Asgard | Norse mythology | Britannica.com Norse mythology Odin Asgard, Old Norse Ásgardr, in Norse mythology , the dwelling place of the gods, comparable to the Greek Mount Olympus . Legend divided Asgard into 12 or more realms, including Valhalla , the home of Odin and the abode of heroes slain in earthly battle; Thrudheim, the realm of Thor; and Breidablik, the home of Balder . Each important god had his own palace in Asgard, and many Germanic peoples believed that these mansions were similar in design to those of their own nobility. Asgard could be reached from earth only by the bridge Bifrost (the rainbow). Learn More in these related articles: Valhalla in Norse mythology, the hall of slain warriors, who live there blissfully under the leadership of the god Odin. Valhalla is depicted as a splendid palace, roofed with shields, where the warriors feast on the flesh of a boar slaughtered daily and made whole again each evening. They drink liquor that... Odin (Norse deity) one of the principal gods in Norse mythology.

His exact nature and role, however, are difficult to determine because of the complex picture of him given by the wealth of archaeological and literary sources. The Roman historian Tacitus stated that the Teutons worshiped Mercury; and because dies... Thor (Germanic deity) deity common to all the early Germanic peoples, a great warrior represented as a red-bearded, middle-aged man of enormous strength, an implacable foe to the harmful race of giants but benevolent toward mankind. His figure was generally secondary to that of the god Odin, who in some traditions was... 2 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References Asgard - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) in Norse mythology, the dwelling place of the Aesir gods. According to Snorri Sturluson, author of the ’Prose (or Younger) Edda’, Asgard was the last place created by the gods, after they made the earth, seas, sky, Jotunheim (Giantland), Midgard (Middle Earth, which would become the home of the humans), and clouds. Article History Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this.

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Close Date Published: July 20, 1998 URL: Access Date: January 18, 2017 Share Norse mythology: A-Z List of Norse Gods and Goddesses, spirits and monsters names A-Z list of gods and goddess names from Scandinavia Many deities have more than one name. Our Holy Database currently contains 331 Norse deity names and 185 separate entries. This list is frequently updated - we are constantly discovering more! Names from Norse mythology: A Aasgard , Aegir , Aesir , Alfheim , Alfheimr , Amma(2) , Andhrimnir , Andvari , Angerbda , Angrboda , Asbru , Asegeir , Asgaard , Asgard , Asgardr , Asgård , Ask , Askr , Astrild , Audhumbia , Audhumla , Audumbla , Audumla , Aurgelmir , Aurvandil , Aurvandill , Auðhumbla , Auðhumla , Auðumla Names from Norse mythology: B Gods and Goddesses of Norse Mythology When Ymir lived long ago Was no sand or sea, no surging waves.

Nowhere was there earth nor heaven above. Bur a grinning gap and grass nowhere. - Völuspá-The Song of the Sybil Although we know a little from observations made by Tacitus and Caesar, most of what we know of Norse mythology comes from Christian times, beginning with the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson (c.1179-1241). Not only does this mean the myths and legends were written after the period when they were routinely believed, but Snorri, as is to be expected, occasionally intrudes his non-pagan, Christian world view. Types of Gods The Norse gods are divided into 2 major groups, the Aesir and Vanir, plus the giants, who came first. Some believe the Vanir gods represent an older pantheon of the indigenous people whom the invading Indo-Europeans encountered. In the end, the Aesir, the newcomers, overcame and assimilated the Vanir. Georges Dumezil (1898-1986) thought the pantheon reflected the typical pattern of Indo-European gods where different divine factions hold different societal functions: continue reading below our video Norse Gods and Goddesses religious, and economic.

Tyr is the warrior god; Odin and Thor divide the functions of the religious and secular leaders; and the Vanir are the producers. Norse Gods and Goddesses - Vanir Hel The Gods' Home Norse gods don't live on Mt. Olympus , but their abode is separate from that of humans. The world is a circular disk, in the center of which is a concentric circle surrounded by sea. This central portion is Midgard (Miðgarðr), the home of mankind. Across the sea is the home of the giants, Jotunheim, also known as Utgard. The gods' home lies above Midgard in Asgard (Ásgarðr). Hel lies below Midgard in Niflheim. Snorri Sturluson says Asgard is in the middle of Midgard because, in his Christianization of the myths, he believed the gods were only ancient kings worshiped after the fact as gods. Other accounts place Asgard across a rainbow bridge from Midgard. 9 Worlds of Norse Mythology The Gods' Death The Norse gods are not immortal in the normal sense.

