![Historiska museet 043](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Historiska_museet_043.jpg)
In
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god
Odin
Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...
's hall
Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become (
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
"single (or once) fighters"
[Orchard (1997:36) and Lindow (2001:104).]). When the are not preparing for the events of
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (; non, Ragnarǫk) is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submers ...
, the valkyries bear them
mead
Mead () is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alcoholic content ranges from about 3.5% ABV to more than 20%. The defining character ...
. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by
raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
s and sometimes connected to
swan
Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...
s or
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...
s.
Valkyries are attested in the ''
Poetic Edda'' (a book of poems compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources), 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 ...
'', the (both 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 ...
) and the (one of the
Sagas of Icelanders
The sagas of Icelanders ( is, Íslendingasögur, ), also known as family sagas, are one genre of Icelandic sagas. They are prose narratives mostly based on historical events that mostly took place in Iceland in the ninth, tenth, and early el ...
), all written—or compiled—in the 13th century. They appear throughout the poetry of
skald
A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: , later ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry, the other being Eddic poetry, which is anonymous. Skaldic poems were traditionally ...
s, in a 14th-century
charm
Charm may refer to:
Social science
* Charisma, a person or thing's pronounced ability to attract others
* Superficial charm, flattery, telling people what they want to hear
Science and technology
* Charm quark, a type of elementary particle
* Ch ...
, and in various
runic inscriptions
A runic inscription is an inscription made in one of the various runic alphabets. They generally contained practical information or memorials instead of magic or mythic stories. The body of runic inscriptions falls into the three categories of El ...
.
The
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
cognate
In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...
term appears in several Old English manuscripts, and scholars have explored whether the term appears in Old English by way of Norse influence, or reflects a tradition also native among the
Anglo-Saxon pagans
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
. Scholarly theories have been proposed about the relation between the valkyries, the
Norns
The Norns ( non, norn , plural: ) are deities in Norse mythology responsible for shaping the course of human destinies.'' Nordisk familjebok'' (1907)
In the ''Völuspá'', the three primary Norns Urðr (Wyrd), Verðandi, and Skuld draw wate ...
, and the , all of which are supernatural figures associated with fate. Archaeological excavations throughout Scandinavia have uncovered amulets theorized as depicting valkyries. In modern culture, valkyries have been the subject of works of art, musical works, comic books, video games and poetry.
Etymology
The word ''valkyrie'' derives from
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
' (plural ), which is composed of two words: the noun ' (referring to the slain on the battlefield) and the verb ' (meaning "to choose"). Together, they mean 'chooser of the slain'. The Old Norse is cognate to
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
'.
[Byock (2005:142–143).] From the Old English and Old Norse forms,
philologist
Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...
Vladimir Orel reconstructs the
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages.
Proto-Germanic eventually developed from pre-Proto-Germanic into three Germanic branc ...
form .
[Orel (2003:442).] However, the term may have been borrowed into Old English from Old Norse: see discussion in the
Old English attestations
Old or OLD may refer to:
Places
*Old, Baranya, Hungary
* Old, Northamptonshire, England
*Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD)
*OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...
section below.
Other terms for valkyries in Old Norse sources include ("wish maid"), appearing in the poem , and ("
Odin
Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...
's maids"), appearing in the . may be related to the
Odinic name (roughly meaning "wish fulfiller"), referring to the fact that Odin receives slain warriors in Valhalla.
[Simek (2007:254 and 349).]
The name ''Randalín'', which
Aslaug is called in ''
Ragnars saga loðbrókar
The Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok ( non, Ragnars saga loðbrókar) is an Icelandic legendary saga of the 13th century about the Viking ruler Ragnar Lodbrok. It is part of the manuscript of the ''Völsunga saga'', which it immediately follows. The tale cov ...
'', when she joins her sons to avenge their brothers Agnarr and
Eric in Sweden, is probably from ''Randa-
Hlín'', which means "shield-goddess", i.e. a
kenning for "Valkyrie".
Old Norse attestations
''Poetic Edda''
Valkyries are mentioned or appear in the ''
Poetic Edda'' poems ''
Völuspá'', ''
Grímnismál'', ''
Völundarkviða'', ''
Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar'', ''
Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'', ''
Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
"Völsungakviða in forna" or "Helgakviða Hundingsbana II" ("The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane") is an Old Norse poem found in the ''Poetic Edda''. It constitutes one of the Helgi lays together with ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'' and ''Helgakv ...
'' and ''
Sigrdrífumál''.
''Völuspá'' and ''Grímnismál''
![Hild, Thrud and Hløkk by Frølich](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Hild%2C_Thrud_and_Hl%C3%B8kk_by_Fr%C3%B8lich.jpg)
In stanza 30 of the poem ''
Völuspá'', a
völva
In Germanic paganism, a seeress is a woman said to have the ability to foretell future events and perform sorcery. They are also referred to with many other names meaning "prophetess", "staff bearer", "wise woman" and "sorceress", and they are f ...
(a travelling
seeress
In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the s ...
in Norse society) tells Odin that "she saw" valkyries coming from far away who are ready to ride to "the realm of the gods". The völva follows this with a list of six valkyries:
Skuld
Skuld (the name possibly means "debt" and is related to the English word "should") is a Norn in Norse mythology. Along with Urðr (Old Norse "fate"Orchard (1997:169).) and Verðandi (possibly "happening" or "present"Orchard (1997:174).), Skuld mak ...
