Yggdrasil - definition of Yggdrasil by The Free Dictionary Yggdrasil - definition of Yggdrasil by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Ygg·dra·sil also Yg·dra·sil (ĭg′drə-sĭl, üg′-) n. Norse Mythology The great ash tree that holds together earth, heaven, and hell by its roots and branches. [Old Norse.] Igdrasil n (Norse Myth & Legend) Norse myth the ash tree that was thought to overshadow the whole world, binding together earth, heaven, and hell with its roots and branches [Old Norse (probably meaning: Uggr's horse), from Uggr a name of Odin, from yggr, uggr frightful + drasill horse, of obscure origin] Ygg•dra•sil (ˈɪg drə sɪl, ˈüg-) n. (in Norse myth) a great ash tree situated in the center of the world, with roots extending into Asgard and Niflheim. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1.

Yggdrasil - (Norse mythology) a huge ash tree whose roots and branches hold the earth and Heaven and Hell together Ygdrasil Norse mythology - the mythology of Scandinavia (shared in part by Britain and Germany) until the establishment of Christianity Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: Practice of being rooted in the Gospel In Norse mythology Yggdrasil was the name of the tree of the universe, which bound together heaven, earth and hell. Mutsuki, Lay. Yggdrasil From the serpent of Apep that attacked the sun god Ra every night according to Egyptian lore, to the Norse dragon Nidhoggr that gnawed at the roots of the great tree Yggdrasil, to East Asian dragons that regulated the weather, Imagine a Dragon spans the gamut of multicultural dragon lore.

Fabulous creatures In the Norse poem Havamal, the High Song of Odin, the god recounts how he acquired knowledge of the runes while hanging upside down from Yggdrasil, the world tree: Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Yggdrasil | Definition of Yggdrasil by Merriam-Webster See words that rhyme with Yggdrasil Seen and Heard What made you want to look up Yggdrasil? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). Yggdrasil - definition and meaning Yggdrasil Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition n. Mythology The great ash tree that holds together earth, heaven, and hell by its roots and branches in Norse mythology. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License proper n.

The World Tree in Norse mythology. The great ash tree. from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia n. In Scand. myth., the ash-tree which binds together heaven, earth, and hell. from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. n. (Norse mythology) a huge ash tree whose roots and branches hold the earth and Heaven and Hell together Etymologies from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition Old Norse. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License From Old Norse Yggdrasill. Commonly accepted as being composed yggr ("terrible") + drasill ("steed"), where “steed” refers to a hanging tree. Examples For the same reason, the Scandinavian cultures of northern Europe depicted the Universe as a great tree, which they called Yggdrasil, or “World Tree,” another teaching tool for the web of life. Yggdrasil Interpretation Translation Yggdrasil noun Etymology: Old Norse Date: 1770 a huge ash tree in Norse mythology that overspreads the world and binds earth, hell, and heaven together New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

YHWH Look at other dictionaries: Yggdrasil — great tree of the universe, 1770, from O.N. ygdrasill, apparently from Yggr, a name of Odin + drasill horse … Etymology dictionary Yggdrasil — For other uses, see Yggdrasil (disambiguation). The Ash Yggdrasil (1886) by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil ( … Wikipedia Yggdrasil — Darstellung der Weltenesche Yggdrasil mit den verschiedenen Tieren, die in und bei ihr leben, in einer isländischen Handschrift des 17. Jahrhunderts. Yggdrasil ist in der nordischen Mythologie der Name einer Esche, die als Weltenbaum den gesamten … Deutsch Wikipedia Yggdrasil — El Yggdrasil (La imagen en el artículo Níðhöggr es un fragmento de ésta). Para otros usos de este término, véase Yggdrasil (desambiguación).

Yggdrasil (o Yggdrasill) es un fresno perenne: el árbol de la vida, o fresno del universo, en la… … Wikipedia Español Yggdrasil — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Yggdrasil (homonymie). Yggdrasil l Arbre Monde Yggdrasil ou Yggdrasill est l Arbre Monde dans la mythologie nordique. Son nom signifie l … Wikipédia en Français Yggdrasil — (L’Atroce Mont) Yggdrasil est l’arbre cosmique, le pilier de l’Univers. Ces énormes branches soutenaient les Neuf Mondes Scandinaves avec sous son pont Bifrost, les trois royaumes des Dieux et des Elfes, les Mondes des humains, des Nains et des… … Mythologie nordique Yggdrasil — The world tree in Nordic myth. It was also the gallows on which Odin had hung for nine days in order to acquire wisdom.

The elaboration in the Eddas of the memories of a sacred grove seems somewhat disproportionate and would in all probability … Who’s Who in non-classical mythology Yggdrasil — En la mitología escandinava, fresno perenne cuyas raíces y ramas mantienen unidos los diferentes mundos: el Asgard, el Midgard, el Utgard y Hel. De su raíz emana la fuente que llena el pozo del conocimiento, custodiado por Mimir. A los pies del… … Enciclopedia Universal Yggdrasil — Ygg|dra|sil 〈[ ỵk ] m.; s; unz.; nord. Myth.〉 Weltesche, ein immergrüner Baum im Mittelpunkt der Welt, unter dessen Wurzeln die Welten der Menschen liegen [anord., eigtl.

„Pferd des Schrecklichen“ &LT;yggr „schrecklich“ + drasill „Pferd“] * * *… … Universal-Lexikon Yggdrasil — Name einer LINUX Distribution , kenbrody@cloud9.net: The name Yggdrasil comes from Norse mythology, and it is the Tree of Life. Its roots reached down to the underworld, and its branches reached up to heaven. (Some said it was in reference to the … Acronyms Yggdrasil — Name einer LINUX Distribution , kenbrody@cloud9.net: The name Yggdrasil comes from Norse mythology, and it is the Tree of Life. Its roots reached down to the underworld, and its branches reached up to heaven. (Some said it was in reference to the … Acronyms von A bis Z 16+ Abstract Oil Paintings of Norse and Scandinavian Mythology A NEW BOOK BY THE ARTIST / AUTHOR With Photos from the Turn of the Century A Bio filled with Hilarious Humor, Awesome Adventure, Heart-Rending Tragedy, Spirituality, and Love Comments received to date!