In the end, they and the world will be destroyed because of the actions of the evil or mischievous god Loki who, for now, endures Promethe an chains. Loki is the son or brother of Odin, but only through adoption. In reality he is a giant (Jotnar), one of the sworn enemies of the Aesir. It is the Jotnar who will find the gods at Ragnarok and bring about the end of the world. Norse Mythology Resources Norse Goddess Names Norse Goddess Names Akka (Maa-Emoinen) An earth mother goddess of the Finno-Ugric and consort of Ukko, the supreme sky god. She is also called Rauni, which is from rönn, Swedish for rowan, her sacred tree. Her festival was celebrated on the fifteenth of July. Alaisiagae Nordic war goddesses (see also Valkyries). Alfhild A maiden who dressed as a warrior to avoid being taken in marriage by King Alf. Only when they engaged in a fight to the death (almost), and he proved to be as strong as she, did she agree to mate with him. Alfrodull She is the sun in Norse mythology.

"Glory of elfs" is the meaning of the name. Other names were also used. A chariot driven by a girl was thought to be the sun. Two horses pulled the chariot; their names were Arvak and Alsvid. Because she was being pursued by the wolf, Skoll, she drove very fast. Before the world ends, she will have a daughter. Then Skoll will eat her, and her daughter will take her place. The sun does not give off light but gives heat. The horse's mane gave off light. Angrboda A giantess and the mate or mistress of the trickster Loki. Angrboda ("herald of sorrow") spawned three monsters: the gigantic wolf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent Jormungand, and the goddess of the death Hel. The gods abducted the children from her hall when they learned just how dangerous they were. Askefruer The Askefruer, or "Ash Maidens," are a northern variation on a common mythological theme: spirits, often depicted as human women, inhabiting trees.

The ash tree was particularly important to ancient northerners: the World Tree, the axis about which the world revolved, was the ash tree Yggdrasil. Astrild In Norse mythology, Astrild is the goddess of love. Asynjur, the (Asynjor, the)The name of the Norse goddesses who belong to the Aesir. The goddess Frigg is the chief among them. Alternately, they are the female attendants of Frigg at Vingolf, the Hall of the Goddesses. Included in their number are sometimes the Valkyries and the Norns. Atla Atla is a water goddess and daughter of Ran. Audhumla The primeval cow on whose milk the Giant Ymir fed. She was created from the melting ice at the beginning of time. She sustained herself by licking the salt and hoar frost from the ice of Niflheim. According to the Prose Edda 'four rivers of milk ran from her teats'. Beiwe A Lapland goddess who heralded the arrival of spring. Bestla The daughter of Ymir (father of the giants) or of Bolthorn ('evil thorn').

She is the wife of Bor and the mother of Odin, Vili and Ve. Beyla Servant of Freyr, wife of Byggvir. Her name is thought to be related to a word for "cow", and she the protectress of dairy work; the alternate suggestion is that "Beyla" is related to "bee", so that Beyla and Byggvir might be the givers of mead and ale. Bil One of the Asynjor. One day Hjuki and Bil were returning from the spring with a bucket of water when they were siezed by the moon god Mani, and they have followed him ever since, visible from earth. This may have been an explanation for two asteroids between earth and the moon, which have since disappeared. It may also be the origin of the Jack & Jill nursery rhyme. Borghild She is the personification of the evening mist, or perhaps the moon, who kills the light of day. She is the wife of Sigmund. Her myth became part of the dynastic struggles of the Germanic classic, the Volsung Saga.