(Old Norse, possibly "debt" or "future") who "bore a shield",
Skögul ("shaker"),
Gunnr ("war"),
Hildr
In Norse mythology, Hildr (Old Norse "battle"Orchard (1997:192).) is a valkyrie. Hildr is attested in the ''Prose Edda'' as Högni's daughter and Hedin's wife in the ''Hjaðningavíg''. She had the power to revive the dead in battlefields and ...
("battle"),
Göndul
In Norse mythology, Göndul (Old Norse: ''Gǫndul'', "wand-wielder"Orchard (1997:194).) is a valkyrie. Göndul is attested in ''Heimskringla'', ''Sörla þáttr'', and a 14th-century Norwegian charm. In addition, Göndul appears within the valkyrie ...
("
wand-wielder") and
Geirskögul ("Spear-Skögul"). Afterwards, the völva tells him she has listed the "ladies of the War Lord, ready to ride, valkyries, over the earth".
[Dronke (1997:15). Valkyrie name etymologies from Orchard (1995:193–195).]
In the poem ''
Grímnismál'', Odin (disguised as ''
Grímnir''), tortured, starved and thirsty, tells the young
Agnar that he wishes that the valkyries
Hrist ("shaker") and
Mist
Mist is a phenomenon caused by small droplets of water suspended in the cold air, usually by condensation. Physically, it is an example of a dispersion. It is most commonly seen where water vapor in warm, moist air meets sudden cooling, such a ...
("cloud") would "bear him a
rinkinghorn
Horn most often refers to:
*Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound
** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments
*Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...
", then provides a list of 11 more valkyries who he says "bear
ale
Ale is a Type of beer, type of beer brewed using a Warm fermentation, warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and fruity taste. Historically, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops.
As with most beers, ale typicall ...
to the
einherjar";
Skeggjöld ("axe-age"), Skögul, Hildr,
Þrúðr ("power"),
Hlökk ("noise", or "battle"),
Herfjötur
In Norse mythology, Herfjötur (Old Norse: ''Herfjǫtur'', "host-fetter"Orchard (1997:194). or "fetter of the army"Simek (2007:142).) is a valkyrie. Herfjötur is attested as among the 13 valkyries listed in the '' Poetic Edda'' poem '' Grímnismá ...
("host-fetter"),
Göll
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse ''valkyrja'' "chooser of the fallen") is one of a host of female figures who decide who will die in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja's ...
("tumult"),
Geirahöð ("spear-fight"),
Randgríð
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse ''valkyrja'' "chooser of the fallen") is one of a host of female figures who decide who will die in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja' ...
("shield-truce"),
Ráðgríð
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse ''valkyrja'' "chooser of the fallen") is one of a host of female figures who decide who will die in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja's ...
("council-truce") and
Reginleif ("power-truce").
[Larrington (1999:57). Valkyrie name etymologies from Orchard (1995:193–195).]
''Völundarkviða''
![Walkyrien by Emil Doepler](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Walkyrien_by_Emil_Doepler.jpg)
A prose introduction in the poem ''
Völundarkviða'' relates that the brothers
Slagfiðr
In Norse mythology, Slagfiðr (Old Norse "beating- Finn")Orchard (1997:151). is one of a trio of brothers along with Völundr and Egil. In the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Völundarkviða'', Slagfiðr is attested as the seven-year husband of the valkyr ...
,
Egil and
Völund
In Germanic mythology, Wayland the Smith ( ang, Wēland; , ; Old Frisian: Wela(n)du; german: Wieland der Schmied; goh, Wiolant; ''Galans'' (''Galant'') in Old French; gem-x-proto, Wēlandaz, italic=no from ', lit. "crafting one") is a master ...
dwelt in a house sited in a location called Úlfdalir ("wolf dales"). There, early one morning, the brothers find three women spinning linen on the shore of the lake Úlfsjár ("wolf lake"), and "near them were their
swan's garments; they were valkyries". Two daughters of King Hlödvér are named
Hlaðguðr svanhvít In Norse mythology, Hlaðguðr svanhvít (Old Norse ''Hlaðguðr'' " swan-white"Simek (2007:151).) is a valkyrie. Hlaðguðr svanhvít is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Völundarkviða'' as the sister of the valkyrie Hervör alvitr (both d ...
("swan-white") and
Hervör alvitr In Norse mythology, Hervör alvitr (Old Norse, ''alvitr'' possibly meaning "all-wise" or "strange creature"Orchard (1997:83).) is a valkyrie. Hervör alvitr is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Völundarkviða'' as the sister of the valkyrie H ...
(possibly meaning "all-wise" or "strange creature"
[Orchard (1997:83).]); the third, daughter of
Kjárr
Kjárr, or ''Kíarr'', is a figure of Germanic heroic legend that is believed to be the reflection of the Roman Emperors. In Old Norse sources, he appears as a king of the Valir (Celtic/Romance southerners) of
Valland
In Norse legend, Valland is the name of the part of Europe which is inhabited by Celtic and Romance peoples. The element ''Val-'' is derived from *''Walhaz'', a Proto-Germanic word whose descendants were used in various Germanic languages to refer ...
, is named
Ölrún Alruna (Old Norse Ǫlrún, Old High German Ailrun, Modern German Alruna, Alraune) is a Germanic female personal name, from Proto Germanic ''*aliruna'' (or possibly ''*agilruna''), which is formed from ''runa'' "secret, rune" and a debated prefix tha ...