"Awesome", "Incredible", "Must Read", "Eloquent", "Hilarious", "Devilish Humor", "Inspiring", "Poignant", "Whimsical", "Witty", "Wise", "Powerful Prose", "Art of the Storyteller" CLICK on picture for full information! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Abstract Art of Edward R. Rogaishio NORSE MYTHOLOGY Oil Paintings by Edward R. Rogaishio COME AND WANDER THROUGH THIS COLLECTION OF THE POWERS AND WONDERS OF THE GODS, GODDESSES, CREATURES AND PLACES FOUND IN OLD SCANDINAVIAN MYTHOLOGY. All Paintings are Oil on Linen with Heavy duty Stretcher frames, 36 x 48 or 48 x 36. All are priced at $2,800, Except 'ODIN' which is $5,600. THESE PAINTINGS ARE AVAILABLE ALSO, AS PRINTS AND NOTE CARDS WITH AND WITHOUT STORY COPY 01. ODIN The supreme deity and creator of the cosmos and human beings.

He is the god of wisdom, war, art, culture and the dead. Also, he is associated with learning, poetry and magic. 02. FRIGG Or Frigga. Wife of Odin. Goddess of the sky. She was worshipped as the protector of married love and housewives. A bunch of keys was her symbol. Frigg had two sons, Balder, the god of light, and Hoder, the blind god of darkness. Frigg's name survives in the English word Friday (Frigg's day). In German mythology, Frigg was sometimes identified with Freya, the goddess of love. 03. BALDER Or Baldur. The god of light and joy. Frigga, his mother, having dreamed that Balder's life was threatened, extracted and oath from the forces and objects in nature, animate and inanimate, that they would not harm Balder, but she forgot the mistletoe. The gods, thinking Balder was safe, cast darts and stones at him.

The malicious giant Loki, put a twig of mistletoe in the hands of Balder's twin, Hoder, god of darkness, and directed his aim at Balder, who fell pierced to the heart. After the death of Balder, Odin sent another son, the messenger Hermod, to the underworld to plead for Balder's return. The god would be released only if everything in the world would weep for him. Everything wept except an old woman in a cave, and Balder could not return to life. 05. VIKING The Vikings were Norsemen who roamed the northern seas plundering the coast of Europe in the 8th to 10th centuries. They have been credited with the discovery of Iceland, Greenland, and the New World. The bodies of slain heroes were set adrift in vessels set afire. 06. VALKYRIE One of a band of warrior maidens that include Svava and Brunhild, who served as choosers of warriors slain in battle and then conducted them to Valhalla. 07. THOR The god of thunder, eldest son of Odin.

Thor was the strongest of the Aesir, the chief gods, whom he helped protect from their enemies, the giants. He had a magic hammer, which he threw with the aid of iron gloves and which always returned to him. Thunder was supposed to be the sound of the rolling of his chariot. Thursday is named for Thor. 08. FREY He was the god of fruitfulness, prosperity and peace and was the bestower of sunlight and rain. He wakened the earth from the long sleep of winter, and prayers for a bountiful harvest were addressed to him. His sister was Freya, and his wife, Gerd. His chief shrine was at Uppsala, in Sweden. 09. FREYA Goddess of love, fertility and beauty, sometimes identified as the goddess of battle and death. Her father was Njord, a fertility god. Blond, blue-eyed and beautiful, Freya traveled on a golden-bristled boar or in a chariot drawn by cats. She resided in the celestial realm of Folkvang, where it was her privilege to receive half of all the warriors slain in battle; Odin received the other half at Valhalla. 10.

FAFNIR The dragon that guarded the Nibelung's (Burgundian Kings) gold hoard until it was slain by Sigurd. 11. NIFLHEIM The abode of the dead. A place of cold and darkness. 12. HEL The goddess of the dead. She dwelt beneath one of the three roots of the sacred ash tree Yggdrasil, and was the daughter of Loki, a giant and the spirit of mischief or evil, and the giantess Angerbotha. Odin, the All-Father, hurled Hel into Niflheim, the realm of cold and darkness, itself known as Hel, over which he gave her sovereign authority. 13. LOKI The handsome giant who represented mischief and evil and was possessed of great cunning and knowledge. He was responsible for the death of Balder, god of light and joy. According to the Poetic Edda, Loki and Hel will lead the forces of evil against the Aesir, or gods, in the titanic struggle of RagnaroK, at the end of the world. 14. YGGDRASIL The huge ash tree that overspreads the world and binds earth, hell and heaven together.

It reached through all time and space but it was perpetually under attack by Nidhogg, the evil serpent. The fountain of Mimir, source of hidden wisdom, lay under a root of the tree. Information from: Encyclopedia Britannica & Britannica CD Multimedia For Inquiries & Purchase: E-mail: Rayrogue@aol.com H H H H Giclï¿½e Prints of Available Paintings above: Image Size: 10 x 7.5 inches on 11 x 8.5 matte photo digital paper Prices: Archival: To 100 Years without noticeable fading~ $35: US Shipping & Packaging: $6.50. Yggdrasil synonyms, Yggdrasil antonyms - FreeThesaurus.com Yggdrasil synonyms, Yggdrasil antonyms - FreeThesaurus.com Also found in: Dictionary , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . noun Synonyms for Yggdrasil (Norse mythology) a huge ash tree whose roots and branches hold the earth and Heaven and Hell together Synonyms Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content .

Link to this page: Write what you mean clearly and correctly. References in periodicals archive ? Nonetheless, Yggdrasil is such a labor of love, so rare in its holistic and poetic approach to history, and at its best so insightful into the process by which the Cross came to the North that to quibble too much seems churlish.