Brunhilde (Brynhild) A mighty female warrior, one of the Valkyries, and a heroine from the German epics, especially in the Nibelungen saga, in which she is a Icelandic princess. She defied Odin and in punishment he imprisoned her within a ring of fire on earth, decreeing that there she would remain until a brave hero rescued her. Siegfied (Sigurd) braved the fire, broke her charmed sleep, and fell in love with her. He gave her the ring, Andvarinaut, unaware of its curse. Eventually she kills herself when she learns that Sigurd had betrayed her with another woman (Gudrun), not knowing he had been bewitched into doing so by Grimhild. Bylgia One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran. Disen The name for a group of goddesses of fate and fertility in old-Scandinavian mythology. The female members of the Aesir and the Vanir, as well as the Valkyries, are often called Disen. The goddess Freya is referred to as the 'Dis of the Vanir'. Eir ("mercy") A minor Norse goddess of healing.

She knew the secret powers of herbs, with which she could even resurrect the dead. She taught the art of healing only to women who were the physicians in ancient Scandinavia. She is the patroness of health-care workers, called on against sickness or injury. She is one of the goddesses on the mountain called Lyfia ("to heal through magic"), and gives both physical and psychic means of healing; shamanic healing, especially, falls into her realm. Eir is a companion of the goddess Frigg. Elli Personified Norse goddess of old age, who overcame the mighty Thor in a wrestling match. Embla After Odin and his two brothers Ve and Vili had created the universe and the nine worlds, they walked on the beach where they came upon two logs of wood which were washed ashore. They picked the logs up and give them a humanoid shape. Odin breathed into them the spirit of live, Vili gave them sharp wits and feeling hearts; and Ve bestowed upon them the senses, expressive features and speech. Furthermore, the brothers provided them with names and clothes. They named the male Ask ("ash") and the female Embla ("elm").

Ask and Embla became the progenitors of the human race, and Midgard was given to them as their residence. Eostre (Ostara) The Maid aspect of Earth who gave her name to Easter. She may derive from the same source as Ishtar, Astarte and other similar goddesses. Fjorgyn One of the Asynjor. She has been referred to as a giant, the wife of Odin; wife or mother of Thor; and mother of Frigg (also a wife of Odin). Freya ('Well-Beloved' Spouse, Lady') Goddess of Love, Fertility, Spring and Childbirth; and as Queen of the Valkyries she sometimes carried a sword. Freya ruled Odin's Valkyries and is reputed to have taught him women's mysteries. Together with her consort-brother Frey she was ruler of the Vanir, ancient matriarchal nature deities who pre-existed Norse patriarchy. She is often shown riding upon the Boar Hildeswin (representing her consort/brother Frey or her human lover Ottar) in an image suggesting sacred sexual union.

The boar as totem personified prosperity, vitality and ceremonial feasting for both the Norse and Celts. She was the leader of the primal matriarchs called Afliae, Powerful Ones or D'sir, Divine Grandmothers. A rainbow was Her jeweled necklace; she rode a chariot drawn by cats. Sometimes depicted as the Sow, "mistress" of the gods. Ruler of death, She chose from the dead spread across battlefields, taking them to Her palace Sessrumnir, meaning "rich in seats". She divides the slain warriors with Odin: one half goes to her palace, while the other half goes to Valhalla. In time they might be born once more through the nurturance of the moist Earth, another aspect of Freya. She was also a helpful deity to women in labor. Hopeful lovers worshipped her as she was a goddess of sexuality and making magic with love prayers. Amber is her gem and yew is sacred to her. The runes of Her sword signify power, fertility, and birth.

Her attributes are the precious necklace of the Brisings, which she obtained by sleeping with four dwarfs, a cloak (or skin) of bird feathers, which allows its wearer to change into a falcon, and a chariot pulled by two cats. Her chambermaid is Fulla. Freya lives in the beautiful palace Folkvang ("field of folk"), a place where love songs are always played. Frigg As 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. She is believed to know every person's destiny, but never unveils it. As the mother of Balder, she tried to prevent his death by extracting oaths from every object in nature, but forgot the mistletoe. And by a fig made from mistletoe Balder died. Her hall in Asgard is Fensalir ("water halls"). Frigg's messenger is Gna, who rides through the sky on the horse Hofvarpnir.