(possibly meaning "
beer
Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...
rune
Runes are the letter (alphabet), letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, a ...
"
[Simek (2007:251).]). The brothers take the three women back to their hall with them—Egil takes Ölrún, Slagfiðr takes Hlaðguðr svanhvít and Völund takes Hervör alvitr. They live together for seven winters, until the women fly off to go to a battle and do not return. Egil goes off in snow-shoes to look for Ölrún, Slagfiðr goes searching for Hlaðguðr svanhvít and Völund sits in Úlfdalir.
[Larrington (1999:102).]
''Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar''
![ValkyrieOnHorse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/ValkyrieOnHorse.jpg)
In the poem ''
Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar'', a prose narrative says that an unnamed and silent young man, the son of the Norwegian King Hjörvarðr and Sigrlinn of Sváfaland, witnesses nine valkyries riding by while sitting atop a
burial mound. He finds one particularly striking; this valkyrie is detailed later in a prose narrative as
Sváva, King Eylimi's daughter, who "often protected him in battles". The valkyrie speaks to the unnamed man, and gives him the name ''
Helgi
Helge or Helgi is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch mostly male name.
The name is derived from Proto-Norse ''Hailaga'' with its original meaning being ''dedicated to the gods''. For its Slavic version, see Oleg. Its feminine equivalent is Olga. ...
'' (meaning "the
holy one"
[Orchard (1997:81).]). The previously silent Helgi speaks; he refers to the valkyrie as "bright-face lady", and asks her what gift he will receive with the
name
A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A personal ...
she has bestowed upon him, but he will not accept it if he cannot have her as well. The valkyrie tells him she knows of a hoard of swords in Sigarsholm, and that one of them is of particular importance, which she describes in detail.
[Larrington (1999:125).] Further into the poem, Atli
flytes with the female
jötunn Hrímgerðr
Hrímgerðr (also Hrimgerd or Hrimgerdr; Old Norse: , "frost-Gerðr") is a jötunn in Norse mythology.
Name
The Old Norse name ''Hrímgerðr'' has been translated as 'frost-Gerðr'.
Attestation
In ''Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar'', Hrímgerðr ...
. While flyting with Atli, Hrímgerðr says that she had seen 27 valkyries around Helgi, yet one particularly fair valkyrie led the band:
After Hrímgerðr is turned to stone by the daylight, a prose narrative continues that Helgi, who is now king, goes to Sváva's father—King Eylimi—and asks for his daughter. Helgi and Sváva are betrothed and love one another dearly. Sváva stays at home with King Eylimi, and Helgi goes raiding, and to this the narrative adds that Sváva "was a valkyrie just as before".
[Larrington (1999:129).] The poem continues, and, among various other events, Helgi dies from a wound received in battle. A narrative at the end of the poem says that Helgi and his valkyrie wife Sváva "are said to be reincarnated".
[Larrington (1999:130–131).]
''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I''
![Helgi Hundingsbane and Sigrún by Robert Engels](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Helgi_Hundingsbane_and_Sigr%C3%BAn_by_Robert_Engels.jpg)
In the poem ''
Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'', the hero
Helgi Hundingsbane sits in the corpse-strewn battlefield of Logafjöll. A light shines from the
fell, and from that light strike bolts of lightning. Flying through the sky, helmeted valkyries appear. Their waist-length
mail armour is drenched in blood; their spears shine brightly:
In the stanza that follows, Helgi asks the valkyries (who he refers to as "southern goddesses") if they would like to come home with the warriors when night falls (all the while arrows were flying). The battle over, the valkyrie
Sigrún ("victory-
rune
Runes are the letter (alphabet), letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, a ...
"
[Orchard (1997:194).]), informs him from her horse that her father
Högni has betrothed her to
Höðbroddr
Hothbrodd was a legendary Norse hero, details of whose life appear in several related variations.
In the legends of the Ylfing Helgi Hundingsbane, he was the son of king Granmar of Södermanland, and he was killed by Helgi.
The ''Chronicon Leth ...
, the son of king
Granmar
Granmar was a king of Södermanland, in Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla. The same king also appears in the Volsunga saga.
Granmar was married to Hilda, the daughter of the Geatish king Högne of East Götaland, and his son-in-law was the seaking ...
of the
Hniflung clan, who Sigrún deems unworthy. Helgi assembles an immense host to ride to wage battle at Frekastein against the Hniflung clan to assist Sigrún in her plight to avoid her betrothment.
[Larrington (1999:116–117).] Later in the poem, the hero
Sinfjötli flytes with Guðmundr. Sinfjötli accuses Guðmundr of having once been female, and gibes that Guðmundr was "a witch, horrible, unnatural, among Odin's valkyries", adding that all of the einherjar "had to fight, headstrong woman, on your account".
[Larrington (1999:119).] Further in the poem, the phrase "the valkyrie's airy sea" is used for "
mist
Mist is a phenomenon caused by small droplets of water suspended in the cold air, usually by condensation. Physically, it is an example of a dispersion. It is most commonly seen where water vapor in warm, moist air meets sudden cooling, such a ...
".
[Larrington (1999:120).]
Towards the end of the poem, valkyries again descend from the sky, this time to protect Helgi amid the battle at Frekastein. After the battle, all the valkyries fly away but Sigrún and wolves (referred to as "the
troll
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
-woman's mount") consume corpses:
The battle won, Sigrún tells Helgi that he will become a great ruler and pledges herself to him.