Tolkien's devices: the heraldry of middle-earth Within this book you will find everything you need to construct a Book Of Shadows, Wicca, Witchcraft, Herbal History and Uses, Runes, Divination, Metaphysics, Reincarnation, The Spiritual Realms, Understanding Energies, Psychic Gifts, Universal Law And Chaos, Laws of (Accountability / Balance / Manifestation), Meditation, Energy from (Stones & Crystals), Candle Magick, Angels Explained, Astral Projection, Conscious Minds, Ghosts And Spirits, Lucid Dreams, Living In Balance, Protection And Healing, Blessing And Cleansing, Affirmations For The Evolving Spirit, The Aura, Biorhythms, Inside the Chakra, Moon Phases, Numerology, Planetary Association, Prophecy, Sibyl, Tarot, Yggdrasil, How To Write A Spell, Wicca/Witchcraft/Pagan Definitions Iggdrasil the Tree of Existence - definition of Iggdrasil the Tree of Existence by The Free Dictionary Iggdrasil the Tree of Existence - definition of Iggdrasil the Tree of Existence by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia .

Ygg·dra·sil also Yg·dra·sil (ĭg′drə-sĭl, üg′-) n. Norse Mythology The great ash tree that holds together earth, heaven, and hell by its roots and branches. [Old Norse.] Igdrasil n (Norse Myth & Legend) Norse myth the ash tree that was thought to overshadow the whole world, binding together earth, heaven, and hell with its roots and branches [Old Norse (probably meaning: Uggr's horse), from Uggr a name of Odin, from yggr, uggr frightful + drasill horse, of obscure origin] Ygg•dra•sil (ˈɪg drə sɪl, ˈüg-) n. (in Norse myth) a great ash tree situated in the center of the world, with roots extending into Asgard and Niflheim. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1.

Yggdrasil - (Norse mythology) a huge ash tree whose roots and branches hold the earth and Heaven and Hell together Ygdrasil Norse mythology - the mythology of Scandinavia (shared in part by Britain and Germany) until the establishment of Christianity Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Yggdrasil Yggdrasil Yggdrasil or Yggdrasill (pronounced /ˈɪg.drə.sɪl/, IG -drə-sil or IPA: [ˈyɡ.drə.sil]) is the world tree in Norse mythology, a huge ash tree that spans and supports the universe by holding together earth, heaven, and hell by its roots.

Yggdrasil is generally considered to mean "Ygg's ( Odin 's) horse". In Old Norse , Yggdrasil is called Mimameidr. Yggdrasil is central in Norse cosmology, and around it exist nine worlds. Yggdrasil is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that is central and considered very holy. The Æsir go to Yggdrasil daily to hold their courts. The branches of Yggdrasil extend far into the heavens, and the tree is supported by three roots that extend far away into other locations; one to the well Urðarbrunnr in the heavens, one to the spring Hvergelmir, and another to the well Mímisbrunnr. Creatures live within Yggdrasil, including the harts Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór, and an unnamed eagle, and the wyrm Níðhöggr.

Scholarly theories have been proposed about the etymology of the name Yggdrasill, the relation to tree and Eurasian shamanic lore, the potential relation to the trees Mímameiðr and Læraðr, Hoddmímis holt, the sacred tree at Uppsala, and the fate of Yggdrasil during the events of Ragnarök. Etymology Scholarly opinions regarding the precise meaning of the name Yggdrasill vary, particularly on the issue of whether Yggdrasill is the name of the tree itself, or if only the full term askr Yggdrasil refers specifically to the tree.

Yggdrasill means "Ygg's horse," "Yggr" is one of Odin's many names, and according to this, askr Yggdrasils would be viewed as the world-tree upon which the "horse of the highest god is bound." The generally accepted etymology of the name is that Yggdrasill means "Odin's horse," which means "tree," and that the reason behind the name "Odin's horse" lies in the notion of gallows as "the horse of the hanged," and, according to this notion, the tree would then be the gallows in which Odin hanged during his self-sacrifice described in the Poetic Edda poem Hávamál. Both of these etymologies rely on a presumed but unattested *Yggsdrasill. A third interpretation by F. Detter is that the name Yggdrasill refers to the word Yggr ("terror"), yet not in reference to the Odinic name, and so Yggdrasill would then mean "tree of terror, gallows." F. R.

Schröder has proposed a fourth etymology where yggdrasill means "yew pillar," deriving yggia from *igwja (meaning " yew-tree "), and drasill from *dher- (meaning "support"). Attestations In the Poetic Edda, the tree is mentioned in three poems; Völuspá, Hávamál, and Grímnismál: Völuspá In the second stanza of the poem Völuspá, the völva reciting the poem to the god Odin says that she remembers far back to "early times," being raised by jötnar, nine worlds, "nine wood-ogresses" (Old Norse nío ídiðiur) and when Yggdrasil was a seed ("glorious tree of good measure, under the ground"). In stanza 19, the völva says: An ash I know there stands, Yggdrasill is its name, From there come the dews that drop in the valleys. It stands forever green over Urðr's well.

In stanza 20, the völva says that from the lake under the tree come three "maidens deep in knowledge" named Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld . The maidens "incised the slip of wood," "laid down laws" and "chose lives" for the children of mankind and the destinies ( ørlǫg ) of men. In stanza 27, the völva details that she is aware that " Heimdallr 's hearing is couched beneath the bright-nurtured holy tree." In stanza 45, Yggdrasil receives a final mention in the poem. The völva describes, as a part of the onset of Ragnarök, that Heimdallr blows Gjallarhorn, that the Odin speaks with Mímir's head, and then: Yggdrasill shivers, the ash, as it stands. The old tree groans, and the giant slips free. Hávamál In stanza 34 of the poem Hávamál, Odin describes how he once sacrificed himself to himself by hanging on a tree.

