Norse Mythology

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Norse Mythology

Gods and Goddesses

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The Vikings

The inhabitants of Scandinavia in the period 800–1100. They traded with, and raided, much of Europe, and often settled there. In their narrow,

shallow-draught, highly

maneuverable longships, the

Vikings penetrated far inland

along rivers.

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The Norse Universe Tree

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Asgard

Asgard was a giant fortress set on steep cliffs rising from the center of the world. All the gods and their descendants lived

there.

In Asgard was the throne of the king of the gods, Odin.

The largest and most famous

building in Asgard was Valhalla,

the banquet hall.

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Midgard

Midgard is the

"middle-realm" in the

Norse cosmos, situated in the branches of Yggdrasill between Asgardbetween Asgard (the home of the gods) above and Niflheim (the frigid home of the

dead) below.

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Niflheim

Niflheim ("house of mists") is the far northern region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold. It is situated on the lowest level of the universe. The realm of

death, HelheimNiflheim ("house of mists") is the far northern region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold. It is situated on the lowest level of the universe.

The realm of death, Helheim is part of the vast, cold region. Niflheim lies underneath the third root of

YggdrasilNiflheim ("house of mists") is the far

northern region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold. It is situated on the lowest level of the universe.

The realm of death, Helheim is part of the vast, cold region. Niflheim lies underneath the third root of

Yggdrasil, close to the spring Hvergelmir ("roaring

cauldron"). Also situated on this level is Nastrond, the

Shore of Corpses, where the serpent Nidhogg eats

corpses and gnaws on the roots of Yggdrasil.

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Bifrost

Bifrost is the bridge between MidgardBifrost is the bridge between Midgard, the realm of man, and AsgardBifrost is the bridge between Midgard, the realm of man, and Asgard, the realm of the gods.

Since it is the only way for the giants to enter Asgard it is closely guarded by HeimdallBifrost is the bridge

between Midgard, the realm of man, and Asgard, the realm of the gods. Since it is the only way for the

giants to enter Asgard it is closely guarded by

Heimdall, the watchman of the gods. Bifrost was made of three colors with magic and great skill by the Aesir and is incredibly strong. It is also called Asbru,

referring to its makers. At the end of the cosmos, this

rainbow-bridge will collapse.

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The Aesir

In old Norse Mythology the Aesir are the principal gods of the pantheon. They

include many of the major

figures, Odin, Frigg, Thor,

Balder and Tyr.

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The Asynjur

The Asynjur are the primary Norse Goddesses.

Freya

Freyja

Frigg

Ithun

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Odin

Odin is the chief divinity of the Norse pantheon, the foremost of the Aesir.

Odin is a god of war and death, but

also the god of poetry and wisdom. He hung for nine days, pierced by his own spear, on the world tree. Here he

learned nine powerful songs, and eighteen runes. Odin can make the dead speak to question the wisest amongst them.

From this throne he observes all that

happens in the nine worlds.

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Gunginir

Odin's attributes are the spear Gungnir, which never misses its target, the ring Draupnir, from which every ninth night eight new rings appear, and his eight-footed

steed Sleipnir.

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Baldur

Is a god Is a god in Norse mythology

associated with light, beauty, love and happiness. Baldr is known

primarily for the story of his death.

His death is seen as the first in the chain of events which will

ultimately lead to the destruction

of the gods at Ragnarok

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Frigga

As the wife of OdinAs the wife of Odin, Frigg is one of the foremost goddesses of Norse mythology.

She is the patron of marriage and

motherhood, and the goddess of

love and fertility. In that aspect she

shows many similarities with Freya,

of whom she possibly is a different

form.

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Freyja

Freya is a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses.

She is the patron goddess of crops and birth, the symbol of

sensuality and was called upon in matters of love. She loves music, spring and flowers, and is

particularly fond of the elves (fairies). Freya is one of the

foremost goddesses of the Vanir.

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Hel

In Norse mythology, Hel is the ruler of HelheimIn Norse

mythology, Hel is the ruler of Helheim, the realm of the dead.

She is the youngest child of the evil god LokiIn Norse mythology, Hel is the ruler of Helheim, the realm of the dead. She is the

youngest child of the evil god Loki and the giantess Angrboda. She is usually described as a horrible

hag, half alive and half dead, with a gloomy and grim expression.

Her face and body are those of a

living woman, but her thighs and

legs are those of a corpse, mottled

and moldering.

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Thor

Thor is the Norse god of thunder. He is a son of OdinThor is the Norse god of thunder. He is a son of Odin and JordThor is the Norse god of thunder.

He is a son of Odin and Jord, and one of the most powerful gods. He is married to Sif, a fertility goddess.

The Norse believed that during a

thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisni ("gap-tooth") and Tanngnost ("tooth grinder"). Lightning flashed whenever he threw his

hammer Mjollnir.

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Mjollnir

In Norse myth, the

hammer that belongs to the mighty god Thor.

Mjollnir ("that smashes") was made for him by the dwarfs Brok and Eitri,

who made many magical

objects for the gods.

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Loki

The most unpredictable and certainly the most dangerous god in the

Northern pantheon was Loki. His activities ran from the merely

mischievous to the blatantly

malicious. Supremely clever, Loki ensnared everyone in complicated problems, to which he always

supplied a remedy - through his

solution often engendered even

greater troubles.

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Funeral Pyre

A pyre (Greek: πυρά, pyrá, from πυρ, pýr, fire) also known as a funeral pyre is a structure,

usually made of wood is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite.

As a form of cremation is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a

body as part of a funeral rite. As a form of

cremation, a body is placed upon the pyre which is then set on fire.

Pyre is wood used for

burning.

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Norse Links

Norse Mythology 1 Creation of the Universe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_OBq865VjI Norse Mythology 2 Creation of the World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn1QbE_mUJo Norse Mythology 3 Day Night, Sun Moon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNcVWquU8Zk Norse Mythology 4 Golden Age of Asgard