In Norse mythology, the dragon Nidhogg is one of the many creatures that dwell within Yggdrasil, the World Tree, that holds together the Norse cosmos. But considering that dragons are always creatures of fear and menace in Viking stories, what does Nidhogg represent in Norse cosmology ? The Norse Cosmos The Norse cosmos centers on…
Hvitserk is, without doubt, one of the most tragic characters in the History Channel’s Vikings series. One of the younger sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, he is a follower rather than a leader and often struggles when he must choose between his brothers. He is haunted by the things that he has done and eventually goes…
While we tend to think of the Vikings as raiders and warriors, we should not forget that this was just one element of a sophisticated culture that also had music, science, religion, and, of course, visual art. Like most cultures, the Vikings created beautiful things out of many different materials. However, due to the inevitable…
There is no question that we are excited about the new Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla game from Ubisoft, which brings together two things that we love the most: kicking butt in fantasy worlds and all things Viking! But the inevitable question is: how historically accurate is the world of the Vikings presented in the game? The…
The mighty god Tyr is among the most important of the Vikings deities ( see our full post) , listed among the 12 Aesir that were the most powerful and important. But we actually know very little about the god, and what we do know is pieced together from fragmentary sources. It seems that Tyr…
According to the Poetic Edda, Vanaheim is one of the nine realms within the Norse cosmos tucked into the branches of Yggdrasil and is the world of the Vanir gods. The Vanir are a second tribe of gods within Norse mythology that exist alongside the Aesir of Asgard. But how exactly do these “other” deities…
Looking for the perfect new Viking tattoo for you? The Vikings relied heavily on symbols to communicate their faith and beliefs. They wore them as amulets, carved them into buildings and on stones as marks of protection, and added them to images to create additional layers of meaning. They even believed some of their symbols…
One of the most popular characters on the History Channel’s Vikings is undoubtedly the monk Athelstan, who finds himself torn between the Viking and Christian worlds, and his loyalty to his own people and his friendship with Ragnar Lothbrok. But is the character that we see in the Vikings series real? The short answer to…
Vidar is one of the many Aesir gods venerated by the Vikings, but little knowledge has come down to us about him. However, although he is obscure today, he seems to have been an important deity in the Norse pantheon. One of the many sons of Odin the Allfather, Vidar was known by several kennings.…
Floki, the best friend of Ragnar Lothbrok, is undeniably one of the most popular characters on Vikings. But is the character of Floki based on a real historical figure or just developed for the show? While the character of Floki is named after the 9th century Viking explorer Hrafna-Floki, on-screen he actually an amalgam of…
Jotunheim Norse Mythology
Who Was the Real Hvitserk Ragnarsson?
Traditional Viking Art
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