The stanza reads: I know that I hung on a windy tree nine long nights, wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin, myself to myself, on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run. In the stanza that follows, Odin describes how he had no food nor drink there, that he peered downward, and that "I took up the runes, screaming I took them, then I fell back from there." While Yggdrasil is not mentioned by name in the poem and other trees exist in Norse mythology, the tree is near universally accepted as Yggdrasil, and if the tree is Yggdrasil, then the name Yggdrasil directly relates to this story. Grímnismál In the poem Grímnismál, Odin (disguised as Grímnir) provides the young Agnar with cosmological lore.

Yggdrasil is first mentioned in the poem in stanza 29, where Odin says that, because the "bridge of the Æsir burns" and the "sacred waters boil," Thor must wade through the rivers Körmt and Örmt and two rivers named Kerlaugar to go "sit as judge at the ash of Yggdrasill." In the stanza that follows, a list of horse names are given that the Æsir ride to "sit as judges" at Yggdrasil. In stanza 31, Odin says that the ash Yggdrasil has three roots that grows in three directions. He details that beneath the first lives Hel, under the second live frost jötnar, and beneath the third live mankind. Stanza 32 details that a squirrel named Ratatoskr must run across Yggdrasil and bring "the eagle's word" from above to Níðhöggr below. Stanza 33 describes that four harts named Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór consume "the highest boughs" of Yggdrasil.

In stanza 34, Odin says that, beneath Yggdrasil, more serpents lie "than any fool can imagine", and lists them as Góinn and Móinn (possibly meaning Old Norse "land-animal") which he describes as sons of Grafvitnir (Old Norse, possibly "ditch-wolf"), Grábakr (Old Norse "Greyback"), Grafvölluðr (Old Norse, possibly "the one digging under the plain" or possibly amended as "the one ruling in the ditch"), Ófnir (Old Norse "the winding one, the twisting one"), and Sváfnir (Old Norse, possibly "the one who puts to sleep = death"), who Odin adds that he thinks will forever gnaw on the tree's branches. In stanza 35, Odin says that Yggdrasil "suffers agony more than men know", as a hart bites it from above, it decays on its sides, and Níðhöggr bites it from beneath. In stanza 44, Odin provides a list of things that are the he refers to as the "noblest" of their type.

Within the list, Odin mentions Yggdrasil first, and states that it is the "noblest of trees." Prose Edda Yggdrasil is mentioned in two books in the Prose Edda; Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál. In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, the Yggdrasil is introduced in chapter 15. In chapter 15, Gangleri (described as king Gylfi in disguise) asks where is there the chief center or holiest place of the gods. High replies "It is the ash Yggdrasil. There the gods must hold their courts each day." Gangleri asks what there is to tell about Yggdrasil. Just-As-High says that Yggdrasil is the biggest and best of all trees, that its branches extend out over all of the world and reach out over the sky. Three of the roots of the tree support it, and these three roots also extend extremely far: one "is among the Æsir, the second among the frost jötnar, and the third over Niflheim.

The root over Niflheim is gnawed by the wyrm Níðhöggr, and beneath this root is the spring Hvergelmir. Beneath the root that reaches the frost jötnar is the well Mímisbrunnr, "which has wisdom and intelligence contained in it, and the master of the well is called Mimir." Just-As-High provides detail regarding Mímisbrunnr, and then describes that the third root of the well "extends to heaven," and beneath the root is the "very holy" well Urðarbrunnr. At Urðarbrunnr the gods hold their court, and every day the Æsir ride to Urðarbrunnr up over the bridge Bifröst. Later in the chapter, a stanza from Grímnismál mentioning Yggdrasil is quoted in support. In chapter 16, Gangleri asks "what other particularly notable things are there to tell about the ash?" High says there is quite a lot to tell about. High continues that an eagle sits on the branches of Yggdrasil, and it wields much knowledge.

Between the eyes of the eagle sits a hawk called Veðrfölnir. A squirrel called Ratatoskr scurries up and down the ash Yggdrasil carrying "malicious messages" between the eagle and Níðhöggr. Four stags named Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór run in the branches of Yggdrasil, and consume its foilage. Within the spring Hvergelmir, there are so many snakes with Níðhöggr "that no tongue can enumerate them." In support, two stanzas from Grímnismál are cited. High continues that each day, the norns that live by the holy well Urðarbrunnr take water from the well and mud from around it and pour it over Yggdrasil, so that the branches of the ash do not rot away or decay.

High provides more information about Urðarbrunnr, cites a stanza from Völuspá in support, and adds that dew falls from Yggdrasil to the earth, explaining that "this is what people call honeydew, and from it bees feed." In chapter 41, the stanza from Grímnismál is quoted that mentions that Yggdrasil is the foremost of trees. In chapter 54, as part of the events of Ragnarök, High describes that Odin will ride to the well Mímisbrunnr and consult Mímir on behalf of himself and his people. After this, "the ash Yggdrasil will shake and nothing will be unafraid in heaven or on earth" and then the Æsir and Einherjar will don their war gear and advance to the field of Vígríðr. Further into the chapter, the stanza in Völuspá that details this sequence is cited. In the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, Yggdrasil receives a single mention, though not by name. In chapter 64, names for kings and dukes are given.

"Illustrious one" is provided as an example, appearing in a Christianity-influenced work by the skald Hallvarðr Háreksblesi: "There is not under the pole of the earth [Yggdrasil] an illustrious one closer to the lord of monks [God] than you." Theories Shamanic origins Hilda Ellis Davidson comments that the existence of Nine Worlds around Yggdrasil are mentioned more than once in Old Norse sources, but the identity of the worlds is never outright stated, yet can be adduced from various sources. Davidson comments that "no doubt the identity of the nine varied from time to time as the emphasis changed or new imagery arrived." Davidson says that it is unclear where the Nine Worlds are located in relation to the tree; they could either exist one above the other or perhaps be grouped around the tree, but that there are references to worlds existing beneath the tree, while the gods are pictured as in the sky, a rainbow bridge (Bifröst) connecting the tree with other worlds.

