In
Norse cosmology
Norse cosmology is the study of the cosmos (cosmology) as perceived by the ancient North Germanic peoples. The topic encompasses concepts from Norse mythology, such as notions of time and space, cosmogony, personifications, anthropogeny, and e ...
, Niðavellir (anglic. as Nidavellir; probable compound of
O.N. ''Nið'' - "new moon", "the wane of the moon" (perhaps related to ''niðr'' - "down") + ''Vellir'' (pl. of ''völlr'') - "fields": ''Dark Fields'', ''Downward Fields''), also called Myrkheim (''Myrkheimr'',
O.N. compd. of ''myrkr'' - "darkness" + ''heimr'' - "home": ''the world of darkness'', ''Dark Abode''), is the home of the
Dwarves.
''Nidavellir'' (AncientWorlds LLC)
''Völuspá''
It is mentioned in the Völuspá
''Vǫluspá'' (also ''Völuspá'', ''Vǫlospá'' or ''Vǫluspǫ́''; Old Norse: 'Prophecy of the völva, a seeress'; reconstructed Old Norse: ) is the best known poem of the ''Poetic Edda''. It tells the story of the creation of the world and ...
:
''Stóð fyr norðan, / á Niðavöllom / salr úr gulli / Sindra ættar''
(Stood to the north, a dark field, Halls of gold, Sindri's Clan,").
One interpretation of the above verse would read like this:
Before you reach the north (Niflheim
In Norse cosmology, Niflheim or Niflheimr (Old Norse: ; "World of Mist", literally "Home of Mist") is a location which sometimes overlaps with the notions of Niflhel and Hel. The name ''Niflheimr'' appears only in two extant sources: ''Gylfaginn ...
being the world furthest to the north), A dark dwelling stands (The dwarf world), In halls of gold, Sindri's bloodline lives.
Sindri was a famous dwarf. And ættar means bloodline, or in this case most likely kin or tribe.
Niðavellir has often been interpreted as one of the Nine Worlds
Norse cosmology is the study of the cosmos (cosmology) as perceived by the ancient North Germanic peoples. The topic encompasses concepts from Norse mythology, such as notions of time and space, cosmogony, personifications, anthropogeny, and e ...
of Norse legend. The problem is that both Niðavellir and Svartalfheim are mentioned, and it is unclear if the sixth world is a world of dwarfs or one of black elves.
The dwarfs' world is mentioned in the ''Prose Edda
The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been t ...
'' by Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the ...
as ''Svartálfaheimr''.
See also
*Eitri
In Norse mythology, Eitri (Old Norse: ; or Sindri) is a dwarf and the brother of Brokkr.
According to ''Skáldskaparmál'', when Loki had Sif's hair, Freyr's ship Skidbladnir and Odin's spear Gungnir fashioned by the Sons of Ivaldi, he bet ...
References
Other sources
*Faulkes, Anthony (trans. and ed.) (1987) ''Edda of Snorri Sturluson'' (Everyman's Library)
* Lindow, John (2001) ''Handbook of Norse mythology'' (Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio)
* Orchard, Andy (1997) ''Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend'' (Cassell)
* Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. ''Dictionary of Northern Mythology'' (D.S. Brewer)
External links
''The Poetic Edda'' (1923) Henry Adams Bellows, translator (New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation)
Locations in Norse mythology
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