Norse Gods and Goddesses Asgard – heaven Midgard – Earth Yggdrasil – World Tree

Viking Maps

Odin/ Woden/ Wotan Chief of the gods Chief of the gods Father of Thor, Balder, and other gods Father of Thor, Balder, and other gods Odin pierces himself with a spear and hangs on Yggdrasil for 9 days and nights to learn the secret knowledge of runes Odin pierces himself with a spear and hangs on Yggdrasil for 9 days and nights to learn the secret knowledge of runes Has one eye because he traded it for a drink from the spring of clairvoyance Has one eye because he traded it for a drink from the spring of clairvoyance His two ravens are called Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory)

Valkyries and Valhalla Valkyries are female spirit warriors that ride the battlefields and find worthy slain warriors and takes them to Valhalla where they will train until Ragnarok. Valkyries are female spirit warriors that ride the battlefields and find worthy slain warriors and takes them to Valhalla where they will train until Ragnarok. The northern lights are light shining off of their shields The northern lights are light shining off of their shields Valhalla is the Hall of the Slain. It exists in Asgard, home of the gods Valhalla is the Hall of the Slain. It exists in Asgard, home of the gods “Ride of the Valkyries” Richard Wagner

Thor/ Thunor God of thunder and lightning God of thunder and lightning Mjolnir (the destroyer) – an ax-hammer that can destroy giants and mountains in a single blow Mjolnir (the destroyer) – an ax-hammer that can destroy giants and mountains in a single blow Has a chariot pulled by two goats. He can kill these goats and eat them and they will come back to life. Has a chariot pulled by two goats. He can kill these goats and eat them and they will come back to life. Is constantly fighting the World Serpent – Jormungand Is constantly fighting the World Serpent – Jormungand He is capable of drinking an ocean He is capable of drinking an ocean Thor’s Helmet

Balder “The Beautiful” and “The Good” “The Beautiful” and “The Good” Primarily known for his death and resurrection Primarily known for his death and resurrection The favorite child The favorite child

Loki God of mischief and fire God of mischief and fire Trickster figure Trickster figure Unknown parentage Unknown parentage Responsible for Balder’s death and punished by having snake venom drip on his forehead Responsible for Balder’s death and punished by having snake venom drip on his forehead Jormungand, Hel, and Fenrir are his children Jormungand, Hel, and Fenrir are his children Will begin Ragnorak Will begin Ragnorak

Bragi God of poetry and eloquence God of poetry and eloquence Loki calls him “Braggart” and the verb “to brag” comes from his name. Loki calls him “Braggart” and the verb “to brag” comes from his name. Married to Idun Married to Idun

Idun Goddess of immortality Goddess of immortality Keeps the golden apples of youth Keeps the golden apples of youth Major story deals with a giant who, with Loki’s help, stole the apples, causing the gods to wither Major story deals with a giant who, with Loki’s help, stole the apples, causing the gods to wither

Freyr / Frey God of agriculture, fertility, and plenty God of agriculture, fertility, and plenty Twin to Freyja (they are VERY close) Twin to Freyja (they are VERY close) Unlike the other gods, Freyr and Freyja are earth dieties Unlike the other gods, Freyr and Freyja are earth dieties Has a sword that can fight by itself Has a sword that can fight by itself The boar is his symbol The boar is his symbol

Freyja Goddess of love and fertility Goddess of love and fertility Twin sister of Frey Twin sister of Frey Slept with four dwarves to get a flaming necklace, which becomes her symbol of fertility Slept with four dwarves to get a flaming necklace, which becomes her symbol of fertility Leader of the Valkyries Leader of the Valkyries She takes some of the dead warriors for herself She takes some of the dead warriors for herself Has a chariot drawn by cats Has a chariot drawn by cats Freyja’s hair

Frigg / Frigga / Frea Mother Goddess Mother Goddess Wife of Odin Wife of Odin Weaves clouds Weaves clouds She knows events She knows events in the present and future, but is powerless to change them Learning of her son’s (Balder) death, she makes everything promise not to harm him – except the mistletoe Learning of her son’s (Balder) death, she makes everything promise not to harm him – except the mistletoe

