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…
The Vikings were one of the most dominant forces in Western Europe from the 9th until the 11th centuries. As well as building strong nations with fertile trading relationships in the East, they raided France and Spain for their riches, set themselves up as lords in England and Ireland, settled Iceland, Greenland, and the Orkney…
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…
If you are a fan of Old Norse symbols, like me, then you have probably come across the Web of Wyrd described as a Viking symbol linked with ideas of fate and destiny. However, if you, also like me, search for examples of the Web of Wyrd symbol being used in the Viking Age, you…
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…
In modern Western society, the New Year is often a time to swear oaths or make promises to ourselves about things we intend to do in the new year. While the Vikings did not consider Yule the start of the new year, it was still an important moment when the cold days started to get…
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…
When Iceland was settled by the Vikings in the 9th century, it was established as a commonwealth of chiefs. They needed to find a way to agree on laws and solve disputes. They did this by establishing an Althing, a national assembly based on smaller regional Things that were common among German tribes for at…