Davidson opines that "those who have tried to produce a convincing diagram of the Scandinavian cosmos from what we are told in the sources have only added to the confusion." Davidson notes parallels between Yggdrasil and in shamanic lore in northern Eurasia: [...] the conception of the tree rising through a number of worlds is found in northern Eurasia and forms part of the shamanic lore shared by many peoples of this region. This seems to be a very ancient conception, perhaps based on the Pole Star, the centre of the heavens, an the image of the central tree in Scandinavia may have been influenced by it [...]. Among Siberian shamans, a central tree may be used as a ladder to ascend the heavens [...]. Davidson says that the notion of an eagle atop a tree and the World Serpent coiled around the roots of the tree has parallels in other cosmologies from Asia , and that Norse cosmology may have been influenced by these Asiatic cosmologies from a northern.

On the other hand, Davidson adds, the Germanic peoples are attested as worshipping their deities in open forest clearings, and that a sky god was particularly connected with the oak tree, and therefore "a central tree was a natural symbol for them also." Mímameiðr, Hoddmímis holt and Ragnarök Connections have been proposed between the wood Hoddmímis holt (Old Norse "Hoard-Mímir's" holt ) and the tree Mímameiðr ("Mímir's tree"), generally thought to refer to the world tree Yggdrasil, and the spring Mímisbrunnr. Based on this association, all three have been theorized as within the same proximity. Carolyne Larrington notes that it is nowhere expressly stated what will happen to Yggdrasil during the events of Ragnarök.

Larrington points to a connection between the primordial figure of Mímir and Yggdrasil in the poem Völuspá, and theorizes that "it is possible that Hoddmimir is another name for Mimir, and that the two survivors hide in Yggdrasill." Rudolf Simek theorizes that the survival of Líf and Lífþrasir through Ragnarök by hiding in Hoddmímis holt is "a case of reduplication of the anthropogeny, understandable from the cyclic nature of the Eddic escatology." Simek says that Hoddmímis holt "should not be understood literally as a wood or even a forest in which the two keep themselves hidden, but rather as an alternative name for the world-tree Yggdrasill. Thus, the creation of mankind from tree trunks (Askr, Embla) is repeated after the Ragnarǫk as well." Simek says that in Germanic regions, the concept of mankind originating from trees is ancient.

Simek additionally points out legendary parallels in a Bavarian legend of a shepherd who lives inside a tree, whose descendants repopulate the land after life there has been wiped out by plague (citing a retelling by F. R. Schröder). In addition, Simek points to an Old Norse parallel in the figure of Örvar-Oddr, "who is rejuvenated after living as a tree-man (Ǫrvar-Odds saga 24–27)". Warden Trees, Irminsul, and the sacred trees Continuing as late as the 19th century, Warden Trees were venerated in areas of Germany and Scandinavia, considered to be guardians and bringers of luck, and offerings were sometimes made to them. A massive birch tree standing atop a burial mound and located beside a farm in western Norway is recorded as having had ale poured over its roots during festivals. The tree was felled in 1874. Davidson comments that "the position of the tree in the centre as a source of luck and protection for gods and men is confirmed" by these rituals to Warden Trees.

Davidson notes that the gods are described as meeting beneath Yggdrasil to hold their things, and that the pillars venerated by the Germanic peoples, such as the pillar Irminsul, were also symbolic of the center of the world. Davidson details that it would be difficult to ascertain whether a tree or pillar came first, and that this likely depends on if the holy location was in a thickly wooded area or not. Davidson notes that there is no mention of a sacred tree at Þingvellir in Iceland yet that Adam of Bremen describes a huge tree standing next to the Temple at Uppsala in Sweden , which Adam describes as remaining green throughout Summer and Winter, and that no one knew what type of tree that it was. Davidson comments that while it is uncertain that Adam's informant actually witnessed the tree is unknown, the existence of sacred trees in pre-Christian Germanic Europe is further evidenced by records of their destruction by early Christian Missionaries, such as Thor's Oak by Saint Boniface .

Ken Dowden comments that behind Irminsul, Thor's Oak in Geismar, and the Sacred Tree at Uppsala "looms a mythic prototype, an Yggdrasil, the world-ash of the Norsemen." Modern influence The world-ash Ygdrasil (in Richard Wagner 's idiomatic spelling) appears in the ominous opening scene of Götterdämmerung, where the three Norns tell how Wotan had long ago broken off a branch to fashion himself the spear that gave him mastery over men and gods, and where Wotan soon comes to wake Erda, Mother Earth, from her sleep with urgent questioning. Modern works of art depicting Yggdrasil include the Die Nornen (apinting, 1888) by K.

Ehrenberg, Yggdrasil ( fresco , 1933) by Axel Revold located in the University of Oslo library auditorium in Oslo , Norway, Hjortene beiter i løvet på Yggdrasil asken on the Oslo City Hall (wood relief carving 1938) by Dagfin Werenskjold, and the bronze relief on the doors of the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities (around 1950) by B. Marklund in Stockholm , Sweden. Poems mentioning Yggdrasil include Vårdträdet by Viktor Rydberg and Yggdrasill by J. Linke. (Wikipedia) What does yggdrasil mean?

Definitions for yggdrasilˈɪg drə sɪl, ˈüg- This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word yggdrasil Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition: Yggdrasil, Ygdrasil(noun) (Norse mythology) a huge ash tree whose roots and branches hold the earth and Heaven and Hell together Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Yggdrasil(ProperNoun) The World Tree in Norse mythology. The great ash tree. Origin: From Yggdrasill. Commonly accepted as being composed yggr + drasill, where “steed” refers to a hanging tree. Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Yggdrasil In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is an immense tree that is central in Norse cosmology, in connection to which the nine worlds exist.

