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Norse Myths

The stories in Norse mythology were used to explain the world, nature, the creation and the status quo. Important elements are Creation and the Afterlife, the foretelling of Ragnarok and the organization of the universe in the world tree Yddrasil.

Viking warriors facing down death. Source: AdamantiumStock/Adobe Stock
30 November, 2023 - 15:53 Robbie Mitchell

5 Viking Deaths And What They Tell Us About the Viking Mindset (Video)

The Viking mindset, as revealed in Old Norse sagas , emerges vividly through tales of these five great Viking deaths. The raid on Lindisfarne in AD 793 marked the outset of Viking depredations in...
Right: The gold hoard photographed shortly after Erlend Bore found it in the ground with a metal detector. Source: Museum of Archaeology/UiS
8 September, 2023 - 18:59 Sahir

Norway’s “Gold Find of the Century” Uncovered, Including Rare Cache of Medallions

On the Norwegian island of Rennesøy, an impressive hoard of ancient gold items, weighing over 100 grams, has been uncovered. The cache includes nine coin-like gold pendants or medallions, with rare...
Illustration of one the graves with Viking and horse, by Mirosław Kuźma. Source: Leszek Gardeła/The Conversation
4 August, 2023 - 18:57 ancient origins

Shared Horse and Human Burials Show Vikings’ Bond With Their Animal Companions

Keith Ruiter & Harriet Evans Tang / The Conversation Is your pet part of the family? That’s nothing new. Archaeological evidence exists to suggest that the Vikings held their own animals in high...
Krampus is a Christmas Devil. Source: Sergio Delle Vedove / Adobe Stock
6 December, 2022 - 21:55 Kerry Sullivan

Krampus: The Terrifying Christmas Devil Who Punished Naughty Children

In European folklore, Krampus is the antithesis of Santa Claus . The equivalent of a Christmas Devil, Krampus is a horrific beast that hunted down misbehaving children and whipped or terrified them...
Top image: In the Norse creation myth, worlds of fire and ice emerge from the abyss at the beginning of the universe. Source: ivanovevgeniy / Adobe Stock
3 December, 2022 - 22:00 Molly Dowdeswell

Norse Creation Myth: Fire and Ice from the Abyss

The Norse people were the ancient tribal communities of Scandinavia, who in the modern day are often referred to or thought of as the Vikings (who were actually a subset of them). Like many other...
Depiction of Valhalla, where Odin held court at Asgard, from the 1878 staging by Hermann Burghart of Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner. (Public domain)
7 November, 2022 - 13:47 Molly Dowdeswell

Asgard: The Fabled Home of the Aesir Gods of Norse Mythology

Asgard was the home of the mighty Norse gods, from where they watched over the other eight realms and administered justice. It was also the final resting place of the dead and where Odin, King of the...
The Rainbow Bridge by Hermann Hendrich. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock
24 October, 2022 - 14:52 Robbie Mitchell

Bifrost: The Rainbow Bridge to Asgard Doomed to Collapse in Ragnarok

One of the most important elements of Norse mythology was the Bifrost. The Bifrost was the legendary shimmering rainbow bridge to Asgard, responsible for connecting the world of the gods with the...
Is thinking of the Vegvisir as a ‘Viking compass’ completely off course? Source: Tartila / Adobe Stock
14 October, 2022 - 01:57 Mark Brophy

Vegvisir: Was the ‘Viking Compass’ Originally a Christian Symbol?

Although the name Vegvisir may not be familiar to you, you may have seen its symbolic representation before. This emblem has gained iconic status largely due to its frequent use in the media...
Niflheim, here viewed as the land of the dead who died without honor. Source: Zaleman / Adobe Stock
5 October, 2022 - 01:50 Robbie Mitchell

Niflheim in Norse Mythology: Land of the Dead and Home to Lady Hel

In Norse cosmology, the universe was made up of nine distinct realms. Each had its unique inhabitants and mythology, but some played bigger parts in the Norse mythology than others. One of the most...
A large Viking rune stone depicting the Midgard serpent in Trelleborg Sweden. Source: Lars Gieger / Adobe Stock
27 September, 2022 - 01:50 Robbie Mitchell

Midgard: Norse Mythology's Realm of the Humans

The Viking universe was a complicated one. It was made up of nine different realms. Different realms were home to different races, and each had different themes. Of all the races, humans were the...
Jotunheim, land of the giants in Norse mythology, was the source of many antagonists and adventures for our mythical heroes. Source: lobard / Adobe Stock
25 September, 2022 - 14:52 Robbie Mitchell

Jotunheim: Outsized Tales from the Norse Land of the Giants

In Norse mythology, the cosmos consisted of nine realms. Some realms we know a lot about, others remain largely a mystery. Jotunheim, the land of the frost giants, is one of the better-recorded...
Nidhogg breathed chaos under Yggdrasil. Source: warmtail / Adobe Stock
15 September, 2022 - 01:52 Mark Johnston

