According to Norse mythology, men live in Midgard, the world of mortal beings, and the gods live in Asgard, the world of the divine. But these are only two of the many worlds that make up Norse cosmology. According to Norse mythology, there are nine realms, all of which are nestled in the Tree of…
The vast majority of stories about the gods in Norse mythology focus on the likes of king Odin, invincible Thor and trickster Loki. There are also stories about Balder, Freyr and Heimdall. But just like the world of men, the realm of the gods was populated by both men and women. While the Norse goddesses…
At the centre of Norse mythology is Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life. This mighty tree held together the nine worlds of Norse mythology and connected the Vikings living in the world of men with the fantastic worlds of the gods and giants. But what exactly was Yggdrasil, where did it sit in the Norse cosmos,…
What is Ragnarok? The Real Story Any Viking enthusiast will be familiar with the Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok and the idea that Ragnarok is the story of the end of the world in Norse mythology. But Marvel take significant liberties for the sake of entertainment and the continuity of their timeline. What really happens in…
Norse mythology is full of gods and goddesses with mysterious powers and fantastic tales. Of all the Viking gods recorded in Norse mythology, none is described as more beloved by both the gods and men as Balder. But who was, Balder, this most blessed among all the gods? And why is this celebrated Viking god…
Considering the warrior lifestyle of the Vikings, it is no surprise that weapons played an important role in Norse mythology. Almost all the Norse gods had special magical weapons that enhanced their warrior abilities. Here are 10 of the most interesting and powerful norse mythological weapons wielded by the Norse Gods according to Norse mythology.…
Reading time : 13 minutes The Vikings are famous for being ferocious warriors that terrorized their way through Europe for the pure pleasure of war. Their conquests were for loot, prestige, pleasure and revenge. Viking gods and Norse mythology reflected the warrior lifestyle of its Viking followers. They waged bloody wars across the cosmos, fought…
Some of the most interesting characters in Norse mythology are not the powerful gods. But rather the creatures that constantly appear to challenge the gods and terrorise men. Norse mythology – including the stories of Odin, Thor and Loki – was the basis of the religion of the Viking warriors that plundered Europe from the…
Reading time : 12 minutes The Viking world was full of symbols, many of which have become very popular symbols for Viking tattoos (I may have one or two). The historical evidence for how the Vikings used many of their symbols is based on putting together disparate puzzle pieces and making assumptions based on what…
There are many stories of amazing horses in ancient myth and legend. It seems that our ancestors loved their horses as much as we like our cars. The Vikings were no exception, and Norse mythology contains several stories about exceptional horses. The most famous Norse steed, however, was Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir, who was unmatched…