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Jotunn

A representation of Jötunn (Giant) Surtr of Norse mythology. Source: warmtail/Adobe Stock

Surtr: Norse Mythology's Giant God of Fire and Apocalypse

Giants, demigods, dwarves and elves - all these creatures made the Old Norse mythology so colorful and captivating. Preserved for posterity in the Norse sagas and manuscripts, these myths and legends...
Odin and his brothers defeated Ymir in Norse mythology, and used his body to create Midgard. Odin’s symbol, a raven, seen superimposed on a cosmic background.	Source: jozefklopacka / Adobe Stock

Ymir in Norse Mythology: A Cosmic Creation Story

The story of Ymir and the creation of the universe typifies the emphasis on sacrifice as a theme, in Nordic myth and in creation stories around the world. In Norse mythology, Ymir was the primeval...
Odysseus escaping from the cave of Polyphemus by Flemish Jacob Jordaens (1635) (Public Domain)

Giants Among Men Who Walked The Earth

Today, overachievers are often called “giants in their field" and “giants among men”- terms which define talent, ability and zeal. However, in the ancient world, the word “giant” applied to the...
Petroglyphs of Scotland, found in Lurgan by George Currie. Source: George Currie

Comparing the Prehistoric Stone Symbols of Scotland and the Judaculla Rock

Within the rolling green hills of Scotland, slumber thousands of ancient stones bejeweled with mysterious glyphs. Across the proverbial pond, hidden in the great Appalachians of America’s North...
Artists impression of Norse giantedd , Skaði or Skadi

Skaði, The Norse ‘Giantess’ with a Godly Vendetta

In Norse mythology, Skaði (also anglicized as Skadi, Skade, or Skathi) is a giantess and goddess. She is most often associated with winter. Apart from that, Skaði is also connected with hunting,...
‘Nótt riding Hrímfaxi’ by Peter Nicolai Arbo. Nótt is the daughter of a jötunn from Jötunheimr by the name of "Norfi or Narfi."

A Jotunn Did Not Have to be Giant to be a Big Problem for Norse Gods

The jötnar (plural for jötunn) are a race of beings found in Norse mythology. The word jötnar is often translated into English to mean ‘giants’, though this is somewhat misleading, as not all of the...
Skyrnir and Gerda - Illustration by Harry George Theaker (1920).

Freyr and Gerd: Lovesick Norse God Seeking Giantess

There is a well-known Norse myth which tells of how the Vanir Freyr fell in love with the giantess Gerd, wooed her, and eventually convinced her to marry him. She was not any easy catch - many...