[Larrington (1999:122).]
''Helgakviða Hundingsbana II''
![Helgi und Sigrun by Johannes Gehrts](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Helgi_und_Sigrun_by_Johannes_Gehrts.jpg)
At the beginning of the poem ''
Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
"Völsungakviða in forna" or "Helgakviða Hundingsbana II" ("The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane") is an Old Norse poem found in the ''Poetic Edda''. It constitutes one of the Helgi lays together with ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'' and ''Helgakv ...
'', a prose narrative says that King
Sigmund (son of
Völsung) and his wife
Borghild (of Brálund) have a son named Helgi, who they named for Helgi Hjörvarðsson (the antagonist of the earlier ''Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar'').
[Larrington (1999:132).] After Helgi has killed King Hunding in stanza 4, a prose narrative says that Helgi escapes, consumes the raw meat of cattle he has slaughtered on a beach, and encounters Sigrún. Sigrún, daughter of King Högni, is "a valkyrie and rode through air and sea", and she is the valkyrie Sváva reincarnated.
[Larrington (1999:133).] In stanza 7, Sigrún uses the phrase "fed the
gosling of Gunn's sisters". Gunnr and her sisters are valkyries, and these goslings are
raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
s, who feed on the corpses left on the battlefield by warriors.
[Larrington (1999:133 and 281).]
After stanza 18, a prose narrative relates that Helgi and his immense fleet of ships are heading to Frekastein, but encounter a great storm. Lightning strikes one of the ships. The fleet sees nine valkyries flying through the air, among whom they recognise Sigrún. The storm abates, and the fleets arrive safely at land.
[Larrington (1999:135).] Helgi dies in battle, yet returns to visit Sigrún from Valhalla once in a burial mound, and at the end of the poem, a prose epilogue explains that Sigrún later dies of grief. The epilogue details that "there was a belief in the pagan religion, which we now reckon
san old wives' tale, that people could be reincarnated" and that "Helgi and Sigrun were thought to have been reborn" as another Helgi and valkyrie couple; Helgi as Helgi Haddingjaskaði and Sigrún as the daughter of
Halfdan; the valkyrie
Kára. The epilogue details that further information about the two can be found in the (now lost) work ''
Káruljóð''.
[Larrington (1999:141).]
''Sigrdrífumál''
![Ring48](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Ring48.jpg)
In the prose introduction to the poem ''
Sigrdrífumál'', the hero
Sigurd
Sigurd ( non, Sigurðr ) or Siegfried (Middle High German: ''Sîvrit'') is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. It is possible he was inspired by one or more figures from the Frankish Meroving ...
rides up to Hindarfell and heads south towards "the land of the
Franks
The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...
". On the mountain Sigurd sees a great light, "as if fire were burning, which blazed up to the sky". Sigurd approaches it, and there he sees a ''skjaldborg'' with a banner flying overhead. Sigurd enters the ''skjaldborg'', and sees a warrior lying there—asleep and fully armed. Sigurd removes the helmet of the warrior, and sees the face of a woman. The woman's
corslet is so tight that it seems to have grown into the woman's body. Sigurd uses his sword
Gram to cut the corslet, starting from the neck of the corslet downwards, he continues cutting down her sleeves, and takes the corslet off of her.
[Thorpe (1907:180).]
The woman wakes, sits up, looks at Sigurd, and the two converse in two stanzas of verse. In the second stanza, the woman explains that Odin placed a sleeping spell on her she could not break, and due to that spell she has been asleep a long time. Sigurd asks for her name, and the woman gives Sigurd a
horn
Horn most often refers to:
*Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound
** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments
*Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...
of
mead
Mead () is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alcoholic content ranges from about 3.5% ABV to more than 20%. The defining character ...
to help him retain her words in his memory. The woman recites a heathen
prayer
Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified a ...
in two stanzas. A prose narrative explains that the woman is named
Sigrdrífa and that she is a valkyrie.
[Larrington (1999:166–167).]
A narrative relates that Sigrdrífa explains to Sigurd that there were two kings fighting one another. Odin had promised one of these—Hjalmgunnar—victory in battle, yet she had "brought down" Hjalmgunnar in battle. Odin pricked her with a sleeping-thorn in consequence, told her she would never again "fight victoriously in battle", and condemned her to marriage. In response, Sigrdrífa told Odin she had sworn a great oath that she would never wed a man who knew fear. Sigurd asks Sigrdrífa to share with him her wisdom of all worlds. The poem continues in verse, where Sigrdrífa provides Sigurd with knowledge in inscribing
runes
Runes are the letter (alphabet), letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, a ...
, mystic wisdom, and prophecy.
[Larrington (1999:167).]
''Prose Edda''
![Valkyrie (1834-1835) by H](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Valkyrie_%281834-1835%29_by_H._W._Bissen.jpg)
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 ...
'', written in the 13th century 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 ...
, valkyries are first mentioned in chapter 36 of the book ''
Gylfaginning'', where the enthroned figure of
High
High may refer to:
Science and technology
* Height
* High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area
* High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory
* High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift ...
informs
Gangleri (King
Gylfi in disguise) of the activities of the valkyries and mentions a few goddesses. High says "there are still others whose duty it is to serve in Valhalla. They bring drink and see to the table and the ale cups." Following this, High gives a stanza from the poem ''Grímnismál'' that contains a list of valkyries. High says "these women are called valkyries, and they are sent by Odin to every battle, where they choose which men are to die and they determine who has victory". High adds that
Gunnr ("war"
),
Róta, and Skuld—the last of the three he refers to as "the youngest
norn"—"always ride to choose the slain and decide the outcome of battle".