Tyr God of war and justice God of war and justice Precursor of Odin Precursor of Odin Boldest of the gods Boldest of the gods Lost his hand to Fenrir, Loki’s wolf-son Lost his hand to Fenrir, Loki’s wolf-son His symbol is the spear which has become a symbol of justice His symbol is the spear which has become a symbol of justice

Heimdall “World Brightener” “World Brightener” God of the dawn God of the dawn Great hearing (can hear grass grow) and eyesight Great hearing (can hear grass grow) and eyesight Is the look out on Bifrost (the rainbow bridge to Asgard) Is the look out on Bifrost (the rainbow bridge to Asgard)

Hod God of winter and darkness God of winter and darkness Blind Blind Tricked by Loki into killing Balder Tricked by Loki into killing Balder Vali killed Hod in revenge for Balder Vali killed Hod in revenge for Balder Will return during Ragnarok Will return during Ragnarok

Hel Daughter of Loki Daughter of Loki Giantess Giantess Goddess of death and the underworld Goddess of death and the underworld Half black/ half white Half black/ half white Her face and body are human but the legs are of a corpse Her face and body are human but the legs are of a corpse Has two servants: Ganglati and Ganglot Has two servants: Ganglati and Ganglot Spread the plague with a rake or a broom Spread the plague with a rake or a broom

Hel / Helheim The underworld The underworld The road to Hel is an icy river (Gjoll) full of weapons The road to Hel is an icy river (Gjoll) full of weapons Guarded by a large dog (Garm) and Modgud (an ugly goddess) Guarded by a large dog (Garm) and Modgud (an ugly goddess) Nothing can leave Hel, not even gods Nothing can leave Hel, not even gods The wicked go here and the people who do not die a glorious death in battle The wicked go here and the people who do not die a glorious death in battle A giant in the form of an eagle sits and flaps his wings, making a freezing wind. His name is Hraesvelg (corpse eater) A giant in the form of an eagle sits and flaps his wings, making a freezing wind. His name is Hraesvelg (corpse eater)

Garm Garm guards the entrance to Hel Garm guards the entrance to Hel Has four eyes and a bloody chest Has four eyes and a bloody chest Could be appeased with cake as long as they gave the poor bread in life Could be appeased with cake as long as they gave the poor bread in life Will join the giants in Ragnorak Will join the giants in Ragnorak

Creation In the south was a land of fire; in the north was a land of ice. They met in the great emptiness of Ginnungagap, and the ice began to melt. From the melting ice came a huge giant, Ymir. The first man and woman grew from under his arms. The frost-giants grew from his feet. Ymir fed on the milk of a cow, which licked another creature, an man named Bur, from the ice.

Creation Bur’s grandsons, Odin and 2 others, killed Ymir and made the world from his parts: his skull became the sky his eyebrows formed a barrier between the world of men and the world of giants his blood became sea and lakes his bones became the mountains The world was divided into several parts: Utgard, the home of the giants Midgard, the land of humans Asgard, the home of the gods Hel, home of the dead The world tree, Yggdrasill, extended between all of these lands. At its foot in Asgard was the well od Urd, where the Norns lived, three women who oversee fate.

World in the Balance Yggdrasill, the world tree, spans the different realms of Norse myth. These realms (Utgard, Midgard, Asgard) are joined by the three roots of the great tree Yggdrasill. (Each seems to have the whole tree …) At its roots in Asgard is the well of Urd, where the Norns live; at its roots in Utgard is the well of Ymir. It represents a world equilibrium that is more like entropy: Around its roots is a serpent; At its top is an eagle; A squirrel runs up and down between them; Deer are constantly eating at its branches; and the Norns continually try to shore up the damage.

The Norse World

A Myth about Vikings The Vikings wore helmets with horns: This must be the biggest myth about the Vikings; there are no records of such helmets having ever existed. All depictions of Viking helmets dating to the Viking age, show helmets with no horns and the only authentic Viking helmet that has ever been found does not have them either.

Origin of the Myth An explanation for the helmet with horns myth is that Christians in contemporary Europe added the detail to make the Vikings look even more barbarian and pagan, with horns like Satan's on their head. It should be noted that the Norse god Thor wore a helmet with wings on it, which do look somewhat similar to horns.