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Old Norse religion

Culture&religion

The Buddha on the Oseberg bucket, the Myklebust Man and a figure found in Lindesnes, Norway

Reexamining the Buddha in the Oseberg Viking ship burial

Two Norwegian ship burials contained Celtic bronze figures decorated with symbols that the Vikings shared with the people who had made them. Research suggests that the story behind those symbols runs back 5,000 years, to a grassland the ancestors of both peoples had once called home.

Loki: Central in myth, absent from cult

Whilst British actor Tom Hiddleston has received fanfare and plaudits for his duplicitous depiction of Loki on the small and silver screens, people in Viking societies had a far more complicated relationship with the eternal trickster of Norse mythology.

4 months ago
The Valkyries as battle maidens, fate weavers, mythic messengers, and... a source of artistic inspiration

The Valkyries have been a source of artistic inspiration for centuries due to their roles as battle maidens, weavers of fate, and mythic messengers.

5 months ago
Gullinbursti and Hildisvíni: Boars as divine status symbols

More than just a huntable meal for a hungry horde, boars were seen by people in Viking societies as symbols of authority, divine power, and prosperity. Two in particular stood apart, regaled in Old Norse sources for their golden brilliance and warlike ability.

6 months ago
Why Freyr gave away his sword: The deal that doomed him

In one of the more facepalm moments of Norse mythology, mighty Freyr gave his magical sword away in an act akin to a death sentence.

6 months ago
Skíðblaðnir: Freyr's magical ship and its dwarf-made origins

People in Viking societies were some of history's best sailors, as their ships transformed the culture, economics, and politics of the age. Little wonder that their mythology has a rich maritime theme that runs through it, as epitomized by the magical ship Skíðblaðnir.

7 months ago
The nine worlds of Norse mythology: How many, which ones, and does a list exist?

A key component of Norse mythological and spiritual beliefs was the existence of nine realms. We do a deep dive into the original multiverse, long before any Marvel movie stole the idea.

8 months ago
The sea in Norse myth: Jörmungandr, Rán, and Ægir's hall

People in Viking societies held a deep reverence for the sea, as it was a source of sustenance as well as facilitating much commerce and conquest. This deep respect was also reflected in the sagas and stories they regaled one another with.

8 months ago
Gerðr: An earth goddess at the edge of the Norse pantheon

Gerðr, a rather obscure earth goddess, speaks not only to the ancient agrarian traditions of Viking societies but also to their need for the powerful to have divine legitimacy.

8 months ago

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