Viking Symbol Tattoo | Viking Tattoo | Viking Tattoo Symbols

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 to be magical.

It is unclear whether the Vikings wore tattoos. Some people believe they did because the Arabic scholar Ahmed Iban Fadlan described the Vikings that he encountered in Russia in the 10^th century as “dark” from the tips of their toes to the tops of their necks, with pictures of trees and the like, which were presumably tattoos. But in contrast, the Anglo-Saxons, who often commented on the appearance of their Viking adversaries, don’t mention them. However, we know that the Anglo-Saxons also tattooed themselves, so perhaps they just didn’t think that it was worth mentioning. So we can’t be sure.

But if the Vikings had access to modern tattooing technology, there is little doubt they would have considered decorating their bodies with some of their favorite symbols. So, here are some of the most important and interesting Viking symbols, which might make the perfect tattoo for any modern Viking.

1. Mjolnir (Thor’s Hammer)

Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer, is probably the most iconic Viking tattoo. It is a representation of the god Thor’s principal attribute, the weapon he used to protect both Asgard and Midgard from chaos of the Jotun.

Mjolnir was a very common amulet used among the Vikings as a symbol of protection of the gods and as a mark of allegiance to the Norse religion.

More Mjolnir amulets survive in the archaeological record than all other amulets combined, and it was the only symbol that continued to be used well into the Christian period. This suggests that it may have been a symbol of allegiance to the old religion, much like wearing the cross was a symbol of allegiance to the new religion.

Thor was the strongest of the gods and considered the ideal warrior, making this the perfect aspirational symbol for modern Vikings.

You can also find Mjolnir pendants inspired by genuine pieces worn in the Viking age in the VKNG collection.

2. Norse Rune Tattoo

How many people have you seen with tattoos in Chinese characters? How about the Viking runes ?

The Vikings believed that the runes were much more than just an alphabet. For those who knew how to use them, they had magical properties and the power to shape the world.

According to myth, Odin saw the Norns, the Norse fates, writing destiny into the bark of the world tree Yggdrasil using the runes. Jealous of their knowledge, he hung himself from the tree for nine days and nights while pierced with his own spear until their secrets were revealed. He then shared those secrets with mankind. This allowed many of the heroes in the sagas to become runemasters.

Each rune represents both a phonetic sound and an abstract concept, so you can choose a rune that speaks to use. For example, the Algiz rune represents protection and the Othala rune represents completion.

Or choose one of the words that were commonly used in Viking inscriptions, such as ALU, which probably means protection.

3. Aegishjalmur (Helm of Awe

We know from the sagas that the Vikings combined the runes into more complex magical symbols. While we know little about these in the Viking age, this was also a common practice in medieval Iceland. Several magical runic staves, called Galdrastafir, survive in grimoires composed between the 15th and 19th centuries.

The most famous of these symbols is Aegishjalmur, more commonly known as the Helm of Awe.

Warriors could reportedly draw the symbol of their foreheads before battle to boost their courage and invoke the protection of the gods.

4. Vegvisir (Norse Compass)

The second most well-known Viking magical symbol is Vegvisir, also known as the Norse Compass.

This was a wayfinding symbol. According to the grimoires, anyone who used the symbol would never lose their way, even if they don’t know where they are going.

Among modern Vikings, it has become a popular symbol for invoking guidance, both physical and spiritual.

5. Valknut (Symbol of Valhalla)

The Valknut, a symbol of three interlocking triangles, is found in many artworks surviving from the Viking period, always in association with Odin and the dead.

For this reason, it is believed to be the symbol of Valhalla, the hall of Odin in Asgard where warriors that died bravely in battle were taken, until they were called on to fight again alongside the gods at Ragnarok.

There is some evidence that the Vikings used the symbol both to indicate that a fallen warrior was in Valhalla, and to call the Valkyries to take the fallen to Valhalla, while simultaneously preventing other deities from taking the spirit of the dead to an alternate afterlife.

It has become a symbol that represents the fearlessness of Viking warriors, because death is not the end.

6. Horn Triskelion

While Thor might be the most well-known of Viking gods today, Odin was the most powerful Viking deity.

The king of the Aesir gods and the all-father, he was the god of war, wisdom, witchcraft, and death.

The Triskelion, a symbol of three interlocking horns, is thought to be a symbol of Odin as the god of wisdom and cunning.

It references the story of Odin tricking his way into a stronghold of the giants in order to drink the Mead of Poetry, which was stored in three giant horns.

This gave him complete mastery of the spoken word, which he then shared with some of mankind.

7. Huginn and Muninn (Odin’s Ravens)

Odin has two familiar ravens, Huginn and Muninn, whose names mean “thought” and “memory.” They would fly out into the world each day to act as Odin’s eyes and ears, reporting everything they saw.

When Odin wandered out into the world, he was often identifiable by the presence of ravens. It was also a good omen to see them circling the battlefield, as it meant that Odin was there to choose the bravest fallen warriors to join the Einherjar in Valhalla.

8. Yggdrasil (World Tree)

Yggdrasil is the mighty tree that sits at the center of Norse mythology.

The Vikings believed that the nine worlds that made up the cosmos were all tucked away in the branches and roots of Yggdrasil, the world tree.

The tree both connects the worlds, and keeps them apart, ensuring that the beings that live in the individual worlds did not spill over into one another.

It is a symbol of the interconnectedness of all things, and that everything has its place within the universe.

9. Ouroboros (Jormungandr)

The Ouroboros is a common symbol in many cultures, but among the Vikings, it was linked with Jormungandr, the Midgard Serpent.

He is one of the children of Loki, who was so feared by the gods that they cast him into the waters that surround Midgard.

There, he grew to such an enormous size that he could encircle the whole world and hold his own tail in his mouth.

It is foretold that Jormungandr will only drop his tail when Ragnarok, the end of the world, arrives.

He will then emerge from the water and fight to the death with Thor. Thor will kill Jormungandr, but not until he spews so much venom onto Thor that he dies as well.

Jormungandr will also spew his venom into the atmosphere, poisoning the cosmos.

The Ouroboros has become a symbol of the powerful forces of fate, which cannot be avoided, but must be faced with courage.

10. Troll Cross

The troll cross is a symbol known from Swedish folklore that was used to ward off malevolent magic.

While no ancient examples of the symbol survive, smith Kari Erlands popularized metal amulets of the swirling symbol, which she claims to have copied from a protective rune that she found on her parents’ farm in Sweden.