[Byock (2005:44–45).] In chapter 49, High describes that when Odin and his wife
Frigg arrived at the funeral of their slain son
Baldr
Baldr (also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, Baldr (Old Norse: ) is a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg, and has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli. In wider Germanic mythology, the god was kno ...
, with them came the valkyries and also
Odin's ravens.
[Byock (2005:67).]
References to valkyries appear throughout the book ''
Skáldskaparmál'', which provides information about skaldic poetry. In chapter 2, a quote is given from the work ''
Húsdrápa
''Húsdrápa'' (Old Norse: 'House-Lay') is a skaldic poem partially preserved in the Prose Edda where disjoint stanzas of it are quoted. It is attributed to the skald Úlfr Uggason. The poem describes mythological scenes carved on kitchen panels. ...
'' by the 10th century skald
Úlfr Uggason
Úlfr Uggason ( Modern Icelandic: ) was an Icelandic skald who lived in the last part of the tenth century.
The '' Laxdæla saga'' tells how he composed his ''Húsdrápa'' for a wedding. Geirmundr married Þuríðr, whose father, Óláfr pái ( ...
. In the poem, Úlfr describes mythological scenes depicted in a newly built hall, including valkyries and ravens accompanying Odin at Baldr's funeral feast:
Further in chapter 2, a quote from the anonymous 10th century poem ''
Eiríksmál'' is provided (see the ''Fagrskinna'' section below for more detail about the poem and another translation):
In chapter 31, poetic terms for referring to a woman are given, including "
woman is also referred to in terms of all Asyniur or valkyries or norns or ''dísir''".
[Faulkes (1995:94).] In chapter 41, while the hero
Sigurd
Sigurd ( non, Sigurðr ) or Siegfried (Middle High German: ''Sîvrit'') is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. It is possible he was inspired by one or more figures from the Frankish Meroving ...
is riding his horse
Grani
In Scandinavian heroic legend, Grani (Old Norse: ) is a horse owned by the hero Sigurd. He is the horse that Sigurd receives through advice from the Norse god (Odin). Grani is a descendant of Odin's own steed, Sleipnir.
Attestations
In chapter ...
, he encounters a building on a mountain. Within this building Sigurd finds a sleeping woman wearing a helmet and a
coat of mail. Sigurd cuts the mail from her, and she awakes. She tells him her name is Hildr, and "she is known as
Brynhildr
Brunhild, also known as Brunhilda or Brynhild ( non, Brynhildr , gmh, Brünhilt, german: Brünhild , label=New High German, Modern German or ), is a female character from Germanic heroic legend. She may have her origins in the Visigoths, Vis ...
, and was a valkyrie".
[Faulkes (1995:102).]
In chapter 48, poetic terms for "battle" include "weather of weapons or shields, or of Odin or valkyrie or war-kings or their clash or noise", followed by examples of compositions by various
skald
A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: , later ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry, the other being Eddic poetry, which is anonymous. Skaldic poems were traditionally ...
s that have used the name of valkyries in said manner (
Þorbjörn Hornklofi
Þórbjǫrn Hornklofi (Modern Norwegian: ''Torbjørn Hornklove'') was a 9th-century Norwegian skald and one of the court poet of King Harald Fairhair. His poetry has sometimes been regarded as a contemporary source of information regarding King Har ...
uses "Skögul's din" for "battlefield",
Bersi Skáldtorfuson
Bersi Skáldtorfuson was an Icelandic skald, active around the year 1000 CE. He was a court poet to Earl Sveinn Hákonarson. During the Battle of Nesjar he was captured by King Óláfr Haraldsson's forces. Three of the four stanzas of his that ...
uses "Gunnr's fire" for "sword" and "Hlökk's snow" for "battle",
Einarr Skúlason
Einarr Skúlason (ca. 1100 – after 1159) was an Icelandic priest and skald. He was the most prominent Norse poet of the 12th century. Einarr's poetry is primarily preserved in ''Heimskringla'', ''Flateyjarbók'', ''Morkinskinna'', ''Fagrski ...
uses "Hildr's sail" for "shield" and "Göndul's crushing wind" for "battle" and
Einarr skálaglamm
Einarr Helgason, known by the epithet ''skálaglamm'' ("tinkle-scales") was a 10th-century Icelandic skald.
He was a court poet of Lord Hákon to whom he dedicated his magnum opus, the '' Vellekla'' (''Gold Dearth''). Einarr's added name ''skál ...
uses "Göndul's din"). Chapter 49 gives similar information when referring to weapons and armor (though the term "death-maidens"—Old Norse ''valmeyjar''—instead of "valkyries" is used here), with further examples.
[Faulkes (1995:117–119).] In chapter 57, within a list of names of
ásynjur (and after alternate names for the goddess
Freyja are provided), a further section contains a list of "Odin's maids"; valkyries: Hildr, Göndul, Hlökk, Mist, Skögul. And then an additional four names; Hrund,
Eir
In Norse mythology, Eir (Old Norse: , "protection, help, mercy"Orchard (1997:36).) is a goddess or valkyrie associated with medical skill. Eir is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the ...
