parish]]) is named after the old ''Seljord'' farm ({{langx|non|Seljugerði}}) since the first [[Seljord Church]] was built there. The first element is the [[genitive case]] of the word {{wikt-lang|non|selja}} which means "sallow-tree" or "[[willow]]". The last element is {{wikt-lang|non|gerði}} which means "[[field (agriculture)|field]]". Prior to 1889, the name was spelled ''Silgjord'' or ''Sillejord''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2006120600018 |title=Norske gaardnavne: Bratsbergs amt |date=1914 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=7 |location=Kristiania, Norge |pages=322–323 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}</ref>

===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] was granted on 15 September 1989. The official [[blazon]] is ''"[[Gules]], a [[sea serpent]] [[Or (heraldry)|Or]]"'' ({{langx|no|På raud grunn ein gull sjøorm}}). This means the arms have a red [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) and the [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is a [[sea serpent]]. The charge has a [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] of [[Or (heraldry)|Or]] which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The design symbolizes the local legend of a sea serpent named [[Selma (sea serpent)|Selma]] who allegedly lives in the lake [[Seljordsvatn]]. The arms were designed by Trygve Magnus Barstad. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Seljord |access-date=2023-08-13 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Seljord, Telemark (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-08-28.html |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Flags of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1989-10-15 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1989-09-15-958 |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunevåpenet |url=http://www.seljord.kommune.no/sitecore/content/Seljord/Internett/Toppmeny/Fakta%20om%20kommunen/Kommunevapenet.aspx |access-date=2009-01-17 |publisher=Seljord kommune |language=no}}</ref>

===Churches===
The [[Church of Norway]] has one parish ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Seljord. It is part of the [[Øvre Telemark prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Agder og Telemark]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Seljord'''''
!Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built
|-
|rowspan="4"|Seljord||[[Flatdal Church]]||[[Flatdal]]||1654
|-
|[[Mandal Chapel]]||Mandal||1954
|-
|[[Seljord Church]]||[[Seljord (village)|Seljord]]||1180
|-
|[[Åmotsdal Church]]||[[Åmotsdal]]||1792
|}