It was not just Viking men, but also Viking women, that were known and feared as ferocious warriors. Of all the Viking shield maidens whose stories have been preserved, Freydis is probably the most ferocious. The daughter of Erik the Red, she travelled to Vinland in the Americas where she terrified the natives. She was…
If you know much about Viking history, you have probably come across the name Leif Ericson, the icelandic explorer. A son of Erik the Red, he was more than you typical Viking warrior. Leif Ericson was the 1st Viking explorer that visited North America, and also the man that brought Christianity to Greenland. With such…
How to be a viking ? There is little question that the Vikings have captured the imagination. We see them as romantic warrior figures that displayed intense bravery, rugged style and followed an intriguing and profound belief system. But while Vikings are fascinating figures from the past, Vikings do not belong exclusively to history. With…
Often when we think of Norse mythology, we think of the Aesir as the gods – similar to deities from other ancient religions, responsible for different areas of life such as war, love and fertility – and the giants as the opposing malevolent force. But the truth is far less clear cut. The Aesir and…
Norse mythology is full of mythical objects and weapons owned by the gods and heroes. While the most well-known of these objects must be Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer, arguably the most important was Gungnir, the spear of Odin. Odin was the king of the Norse gods, as well as the god of war and wisdom. His…
Norse mythology is full of fantastic objects that had special powers or symbolism. The vast majority of these were associated with men, and in particular the male gods of Asgard, and reveal much about the characters and powers of these deities. In contrast, very few are associated with the female goddesses of Norse mythology, about…
Norse mythology is full of incredible creatures and fantastical treasures. The golden boar Gullinbursti, which belonged to the god Freyr, was both a beast and a treasure, and the fylgia of the god Freyr. What did the strange entity Gullinbursti represent to the Vikings? Freyr: God of Fertility and Virility Gullinbursti was an attribute of…
Thor’s Hammer, Mjolnir, is the most iconic object from Norse mythology. This was true in Viking times as well as today. Mjolnir is by far the most common Viking amulet found, and its use survived well into the Christian period as a symbol of continued allegiance to the old faith. But where did Mjolnir, the…
Norse mythology is full of enchanted objects that enhanced the powers of the Viking gods. One such object was Draupnir, a powerful ring that belonged to the god Odin, the king of the Norse gods. But why was Odin’s ring an important objects in the Nose world? The Dripper Odin’s ring Draupnir, which means “dripper”…
While we might think of Loki as the major villain of Norse mythology, it is actually Loki’s children that are some of the most terrifying and interesting creatures in the Viking stories. The children of Loki with the giantess Angrboda were Fenrir, Jormungandr and Hel. Loki’s children with the giantess were feared and persecuted by…
Freydis Eiriksdottir
Leif Erikson
How to be a viking ?
Skadi