Nidhogg, the Chaos Bringing Dragon of Ancient Norse Mythology

A dark dragon, feathered, with corpses strewn about its body. An ancient evil that nibbles away at the structure of the universe itself. The “curse-striker.” A beast constantly engaged in a battle of...
Left: An illustration of Thor fishing with the jotunn Hymir, where Thor catches Jormungandr (From an 18th century Icelandic manuscript / Public Domain). Right: Thor battling the Midgard Serpent, painting by Henry Fuseli, 1788 (Public Domain)
6 September, 2022 - 22:41 Robbie Mitchell

Jörmungandr: The Misunderstood Midgard Serpent of Norse Mythology

Jörmungandr, the world serpent, was an integral part of Norse mythology. Throughout history, he has been portrayed as a key villain in Norse mythology and arch nemesis of Thor, the god of thunder...
The Nordic Helm of Awe is a Viking or Norse magical spell or rune that could be used for good or evil, but it wasn’t an actual battle helmet. Source: Fotokvadrat / Adobe Stock
1 September, 2022 - 22:55 Mark Johnston

What is the Helm of Awe? Runes, Symbols, and Viking Magic!

Every culture contains a plethora of images, animals, foods, etc. that are symbolic of their values. Symbols are an important, meaningful aspect of culture that can teach historians, archaeologists,...
The Valknut symbol has transcended time, remaining popular today. Source: danlersk / Adobe Stock
25 August, 2022 - 14:49 Mark Brophy

The Enigmatic Valknut: Odin’s Symbol Shrouded in Mystery

Norse mythology is a rich and vibrant source of tales, myths and legends. It has provided us with some iconic gods, monsters, and even symbols. One of the most controversial and mysterious of these...
Beowulf & Grendel: Monsters, Mistranslations & A Genetic Interpretation
1 July, 2021 - 19:02 Mark A. Carpenter

Beowulf & Grendel: Monsters, Mistranslations & A Genetic Interpretation

The 6th century epic poem Beowulf echoes as loud today as it did when it was written fifteen hundred years ago. Ink has been spilt, careers made, films produced, and academic wars have been waged in...
Representation of Hel, the Norse goddess of the Underworld
11 September, 2020 - 19:30 valdar

Going to Hel and Back: The Realm of the Norse Goddess of the Underworld

By far, Loki’s most well-known children are the ones he had with the giantess Angurboda. These include the wolf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent Jormugandr, and the goddess Hel. Legends say that the...
Ragnarok - Apocalypse in Norse myth
25 June, 2020 - 22:56 johnblack

The Story of Ragnarok, The Ancient Norse Apocalypse

In Norse mythology, Ragnarok is a series of apocalyptic events that will define the end of the world, where giants of frost and fire will band together to fight against the gods in a final battle...
Representation of a Valkyrie
17 June, 2020 - 22:49 Veronica Parkes

The Bold and Beautiful Valkyries and Their Mortal Lovers

In Norse mythology, Valkyries were originally sinister spirits that would fly above the battlefield in search of the dead, deciding the fate of the fallen for Odin . The word “Valkyrie” means “...
Representation of Cnut the Great. Source: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock
21 May, 2020 - 19:02 dhwty

Cnut the Great: the Myth, the Man, and the Multi-National Viking Monarch

Cnut Sweynsson, known also as Cnut the Great (sometimes spelled as Canute), was the ruler of England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden. His realm is often referred to as the North Sea Empire, or...
Representation of Harald Fairhair, the first King of Norway. Source: Fotokvadrat / Adobe Stock.
13 December, 2019 - 22:57 Aleksa Vučković

The Story of Harald Fairhair, First King of Norway

The early history of Norway, and Scandinavia in general, is characterized by powerful seafarers, traders, and warriors and by rich heathen mythologies and ambitious chieftains . The fierce sons of...
An illustration depicting Frigg.
16 July, 2019 - 17:18 dhwty

Frigg: Queen of Asgard, Beloved Norse Goddess, Mother

Frigg or Frigga (which means ‘Beloved’ in Old Norse) is a goddess found in Norse mythology. As the wife of Odin and the mother of Baldur, she is the ‘Queen of the Æsir’. This deity was worshipped as...
Norse Mythological tree
10 May, 2019 - 18:32 Andreas Kornevall

The Norse Legend of the World Tree - Yggdrasil

In 1643 a Bishop called Brynjolf Sveinsson was given 45 pieces of vellum containing poetry and prose from the heart of ancient Northern European indigenous culture. This collection is called The King...
Viking Bjorn Ironside
25 April, 2019 - 22:11 dhwty

Bjorn Ironside: Son of Famed Viking Ragnar Lodbrok Became Legendary King of Sweden

Bjorn Ironside was a famous Viking leader who legends say ruled Sweden as the first king from the House of Munsö. He lived during the 9th century AD and his father was the legendary Ragnar Lodbrok...

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