Yggdrasil is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that is central and considered very holy. The gods go to Yggdrasil daily to assemble at their things. The branches of Yggdrasil extend far into the heavens, and the tree is supported by three roots that extend far away into other locations; one to the well Urðarbrunnr in the heavens, one to the spring Hvergelmir, and another to the well Mímisbrunnr. Creatures live within Yggdrasil, including the wyrm Níðhöggr, an unnamed eagle, and the stags Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór.

Conflicting scholarly theories have been proposed about the etymology of the name Yggdrasill, the possibility that the tree is of another species than ash, the relation to tree lore and to Eurasian shamanic lore, the possible relation to the trees Mímameiðr and Læraðr, Hoddmímis holt, the sacred tree at Uppsala, and the fate of Yggdrasil during the events of Ragnarök. Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Yggdrasil ig′dra-sil, n. (Scand. myth.) the ash-tree binding together heaven, earth, and hell, and extending its branches over the whole world and above the heavens—according to Vigfusson and Powell, not a primitive Scandinavian idea, but originating after the contact with Christianity, and so a corruption of the cross [Ice. Yggdra Syll; cf. Yggr, Uggr, a surname of Odin, syll, sill. Magnusson explains as 'Odin's horse,' Ice.

sleipner, horse.] The Nuttall Encyclopedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Yggdrasil The numerical value of yggdrasil in Chaldean Numerology is: 3 Pythagorean Numerology Yggdrasil : definition of Yggdrasil and synonyms of Yggdrasil (English) / ˈ ɪ ɡ d r ə s ɪ l / ; from Old Norse Yggdrasill, pronounced [ˈyɡːˌdrasilː] ) is an immense tree that is central in Norse cosmology , on which the nine worlds existed. Yggdrasil is attested in the Poetic Edda , compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda , written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson . In both sources, Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that is central and considered very holy. The gods go to Yggdrasil daily to assemble at their things .

The branches of Yggdrasil extend far into the heavens, and the tree is supported by three roots that extend far away into other locations; one to the well Urðarbrunnr in the heavens, one to the spring Hvergelmir , and another to the well Mímisbrunnr . Creatures live within Yggdrasil, including the wyrm (dragon) Níðhöggr , an unnamed eagle , and the stags Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór . Conflicting scholarly theories have been proposed about the etymology of the name Yggdrasill, the possibility that the tree is of another species than ash, the relation to tree lore and to Eurasian shamanic lore, the possible relation to the trees Mímameiðr and Læraðr , Hoddmímis holt , the sacred tree at Uppsala , and the fate of Yggdrasil during the events of Ragnarök . Contents Yggdrasil (1895) by Lorenz Frølich .

The generally accepted meaning of Old Norse Yggdrasill is "Odin's horse", even with both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda defining "Odin's Horse" to actually be Sleipnir instead. This conclusion is drawn on the basis that drasill means "horse" and Ygg(r) is one of Odin's many names . The Poetic Edda poem Hávamál describes how Odin sacrificed himself by hanging from a tree, making this tree Odin's gallows . This tree may have been Yggdrasil. Gallows can be called "the horse of the hanged" and therefore Odin's gallows may have developed into the expression "Odin's horse", which then became the name of the tree. [1] Nevertheless, scholarly opinions regarding the precise meaning of the name Yggdrasill vary, particularly on the issue of whether Yggdrasill is the name of the tree itself. In the Prose Edda the tree is usually not just called Yggdrasil but askr Yggdrasils.

Old Norse askr means "ash tree" and according to the inflectional system of Icelandic language askr Yggdrasils means "Yggdrasill's ash". Icelandic has the best preserved inflectional system of the Norse languages and the Prose Edda was also written in old Icelandic. These etymologies do though rely on a presumed but unattested *Yggsdrasill. [1] A third interpretation, presented by F. Detter, is that the name Yggdrasill refers to the word yggr ("terror"), yet not in reference to the Odinic name, but rather as Yggdrasill as the "tree of terror, gallows". F. R. Schröder has proposed a fourth etymology according to which yggdrasill means "yew pillar", deriving yggia from *igwja (meaning " yew-tree "), and drasill from *dher- (meaning "support"). [1] Attestations Poetic Edda In the Poetic Edda, the tree is mentioned in the three poems Völuspá , Hávamál , and Grímnismál .

Völuspá "Norns" (1832) from Die Helden und Götter des Nordens, oder das Buch der Sagen. In the second stanza of the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá , the völva (a shamanic seeress) reciting the poem to the god Odin says that she remembers far back to "early times", being raised by jötnar , recalls nine worlds and "nine wood-ogresses" (Old Norse nío ídiðiur), and when Yggdrasil was a seed ("glorious tree of good measure, under the ground"). [2] In stanza 19, the völva says: An ash I know there stands, Yggdrasill is its name, Urðr's well . [3] In stanza 20, the völva says that from the lake under the tree come three "maidens deep in knowledge" named Urðr , Verðandi , and Skuld . The maidens "incised the slip of wood," "laid down laws" and "chose lives" for the children of mankind and the destinies ( ørlǫg ) of men.

[4] In stanza 27, the völva details that she is aware that " Heimdallr 's hearing is couched beneath the bright-nurtured holy tree." [5] In stanza 45, Yggdrasil receives a final mention in the poem. The völva describes, as a part of the onset of Ragnarök, that Heimdallr blows Gjallarhorn , that Odin speaks with Mímir 's head, and then: Yggdrasill shivers, on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run. [7] In the stanza that follows, Odin describes how he had no food nor drink there, that he peered downward, and that "I took up the runes, screaming I took them, then I fell back from there." [7] While Yggdrasil is not mentioned by name in the poem and other trees exist in Norse mythology, the tree is near universally accepted as Yggdrasil, and if the tree is Yggdrasil, then the name Yggdrasil directly relates to this story.

