Druids were the priests and religious leaders among Celtic tribes and are known to have existed across the Celtic world from Ireland to Germany. What little we know about them comes from observations from writers from other cultures, especially the Romans, and from more modern folklore. While it is believed that the Druids were literate,…
An Introduction to the Norse Sagas The Norse Sagas are legends and histories about the Viking Age that were composed predominantly in Iceland from the late 12th century onwards. Today, more than 40 individual sagas are preserved in a variety of manuscripts. Read on to discover the historical context of the Norse Sagas and a…
Celtic religion has many interesting parallels with Norse religion. It was a rich and complex polytheistic religion with a variety of gods and goddesses linked with the natural forces in the universe. The Celts lived across parts of France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Great Britain from the 6th century BC. But what we know about…
Like most ancient cultures, the Vikings believed in the supernatural and magic. They had their pantheon of gods, led by Odin the All-Father and his son Thor. They believed in other supernatural entities such as elves and trolls, and that the spirits of the dead lived on in other worlds. They also believed that while…
Today we imagine the Vikings saying “Skol” when they raised their cups, or drinking horns, during a feast. But what does Skol mean in Old Norse and is that really what the Vikings said? Toasts were a complex social ritual in Viking society that involved much more than just raising a glass. Let’s look at…
While the Vikings did not celebrate Christmas, the end of the year when the nights were at their longest, darkest, and coldest, was an important time of year. It was marked with a 12-day festival called Yule (or Jul). When Scandinavian countries converted to Christianity, many Yule traditions were transformed into Christmas traditions. We’ve previously…
In Norse mythology, all existence emerges in the Ginnungagap, a vast primordial void. It is an important concept in Norse ideas around the creation of the world, but also its destruction. At Ragnarök, all existence will sink back into the primordial goop of Ginnungagap. But a concept that had such importance for the beginning and…
Since religions and mythology are often inspired by the things that we see in the natural world around us, it is no surprise that animals play an important role in most religions. Norse mythology is no different. Animals are important characters and motifs in the stories of the creation and destruction of the world, and…
Drinking was a big thing in the Viking world. Producing alcohol is one way of purifying water and making it safe to drink, so most Vikings, even young ones, would have drunk weak alcohol every day. Mead was a special drink. It was made from honey, which was relatively rare, so was mostly saved for…
According to descriptions of Norse cosmology, the Norse universe is set around a mighty ash tree called Yggdrasil. The nine worlds that make up the Norse cosmos are held within the roots and branches of the tree. This means that all living beings in existence live within Yggdrasil. But most are limited to the confines…