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 object 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…
In most ancient cultures we encounter ideas of magic, witchcraft, and shamanism. Norse society is no different. The Viking witch was known as a Völva, and they were considered to be powerful seeresses, shamans as well as workers of Seidr magic. Read on to find out more about these Viking witches, the powers these Volva…
While the surviving Norse sources have a lot to say about the exploits for Odin, Thor and Loki, relatively little information is preserved about the majority of the other Norse deities. Instead, we are left to piece them together from the etymology of their names, passing references in the surviving prose, and surviving depictions. Sigyn…
Hel, goddess of death, could there be a more fearsome being in the world of Norse mythology? But don’t be taken-in by the portrayal of the Norse goddess of death in the Marvel universe. While the Norse goddess was the ruler of the underworld, she was never represented as pure evil. Hel was a more…
Norse mythology is full of fearsome beasts with the power to wreak havoc over the nine worlds of the Norse cosmos. One of the most important and dangerous among them is the mighty Norse wolf Fenrir. A beast of terrifying strength, he stands out among the Norse beasts as he is destined to kill Odin…
While the male gods may steal the show in most Norse myths, Asgard had its fair share of Norse goddesses. Principal among them was the Norse goddess Frigg, also sometimes called Frigga, who was the queen of Asgard, Odin’s wife and the mother of Balder, the favourite son. As this description shows, Frigg was predominantly…
Simple versions of Norse mythology describe the Asgardian gods as a force for good, and their nemeses, the giants, as a force of chaos and evil. But nothing in the world is so black and white. The giants and Asgardian gods in the original Norse myths certainly aren’t so clear cut. Just as the Asgardian…
While we are most familiar with the stories of the gods of Asgard when it comes to Norse mythology, the Vikings had many stories about other beasts and heroes that they used to understand the world and teach important lessons. One of the most interesting characters from Norse mythology, and probably the inspiration for Tolkien’s…