In some myths she was rumored to have had love affairs with Odin's brothers Vhe and Vili. Frimia (Fimila) A virgin goddess depicted with a gold ribbon in her hair. She was later assimilated into the Asynjor. Fulla The sister of Frigg and custodian of her magic casket and slippers. An early mother goddess with obscure origins, she is one of the Asynjor. Gefion ("giver") Gefion is an old-Scandinavian vegetation and fertility goddess, especially connected with the plough. She was considered the patron of virgins and the bringer of good luck and prosperity. Every girl who dies a virgin will become Gefion's servant. She is married to King Skjold or Scyld, a son of Odin, and lived in Leire, Denmark, where she had a sanctuary. The Kings of Sweden are her descendants. It is traditionally claimed that Gefion created the island of Zealand ("Sjaelland" in Danish) by ploughing the soil out of the central Swedish region with the help of her sons (four Swedish oxen), creating the great Swedish lakes in the process.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, there is a large fountain showing Gefion in the process of ploughing. Gefion may be another form of Frigg. Gerd Gerd is a beautiful giantess, the wife of Freyr and daughter of the giant Gymir. She is an earth goddess, the personification of the fertile soil. She was so beautiful that the brightness of her naked arms illuminated both air and sea. Gerd never wanted to marry Freyr and refused his proposals. Freyr sent his messenger Skirnir to woo her, but he did not succeed in winning her over with the eleven golden apples and the ring Draupnir he had with him. Eventually Skirnir threatened to use Freyr's sword, which would cover the earth in ice, and powerful magic that would doom Gerd's life to misery and sadness. She finally agreed to meet Freyr in a wood, nine days hence, and later became his wife. Gjalp A Teutonic water giantess, standing astride rivers and causing them to swell. Gna She is listed by Snorri Sturluson as one of the divine Norse goddesses; but appears only to be a handmaiden and messenger of Frigg.

She has a swift horse named Hofvarpnir ("Hoof-thrower"), which can run in the air and over water. Gullveig ("Goldbranch") The sorceress and seeress who had a great love and lust for gold. She talked of nothing else when she visited the Aesir. They listened with loathing and eventually thought the world would be better off without her, so they hurled her into the fire. Three times she was burned, and three times she was reborn. When the Vanir learned about how the Aesir had treated Gullveig they became incensed with anger. They swore vengeance and began to prepare for war. The Aesir heard about this and moved against the Vanir. This was the first war in the world. For a long time the battle raged to and fro, with neither sides gaining much ground. Eventually the gods became weary of war and began to talk of peace. Both sides swore to live side by side in peace. Gullveig is also known under the name of Heid ("gleaming one"). She is probably a form of the goddess Freya, who also has a great love of gold in the various myths.

Hel (Hela) The Nordic Crone Goddess of the Afterlife whose abode was Niflheim. As Queen of the Underworld, it was said that she received the spirits of the dead, housing them in the elder tree until it was time for them to be reborn. In Denmark, she was worshipped as Hyldemoer (Elder Mother). She was also seen as the Mountain Mother, dwelling in the earth where fire and ice meet. According to an Icelandic creation myth, in the beginning only a great chasm called Ginnungagap existed, which was the opening to Hel's womb in the earth. On one side were the fiery volcanoes, and on the other side ice and waters. Her name is the root of the place-names such as Helsinki, Holland, Holstein, Helvetia and Holderness. Numerous alters of Nehellenia (Nether Moon) have been found in places like Cologne, Germany (2nd century CE). In this aspect, she was thought to give safe passage to seafarers. In 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. The gods had abducted Hel and her brothers from Angrboda's hall. They cast her in the underworld, into which she distributes those who are send to her; the wicked and those who died of sickness or old age. Her hall in Helheim is called Eljudnir, home of the dead. Her manservant is Ganglati and her maidservant is Ganglot (which both can be translated as "tardy"). Hlodyn A Teutonic giantess, one of the several named mothers of Thor. This confusion may have come about as Thor, hero of popular culture, was inserted into a more complex pantheon. Hnossa One of the Asynjor, the daughter of Frigg/Freya. She was so beautiful that the word hnosir became the term to describe things of beauty. Holle (Holda, Holde) The Teutonic witch goddess of the moon.