, Hrist and Skuld. The section adds that "they are called norns who shape necessity".
[Faulkes (1995:157).]
Some manuscripts of the feature ''
Nafnaþulur
''Nafnaþulur'' (Old Norse: ) is a subsection of the ''Prose Edda'', the last part of the ''Skáldskaparmál
''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Language of Poetry'; c. 50,000 words; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda''.
The sectio ...
'' section of ''Skáldskaparmál'' contain an extended list of 29 valkyrie names (listed as the "valkyries of
Viðrir"—a name of Odin). The first stanza lists: Hrist, Mist, Herja, Hlökk, Geiravör, Göll, Hjörþrimul, Guðr, Herfjötra, Skuld, Geirönul, Skögul and Randgníð. The second stanza lists: Ráðgríðr, Göndul, Svipul, Geirskögul, Hildr, Skeggöld, Hrund, Geirdriful, Randgríðr, Þrúðr, Reginleif, Sveið, Þögn, Hjalmþrimul, Þrima and Skalmöld.
[Jónsson (1973:678).]
''Hrafnsmál''
![Valkyrie_and_Raven](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Valkyrie_and_Raven.png)
The fragmentary skaldic poem ''
Hrafnsmál'' (generally accepted as authored by 9th century Norwegian skald
Þorbjörn Hornklofi
Þórbjǫrn Hornklofi (Modern Norwegian: ''Torbjørn Hornklove'') was a 9th-century Norwegian skald and one of the court poet of King Harald Fairhair. His poetry has sometimes been regarded as a contemporary source of information regarding King Har ...
) features a conversation between a valkyrie and a raven, largely consisting of the life and deeds of
Harald I of Norway
Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagreModern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from 872 to 930 and was the first King of Norw ...
. The poem begins with a request for silence among noblemen so that the skald may tell the deeds of Harald Fairhair. The narrator states that they once overheard a "high-minded", "golden-haired" and "white-armed" maiden speaking with a "glossy-beaked raven". The valkyrie considers herself wise, understands the speech of birds, is further described as having a white-throat and sparkling eyes, and she takes no pleasure in men:
The valkyrie, previously described as fair and beautiful, then speaks to the gore-drenched and corpse-reeking raven:
The black raven shakes himself, and he responds that he and the rest of the ravens have followed Harald since hatching from their eggs. The raven expresses surprise that the valkyrie seems unfamiliar with the deeds of Harald, and tells her about his deeds for several stanzas. At stanza 15, a question and answer format begins where the valkyrie asks the raven a question regarding Harald, and the raven responds in turn. This continues until the poem ends abruptly.
[Hollander (1980:54–57).]
''Njáls saga''
![Henry De Groux001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Henry_De_Groux001.jpg)
In chapter 157 of ''
Njáls saga
''Njáls saga'' ( ), also ''Njála'' ( ), ''Brennu-Njáls saga'' ( ) or ''"The Story of Burnt Njáll"'', is a thirteenth-century sagas of Icelanders, Icelandic saga that describes events between 960 and 1020.
The saga deals with a process of ...
'', a man named Dörruð witnesses 12 people riding together to a stone hut on
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
in
Caithness
Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland.
Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...
. The 12 go into the hut and Dörruð can no longer see them. Dörruð goes to the hut, and looks through a chink in the wall. He sees that there are women within, and that they have set up a particular
loom
A loom is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but th ...
; the heads of men are the weights, the entrails of men are the
warp
Warp, warped or warping may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Books and comics
* WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher
* ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!''
* Warp (comics), a ...
and
weft
Warp and weft are the two basic components used in weaving to turn thread or yarn into fabric. The lengthwise or longitudinal warp yarns are held stationary in tension on a frame or loom while the transverse weft (sometimes woof) is draw ...
, a sword is the
shuttle, and the
reels are composed of arrows. The women sing a song called ''
Darraðarljóð'', which Dörruð memorizes.
[Hollander (1980:66).]
The song consists of 11 stanzas, and within it the valkyries weave and choose who is to be slain at the
Battle of Clontarf (fought outside
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
in 1014
CE). Of the 12 valkyries weaving, six have their names given in the song: Hildr,
Hjörþrimul
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse ''valkyrja'' "chooser of the fallen") is one of a host of female figures who decide who will die in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja's ...
,
Sanngriðr
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse ''valkyrja'' "chooser of the fallen") is one of a host of female figures who decide who will die in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja's ...
,
Svipul In Norse mythology, Svipul (Old Norse "changeable"Simek (2007:308).) is a valkyrie. Svipul is attested among valkyrie list in the poem ''Darraðarljóð'' and the longer of the two '' Nafnaþulur'' valkyrie lists in the ''Poetic Edda'' book ''Skál ...
,
Guðr
Gunnr (alternatively ''guðr'') is an Old Norse term meaning "battle". It is the name of a valkyrie in Norse mythology, and was also used as a feminine given name. The modern forms ''Gun'' and ''Gunn'' remain in use as a feminine given name in Sca ...
and Göndul. Stanza 9 of the song reads:
At the end of the poem, the valkyries sing "start we swiftly with steeds unsaddled—hence to battle with brandished swords!"