[8] Grímnismál In the poem Grímnismál , Odin (disguised as Grímnir ) provides the young Agnar with cosmological lore. Yggdrasil is first mentioned in the poem in stanza 29, where Odin says that, because the " bridge of the Æsir burns" and the "sacred waters boil," Thor must wade through the rivers Körmt and Örmt and two rivers named Kerlaugar to go "sit as judge at the ash of Yggdrasill." In the stanza that follows, a list of names of horses are given that the Æsir ride to "sit as judges" at Yggdrasil. [9] In stanza 31, Odin says that the ash Yggdrasil has three roots that grow in three directions. He details that beneath the first lives Hel , under the second live frost jötnar, and beneath the third lives mankind. Stanza 32 details that a squirrel named Ratatoskr must run across Yggdrasil and bring "the eagle's word" from above to Níðhöggr below.

Stanza 33 describes that four harts named Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór consume "the highest boughs" of Yggdrasil. [9] In stanza 34, Odin says that more serpents lie beneath Yggdrasil "than any fool can imagine" and lists them as Góinn and Móinn (possibly meaning Old Norse "land animal" [10] ), which he describes as sons of Grafvitnir (Old Norse, possibly "ditch wolf" [11] ), Grábakr (Old Norse "Greyback" [10] ), Grafvölluðr (Old Norse, possibly "the one digging under the plain" or possibly amended as "the one ruling in the ditch" [11] ), Ófnir (Old Norse "the winding one, the twisting one" [12] ), and Sváfnir (Old Norse, possibly "the one who puts to sleep = death" [13] ), who Odin adds that he thinks will forever gnaw on the tree's branches.

[9] In stanza 35, Odin says that Yggdrasil "suffers agony more than men know", as a hart bites it from above, it decays on its sides, and Níðhöggr bites it from beneath. [14] In stanza 44, Odin provides a list of things that are what he refers to as the "noblest" of their kind. Within the list, Odin mentions Yggdrasil first, and states that it is the "noblest of trees". [15] Prose Edda The title page of Olive Bray's 1908 translation of the Poetic Edda by W. G. Collingwood . The norns Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld beneath the world tree Yggdrasil (1882) by Ludwig Burger . Yggdrasil is mentioned in two books in the Prose Edda ; Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál . In Gylfaginning, Yggdrasil is introduced in chapter 15.

In chapter 15, Gangleri (described as king Gylfi in disguise) asks where is the chief or holiest place of the gods. High replies "It is the ash Yggdrasil. There the gods must hold their courts each day". Gangleri asks what there is to tell about Yggdrasil. Just-As-High says that Yggdrasil is the biggest and best of all trees, that its branches extend out over all of the world and reach out over the sky. Three of the roots of the tree support it, and these three roots also extend extremely far: one "is among the Æsir , the second among the frost jötnar, and the third over Niflheim . The root over Niflheim is gnawed at by the wyrm Níðhöggr , and beneath this root is the spring Hvergelmir . Beneath the root that reaches the frost jötnar is the well Mímisbrunnr , "which has wisdom and intelligence contained in it, and the master of the well is called Mimir ".

Just-As-High provides details regarding Mímisbrunnr and then describes that the third root of the well "extends to heaven" and that beneath the root is the "very holy" well Urðarbrunnr . At Urðarbrunnr the gods hold their court, and every day the Æsir ride to Urðarbrunnr up over the bridge Bifröst . Later in the chapter, a stanza from Grímnismál mentioning Yggdrasil is quoted in support. [16] In chapter 16, Gangleri asks "what other particularly notable things are there to tell about the ash?" High says there is quite a lot to tell about. High continues that an eagle sits on the branches of Yggdrasil and that it has much knowledge. Between the eyes of the eagle sits a hawk called Veðrfölnir . A squirrel called Ratatoskr scurries up and down the ash Yggdrasil carrying "malicious messages" between the eagle and Níðhöggr. Four stags named Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, and Duraþrór run between the branches of Yggdrasil and consume its foliage.

In the spring Hvergelmir are so many snakes along with Níðhöggr "that no tongue can enumerate them". Two stanzas from Grímnismál are then cited in support. High continues that the norns that live by the holy well Urðarbrunnr each day take water from the well and mud from around it and pour it over Yggdrasil so that the branches of the ash do not rot away or decay. High provides more information about Urðarbrunnr, cites a stanza from Völuspá in support, and adds that dew falls from Yggdrasil to the earth, explaining that "this is what people call honeydew , and from it bees feed". [17] In chapter 41, the stanza from Grímnismál is quoted that mentions that Yggdrasil is the foremost of trees. [18] In chapter 54, as part of the events of Ragnarök , High describes that Odin will ride to the well Mímisbrunnr and consult Mímir on behalf of himself and his people.

After this, "the ash Yggdrasil will shake and nothing will be unafraid in heaven or on earth", and then the Æsir and Einherjar will don their war gear and advance to the field of Vígríðr . Further into the chapter, the stanza in Völuspá that details this sequence is cited. [19] In the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál , Yggdrasil receives a single mention, though not by name. In chapter 64, names for kings and dukes are given. "Illustrious one" is provided as an example, appearing in a Christianity-influenced work by the skald Hallvarðr Háreksblesi : "There is not under the pole of the earth [Yggdrasil] an illustrious one closer to the lord of monks [God] than you." [20] Theories This large tree in the Viking Age Överhogdal tapestries may be Yggdrasil with Gullinkambi on top.