During the summer she bathed in forest streams, and in the winter shook snowflakes down from the trees. Her name was used as a general term for a priestess of a lunar cult. Hulda A North German goddess of marriage and fecundity. The expression "Hulda is making her bed" means that it is snowing. Idun (Iduna) The goddess of eternal youth, married to Bragi, the god of poetry. Idun is the custodian of the golden apples of youth. When the gods feel old age approaching, they only have to eat of the apples to become young again. As a goddess of fertility, youth and death, it is possible that she was originally one of the Vanir. Idun was once abducted by the storm giant Thiazi and in this interval the gods began to age rapidly. She was eventually rescued by Loki who changed her into a nut and brought her back to her hall. The gods were restored to youth soon after. Her festivals were celebrated on the 3rd and 21st of March. Jarnsaxa A Teutonic giantess, the first wife of Thor. By him she had two sons; Moody ('courage') and Magni ('might').

Jord In old-Scandinavian mythology, Jord is the personification of the primitive, unpopulated, and uncultivated Earth. She is one of the wives of the chief god Odin and the mother of the god Thor. She overlaps with Nerthus and is identifiable with Frigg. Kalma A Finno-Ugric death goddess, a daughter of Tuoni and Tuonetar. Kara A Valkyrie, she helped her mortal lover Helgi in battle by hovering over him and charming his enemies with song. During one such battle, Kara was accidentally killed by Helgi. Kipu-Tyttö (Kivutar) The Finno-Ugric goddess of illness, a daughter of Tuoni and Tuonetar. Laga In Norse mythology, Laga is the goddess of wells and springs. She is a friend of Odin. Laufey ('Wooded Isle') The Teutonic mother of the trickster god Loki (originally a fire demon). She furnished his firewood. Lofn In Norse myth, Lofn is the goddess of forbidden love. She smiles upon illicit unions. Loviatar (Louhi) Finno-Ugric. The most terrible daughter of Tuoni and Tuonetar.

From her union with the Wind were born pleurisy, colic, gout, phthisis, ulcers, scabies, canker, plague and a nameless 'fatal spirit, a creature eaten up with envy'. Luonnotar ('Daughter of Nature') A Finno-Ugric creation goddess, daughter of the air god Ilma. Weary of her lonely celestial virginity, she floated ont he sea for seven centuries. Eventually an eagle (or a duck) nested on her knee and laid eggs. These rolled into the abyss and became the Earth, the heavens, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars. She gave birth to the first human being, the bard Vainamoinen. In the Kalevala epicshe was impregnated by the East Wind. She is also known as the Mother of the Waters, Ilmatar. Modir About Norse Mythology About Norse Mythology Bookmark this page Manage My Reading List Introduction Teutonic religion extended through Germany, Scandinavia, and England in the Dark Ages, and as Christianity supplanted it the old gods and rites were destroyed and forgotten.

Much of our knowledge of this religion stems from The Elder Edda and The Younger Edda, which were compiled in Iceland during the Middle Ages. The Eddas project a stern and gloomy view of the cosmos and of man's role in it. The world was created when Odin and his brothers slew the primeval Frost-Giant Ymir, and it will come to an end when the Giants rise against Odin and his comrades and kill them in battle. Certain doom awaits the gods and men alike, but in the face of that doom the one noble activity is war, and to die courageously fighting was the only way to enter Valhalla, the warrior's paradise. Love in the Norse tales was often accompanied by murderous passions, and treachery was commonplace. The world here is a hard, cold, bitter place in which to live. Despite the starkness of this picture the Norsemen took intense pleasure from such things as friendship, drinking and eating, making love, outwitting strangers, avenging wrongs, and fighting bravely. They were a fierce, hard-headed race, and their myths take no pains to conceal it.