[ The prose narrative picks up again, and says that the valkyries tear their loom down and into pieces. Each valkyrie holds on to what she has in her hands. Dörruð leaves the chink in the wall and heads home, and the women mount their horses and ride away; six to the south and six to the north.][
]
''Heimskringla''
At the end of the '' Heimskringla'' saga '' Hákonar saga góða'', the poem ''Hákonarmál
''Hákonarmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Song of Hákon') is a skaldic poem which the skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed about the fall of the Norwegian king Hákon the Good at the battle of Fitjar and his reception in Valhalla. This poem emulates ' ...
'' by the 10th century skald
A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: , later ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry, the other being Eddic poetry, which is anonymous. Skaldic poems were traditionally ...
Eyvindr skáldaspillir is presented. The saga relates that king Haakon I of Norway died in battle, and although he is Christian, he requests that since he has died "among heathens, then give me such burial place as seems most fitting to you". The saga relates that shortly after Haakon died on the same slab of rock that he was born upon, he was greatly mourned by friend and foe alike, and that his friends moved his body northward to Sæheim in North Hordaland
Hordaland () was a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark, and Rogaland counties. Hordaland was the third largest county, after Akershus and Oslo, by population. The county government was the Hordaland County Municipal ...
. Haakon was buried there in a large burial mound in full armour and his finest clothing, yet with no other valuables. Further, "words were spoken over his grave according to the custom of heathen men, and they put him on the way to Valhalla". The poem ''Hákonarmál'' is then provided.[Hollander (2007:124–125).]
In ''Hákonarmál'', Odin sends forth the two valkyries Göndul and Skögul to "choose among the kings' kinsmen" and who in battle should dwell with Odin in Valhalla. A battle rages with great slaughter, and part of the description employs the kenning "Skögul's-stormblast" for "battle". Haakon and his men die in battle, and they see the valkyrie Göndul leaning on a spear shaft. Göndul comments that "groweth now the gods' following, since Hákon has been with host so goodly bidden home with holy godheads". Haakon hears "what the valkyries said", and the valkyries are described as sitting "high-hearted on horseback", wearing helmets, carrying shields and that the horses wisely bore them.[Hollander (2007:125).] A brief exchange follows between Haakon and the valkyrie Skögul:
Skögul says that they shall now ride forth to the "green homes of the godheads" to tell Odin the king will come to Valhalla. The poem continues, and Haakon becomes a part of the einherjar in Valhalla, awaiting to do battle with the monstrous wolf Fenrir.[Hollander (2007:126–127).]
''Fagrskinna''
In chapter 8 of ''Fagrskinna
''Fagrskinna'' ( ; is, Fagurskinna ; trans. "Fair Leather" from the type of parchment) is one of the kings' sagas, written around 1220. It is an intermediate source for the ''Heimskringla'' of Snorri Sturluson, containing histories of Norwegian k ...
'', a prose narrative states that, after the death of her husband Eric Bloodaxe, Gunnhild Mother of Kings
Gunnhildr konungamóðir (''mother of kings'') or Gunnhildr Gormsdóttir, whose name is often Anglicised as Gunnhild (c. 910 – c. 980) is a quasi-historical figure who appears in the Icelandic Sagas, according to which she was ...
had a poem composed about him. The composition is by an anonymous author from the 10th century and is referred to as '' Eiríksmál''. It describes Eric Bloodaxe and five other kings arriving in Valhalla after their death. The poem begins with comments by Odin (as Old Norse ''Óðinn''):
The god Bragi asks where a thundering sound is coming from, and says that the benches of Valhalla are creaking—as if the god Baldr had returned to Valhalla—and that it sounds like the movement of a thousand. Odin responds that Bragi knows well that the sounds are for Eric Bloodaxe, who will soon arrive in Valhalla. Odin tells the heroes Sigmund and Sinfjötli to rise to greet Eric and invite him into the hall, if it is indeed he.[Finlay (2004:59).]
Ragnhild Tregagás charm
A witchcraft trial
A witch-hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. The Witch trials in the early modern period, classical period of witch-hunts in Early Modern Europe and European Colon ...
held in 1324 in Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, records a spell used by the accused Ragnhild Tregagás
Ragnhild or Ragnhildr is a Nordic feminine given name, and may refer to:
People
*Ragnhild (saint) (), Swedish saint
* Ragnhildr, mother of Harald I of Norway
* Ragnhildr ''in ríka'', daughter of Eric of Jutland, wife to Harald Fairhair and mothe ...
to end the marriage of her former lover, a man named Bárd. The charm contains a mention of the valkyrie Göndul
In Norse mythology, Göndul (Old Norse: ''Gǫndul'', "wand-wielder"Orchard (1997:194).) is a valkyrie. Göndul is attested in ''Heimskringla'', ''Sörla þáttr'', and a 14th-century Norwegian charm. In addition, Göndul appears within the valkyrie ...
being "sent out":
Old English attestations
The Old English appears several times in Old English manuscripts, generally to translate foreign concepts into Old English. It is used in the sermon , where it is thought to appear as a word for a human "sorceress".[North (1997:106).] An early 11th-century manuscript of Aldhelm's (Oxford, Bodleian library, Digby 146) glosses
A gloss is a brief notation, especially a marginal one or an interlinear one, of the meaning of a word or wording in a text. It may be in the language of the text or in the reader's language if that is different.
A collection of glosses is a ''g ...
with (with meaning "goddess"). is used to translate the names of the classical furies
The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad
The ''Il ...
in two manuscripts (Cotton Cleopatra
This is an incomplete list of some of the manuscripts from the Cotton library that today form the Cotton collection of the British Library. Some manuscripts were destroyed or damaged in a fire at Ashburnham House in 1731, and a few are kept in othe ...
