Forged by the sons of Ivaldi and carried by Odin into Ragnarök, Gungnir embodied war, sacrifice, sovereignty,...
Norse
Norse history encompasses the peoples of medieval Scandinavia and the communities they established across the North Atlantic. Explore cultural traditions that endured beyond the Viking Age.
The Norse belief system was as integral a part of the people’s lives as that of any...
People shifted between certain partly parallel patterns of religious experience, beliefs, and behaviour. Introduction Over the last...
Archaeological material can feed into discussions of sacrifice and pre-Christian myth and religion. Introduction Most often, and...
In the Völsunga saga, the cursed ring of Andvari brings the doom of the hero Sigurd from...
Interpretations that suggest Ragnarøk motifs in Viking age iconography. Introduction Despite its character of being a well-known...
These tales recur in the myths and legends of many Indo-European cultures. Medieval Nordic vernaculars routinely use...
Examining medieval Viking amulets believed to have the power to fight and cure illness. It is a...
The myth disposses native Americans by denying their relationship to the artefacts that their ancestors constructed. By...
Sleipnir is always depicted as incredibly swift and the “best of all horses”. Introduction Sleipnir is the eight-legged...
There were five realms the souls of the dead traveled to after life. Introduction Valhalla (“Hall of the...
When the concept of the Valkyrie was first conceived of is unknown, but they may have originally...
This is the pivotal event that ends the mythic cycle beginning with the birth of the gods...
We should not forget that Norse gods usually had multiples roles. Introduction In Norse mythology, the Sun and...
For pagan Northmen, elves, dwarves, and other mystical beings were very real. By Irene Manea Introduction Elves...
Yggdrasil stands at the absolute center of the Norse cosmos. This article, Yggdrasil: The Sacred Ash Tree...
Heddal Stave Church (Creative Commons) These historic churches feature elaborate carvings that mix Christian and Viking symbols....
Nordic Sámi (Saami) people in Sapmi (Lapland) in front of two Lavvo Tents / Photo by Granbergs...
New DNA analysis reveals that, before their mysterious disappearance, the Norse colonies of Greenland had a “near...
The stuff of legend. Shutterstock Norse mythology is having a moment as a leading author re-tells the tales for a new generation. By Dr. Carolyne Larrington /...