We will examine the creation and destruction of the universe, some tales of the gods, and the epic stories of Beowulf, the Volsungs, and Sigurd. These will give a more vivid and detailed version of how the Norsemen saw the world and what they valued. Supernatural Races in Norse Myth The Aesir were the primary race of gods, which included Odin, Thor, Tyr, Balder, and Heimdall, among others. They lived in Asgard and held temporary power over the cosmos. Aging like mortals, these gods renewed their youth by eating magic apples. Their reign would end and they would die at Ragnarok, when evil overcomes good in a final battle. The Vanir were a secondary race of gods, not essentially different from the Aesir. In ancient times the Vanir and the Aesir battled one another until a compromise was reached in which the Vanir were admitted into Asgard. Among these gods were Frey and his beautiful sister Freya. The Giants, whether Frost-Giants or Mountain-Giants, were terrible magicians who lived at Jötunheim, engaged in contests with the gods, and would shatter the cosmos at Ragnarok.

The Dwarves were a subterranean race of craftsmen. The Valkyries, "choosers of the slain," were female warriors who selected brave mortal fighters who died in battle to live in Valhalla in Asgard. Attendants of Odin, the Valkyries were also immortal waitresses that refilled the drinking cups in Valhalla. They were visible only to men about to die fighting. The Major Norse Gods Odin (Woden, Wotan) was the chief god, a master of wisdom, magic, and poetry. A protector of courageous noblemen in war, he was also the god of the slain. Odin was blind in one eye, wore a golden breastplate and helmet, carried a magic spear, and rode an incredibly swift, eight-legged horse named Sleipnir. On his shoulders perched two ravens, Hugin and Munin (thought and memory), that flew throughout the world and reported everything to him each night. Frigga was Odin's wife, who was also wise. She protected brave warriors whom Odin neglected. Both Frigga and Odin had extramarital sexual encounters. Thor was the god of thunder, a powerful deity, upright in character but fearsome to his enemies.

He protected peasant warriors and possessed a belt that doubled his strength, iron gloves, and a magic hammer, Mjölnir, which always struck its target and returned to Thor's hand. Balder, the son of Odin and Frigga, was especially favored and loved by nearly every being in the world, but he was the first god to die, killed by Loki's treachery. Tyr presided over public assemblies, legal matters, and battles. His hand was bitten off by Fenrir the wolf, a monstrous enemy of the gods. Frey was the god of vegetation and fertility. Freya, his sister, was the goddess of love and beauty. Heimdall was the watchman of the gods, stationed on the rainbow bridge, Bifrost, that led to Asgard. His trumpet would announce doomsday. Loki, although allowed in Asgard, was the son of a Giant. Full of malice and cunning, he perpetrated much mischief until the gods bound him in a cavern with a venomous serpent to torment him. He fathered three mighty monsters, including Fenrir the wolf and the Midgard Serpent.

Hel was goddess of the netherworld, and half her face had human features while the other half was blank. She ruled the dead. Creation and Catastrophe At first there was only a great void. But to the North of this void there formed a region of mist and ice, while to the South grew a region of fire. Niflheim was the name of the North, and Muspellsheim of the South; and the heat from the latter melted some of the ice of the former, which shaped Ymir, the Frost-Giant with a human form. From Ymir's sweat came the race of Giants, and as the glacial ice melted further a huge cow was created to feed the Giants. This cow in turn was fed by salt contained in the ice. One day it licked the ice and hair emerged, on the next day a head, and on the third day Bur emerged, fully formed. Bur had a son, Buri, who had three sons — Odin, Vili, and Ve. These three were a new race, not Giants but gods. They banded together and murdered Ymir. Most of the other Giants drowned in Ymir's blood, which created a great sea.

From Ymir's body the three gods made solid land, the earth, and from Ymir's skull they made the vault of the heavens. Odin and his brothers then created the race of dwarves from the maggots in Ymir's body. Other gods joined these three, and together they erected Asgard and all its halls to be their own home. Having established their supremacy, the gods made the first mortals, shaping a man from an ash tree and a woman from a vine. The gods bestowed breath, energy, a soul, reason, warmth, and freshness on this first couple. And from their male descendants Odin chose only the bravest to live in Asgard after they died, for these warriors would aid him in the final showdown with the forces of evil. The cosmos was supported by a tremendous ash tree, Yggdrasil. One of its roots extended to Niflheim, which was the netherworid; another to Jötunheim, the dwelling place of Giants; another to Midgard, the home of man; and one to Asgard, the home of the gods.