[21] Shamanic origins Hilda Ellis Davidson comments that the existence of nine worlds around Yggdrasil is mentioned more than once in Old Norse sources, but the identity of the worlds is never stated outright, though it can be deduced from various sources. Davidson comments that "no doubt the identity of the nine varied from time to time as the emphasis changed or new imagery arrived". Davidson says that it is unclear where the nine worlds are located in relation to the tree; they could either exist one above the other or perhaps be grouped around the tree, but there are references to worlds existing beneath the tree, while the gods are pictured as in the sky, a rainbow bridge ( Bifröst ) connecting the tree with other worlds. Davidson opines that "those who have tried to produce a convincing diagram of the Scandinavian cosmos from what we are told in the sources have only added to the confusion". [22] Davidson notes parallels between Yggdrasil and shamanic lore in northern Eurasia : The conception of the tree rising through a number of worlds is found in northern Eurasia and forms part of the shamanic lore shared by many peoples of this region.

This seems to be a very ancient conception, perhaps based on the Pole Star , the centre of the heavens, and the image of the central tree in Scandinavia may have been influenced by it.... Among Siberian shamans, a central tree may be used as a ladder to ascend the heavens. [22] Davidson says that the notion of an eagle atop a tree and the world serpent coiled around the roots of the tree has parallels in other cosmologies from Asia . She goes on to say that Norse cosmology may have been influenced by these Asiatic cosmologies from a northern location. Davidson adds, on the other hand, that it is attested that the Germanic peoples worshiped their deities in open forest clearings and that a sky god was particularly connected with the oak tree, and therefore "a central tree was a natural symbol for them also".

[22] Mímameiðr, Hoddmímis holt and Ragnarök Líf and Lífþrasir after emerging from Hoddmímis holt (1895) by Lorenz Frølich Connections have been proposed between the wood Hoddmímis holt ( Old Norse "Hoard- Mímir 's" [23] holt ) and the tree Mímameiðr ("Mímir's tree"), generally thought to refer to the world tree Yggdrasil, and the spring Mímisbrunnr . [23] John Lindow concurs that Mímameiðr may be another name for Yggdrasil and that if the Hoard-Mímir of the name Hoddmímis holt is the same figure as Mímir (associated with the spring named after him, Mímisbrunnr), then the Mímir's holt—Yggdrasil—and Mímir's spring may be within the same proximity. [24] Carolyne Larrington notes that it is nowhere expressly stated what will happen to Yggdrasil during the events of Ragnarök .

Larrington points to a connection between the primordial figure of Mímir and Yggdrasil in the poem Völuspá , and theorizes that "it is possible that Hoddmimir is another name for Mimir, and that the two survivors hide in Yggdrasill." [25] Rudolf Simek theorizes that the survival of Líf and Lífþrasir through Ragnarök by hiding in Hoddmímis holt is "a case of reduplication of the anthropogeny, understandable from the cyclic nature of the Eddic escatology." Simek says that Hoddmímis holt "should not be understood literally as a wood or even a forest in which the two keep themselves hidden, but rather as an alternative name for the world-tree Yggdrasill. Thus, the creation of mankind from tree trunks (Askr, Embla) is repeated after the Ragnarǫk as well." Simek says that in Germanic regions , the concept of mankind originating from trees is ancient.

Simek additionally points out legendary parallels in a Bavarian legend of a shepherd who lives inside a tree, whose descendants repopulate the land after life there has been wiped out by plague (citing a retelling by F. R. Schröder). In addition, Simek points to an Old Norse parallel in the figure of Örvar-Oddr , "who is rejuvenated after living as a tree-man (Ǫrvar-Odds saga 24–27)". [26] Warden trees, Irminsul, and sacred trees A tree grows atop Mysselhøj, a Nordic Bronze Age burial mound in Roskilde , Denmark . Continuing as late as the 19th century, warden trees were venerated in areas of Germany and Scandinavia, considered to be guardians and bringers of luck, and offerings were sometimes made to them. A massive birch tree standing atop a burial mound and located beside a farm in western Norway is recorded as having had ale poured over its roots during festivals. The tree was felled in 1874.

[27] Davidson comments that "the position of the tree in the centre as a source of luck and protection for gods and men is confirmed" by these rituals to Warden Trees. Davidson notes that the gods are described as meeting beneath Yggdrasil to hold their things , and that the pillars venerated by the Germanic peoples, such as the pillar Irminsul , were also symbolic of the center of the world. Davidson details that it would be difficult to ascertain whether a tree or pillar came first, and that this likely depends on if the holy location was in a thickly wooded area or not. Davidson notes that there is no mention of a sacred tree at Þingvellir in Iceland yet that Adam of Bremen describes a huge tree standing next to the Temple at Uppsala in Sweden , which Adam describes as remaining green throughout summer and winter, and that no one knew what type of tree it was. Davidson comments that while it is uncertain that Adam's informant actually witnessed that tree is unknown, but that the existence of sacred trees in pre-Christian Germanic Europe is further evidenced by records of their destruction by early Christian missionaries, such as Thor's Oak by Saint Boniface .

[27] Ken Dowden comments that behind Irminsul, Thor's Oak in Geismar, and the sacred tree at Uppsala "looms a mythic prototype, an Yggdrasil, the world-ash of the Norsemen". [28] Modern influence In modern times, Yggdrasil is sometimes depicted or referenced in modern popular culture. Modern works of art depicting Yggdrasil include Die Nornen (painting, 1888) by K. Ehrenberg; Yggdrasil ( fresco , 1933) by Axel Revold, located in the University of Oslo library auditorium in Oslo , Norway ; Hjortene beiter i løvet på Yggdrasil asken (wood relief carving , 1938) on the Oslo City Hall by Dagfin Werenskjold; and the bronze relief on the doors of the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities (around 1950) by B. Marklund in Stockholm , Sweden. Poems mentioning Yggdrasil include Vårdträdet by Viktor Rydberg and Yggdrasill by J. Linke.

[29] In the Marvel Cinematic Universe , Yggdrasil is depicted a tree-like network of various worlds and planes of existence which through with characters can travel to various locations including Asgard and Midgard. See also

Question: In Norse mythology, what is the name of the huge ash tree that binds the earth, heaven and hell together?
Answer: Yggdrasil