In its upper branches lived a squirrel and an eagle, while at its rootage lived the serpent Nidhögg, which gnawed away, until at the end of time the whole structure would collapse. In the meantime the Norns, or Fates, watered the tree to keep it from dying. Odin knew the power of the gods was not eternal, for he and his comrades would die when the Giants and demons rose against them. The last fight would take place at Vigrid, a field one hundred miles in length and breadth. Odin would be swallowed by Fenrir the wolf, but his son would avenge him. Thor and the Midgard Serpent would destroy each other; so would Loki and Heimdall; and Tyr would slay Garm, the fierce dog of Niflheim, and be clawed to death in turn. The stars and all heavenly bodies would plummet from the sky as the earth sank beneath the sea. The twilight of the gods would become night, and the universe would exist no more. Yet there still existed a power, the Nameless One, that would give birth to a new world beyond the edge of time.

Valhalla - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People Valhalla “Walhall” by Emil Doepler (c. 1905) Valhalla (pronounced “val-HALL-uh”; Old Norse Valhöll, “the hall of the fallen”) is the hall where the god Odin houses the dead whom he deems worthy of dwelling with him. This is not a reward for moral behavior or anything of the sort, however; most of those to whom he grants access to Valhalla are distinguished warriors whom he collects for the perfectly selfish purpose of having them come to his aid in his foredoomed struggle against the wolf Fenrir during Ragnarok . Old Norse poems depict Valhalla as being thatched with shields and spears and guarded by wolves and eagles.[1][2][3] It’s a place of perpetual fighting, presumably with the intention of sharpening the skills of the warriors for their battle against Fenrir. After any scuffle in Valhalla, the warriors emerge healed to sit together around the hall’s table.[4] Some writers speak of Valhalla as if it were a part of Asgard , but the Old Norse sources say no such thing.

The closest thing to this notion that one can find in the sources comes from the Eddic poem Grímnismál, which states: “That land is hallowed/ Which I see lying/ Near gods and elves .”[5] The poem then lists many of the halls of the gods and offers terse descriptions of them, and Valhalla receives the most extensive consideration. But this “hallowed land” could be anywhere; it’s at least as likely, given the pantheistic and animistic character of pre-Christian Norse/Germanic religion, that this “hallowed land” refers to the cosmos as a whole rather than to Asgard alone. The Grímnismál, after all, goes on to describe much of the rest of the cosmos after describing the halls of the gods – and there’s no indication that the rest of the cosmos is any less a part of this “hallowed land.” Where, then, is Valhalla located? The literary sources, as well as archaeological and place-name evidence, powerfully suggest that it’s part of the underworld, and hardly distinguishable from Helheim , the most general designation for the underworld.

As we’ve noted above, the poets speak of the continual battle that takes place in Valhalla as one of the place’s defining features. Just such a place is described, in other early sources, as being located beneath the ground.[6] Furthermore, the very name Valhöll, “the hall of the fallen,” is a late development that seems to have arisen out of the name Valhallr, “the rock of the fallen,” a title given to certain rocks and hills where the dead were perceived to dwell in southern Sweden, one of the greatest historical centers of Odin-worship.[7][8] The only Old Norse text that makes a sure distinction between Valhalla and Helheim is the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson. Snorri, a thirteenth-century Christian scholar, claims that those who die in battle are taken to Valhalla, while those who die of sickness or old age find themselves in Helheim after their departure from the land of the living. Yet he blatantly contradicts this statement in the one extensive account of Helheim he provides – namely the tale of the death of Baldur , Odin’s own son, who was killed violently and was nevertheless borne to Hel.

No other source makes this distinction – and several contradict it – which means that this distinction between Helheim and Valhalla is certainly an invention of Snorri’s.[9] Evidently, the ancient northern Europeans perceived no absolutely firm difference between Valhalla and the other halls of the dead. Valhalla, therefore, can most accurately be thought of as a subset of the larger underworld. For a broader discussion of that underworld, see Death and the Afterlife . Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. References: [1] The Poetic Edda. Grímnismál, verses 8-10. [2] Þórbjörn Hornklofi. Hrafnsmál.

Question: In Norse mythology, what is the name of the dwelling place of the gods?
Answer: Asgard