A. iii, and the older ''Corpus Glossary''). In the manuscript Cotton Cleopatra A. iii, is also used to gloss the Roman goddess
Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans. One of a wide variety of genres of Roman folklore, ''Roman mythology'' may also refer to the modern study of these representat ...
Bellona Bellona may refer to:
Places
*Bellona, Campania, a ''comune'' in the Province of Caserta, Italy
*Bellona Reef, a reef in New Caledonia
*Bellona Island, an island in Rennell and Bellona Province, Solomon Islands
Ships
* HMS ''Bellona'' (1760), a 74 ...
. A description of a raven flying over the Egyptian army appears as (meaning "dark one choosing the slain"). Scholarly theories debate whether these attestations point to an indigenous belief among the Anglo-Saxons shared with the Norse, or if they were a result of later Norse influence (see section below).
Archaeological record
Female figures, cups, and horn-bearers
Viking Age
The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Ger ...
stylized silver amulets depicting women wearing long gowns, their hair pulled back and knotted into a ponytail, sometimes bearing drinking horn
A drinking horn is the horn of a bovid used as a drinking vessel. Drinking horns are known from Classical Antiquity, especially the Balkans, and remained in use for ceremonial purposes throughout the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period in ...
s, have been discovered throughout Scandinavia. These figures are commonly considered to represent valkyries or dísir.[Orchard (1997:172) and Lindow (2001:96).] According to Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees, the amulets appear in Viking Age graves, and were presumably placed there because "they were thought to have protective powers".
The Tjängvide image stone
The Tjängvide image stone, listed in Rundata as Gotland Runic Inscription 110 or G 110, is a Viking Age image stone from Tjängvide (),, from ''c.'' 700-900 AD, which is about three kilometers west of Ljugarn, Gotland, Sweden.
Description
The in ...
from the Baltic island of Gotland
Gotland (, ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a province, county, municipality, and diocese. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the ...
, Sweden features a rider on an eight-legged horse, which may be Odin's eight-legged horse Sleipnir
In Norse mythology, Sleipnir (Old Norse: ; "slippy"Orchard (1997:151). or "the slipper"Kermode (1904:6).) is an eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. Sleipnir is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional ...
, being greeted by a female, which may be a valkyrie at Valhalla.[Lindow (2001:276).] The 11th century runestone
A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones da ...
U 1163 features a carving of a female bearing a horn that has been interpreted as the valkyrie Sigrdrífa handing the hero Sigurd (also depicted on the stone) a drinking horn.[Wessén & Jansson (1953–58:621).]
In 2013, a small figure dated at around 800 AD was discovered in Hårby, Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
by three amateur archaeologists. The figurine portrays a woman with long hair knotted into a ponytail who is wearing a long dress which is sleeveless and vest like at the top. Over the top of her dress she is wearing an embroidered apron. Her clothing keeps the woman's arms unobstructed so she can fight with the sword and shield she is holding. Commenting on the figure, archaeologist Mogens Bo Henriksen said that "there can hardly be any doubt that the figure depicts one of Odin's valkyries as we know them from the sagas as well as from Swedish picture stones from the time around AD700".[Kennedy (2013).]
File:Valkyrie.jpg, A silver figure of a woman holding a drinking horn found in Birka, Björkö, Uppland
Uppland () is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. On the small uninhab ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
.
File:Silver figure with hair and silver figure with horse.jpg, Both silver, a female figure touches her hair while facing forward (left) and a figure with a 'winged' spear clamped under her leg and sword in her hand sits atop a horse, facing another female figure who is carrying a shield (right).
File:Arrival at Valhalla.jpg, A female figure bears a horn to a rider on an eight-legged horse on the Tjängvide image stone
The Tjängvide image stone, listed in Rundata as Gotland Runic Inscription 110 or G 110, is a Viking Age image stone from Tjängvide (),, from ''c.'' 700-900 AD, which is about three kilometers west of Ljugarn, Gotland, Sweden.
Description
The in ...
in Sweden.
File:U 1163, Drävle (Sigrdrífa).JPG, A female figure bearing a horn on runestone U 1163.
Runic inscriptions
Specific valkyries are mentioned on two runestones
A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones da ...
; the early 9th century Rök runestone
The Rök runestone ( sv, Rökstenen; Ög 136) is one of the most famous runestones, featuring the longest known runic inscription in stone. It can now be seen beside the church in Rök, Ödeshög Municipality, Östergötland, Sweden. It is cons ...
in Östergötland
Östergötland (; English exonym: East Gothland) is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish) in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland and the Baltic Sea. In older English li ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, and the 10th-century Karlevi Runestone
The Karlevi Runestone, designated as Öl 1 by Rundata, is commonly dated to the late 10th century and located near the Kalmarsund straight in Karlevi on the island of Öland, Sweden. It is one of the most notable and prominent runestones and const ...
on the island of Öland
Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Øland'' in other Scandinavian languages, and often ''Oland'' internationally; la, Oelandia) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, which mentions the valkyrie Þrúðr. On the Rök runestone, a kenning is employed that involves a valkyrie riding a wolf as her steed:
Among the Bryggen inscriptions found in Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, is the "valkyrie stick" from the late 14th century. The stick features a runic inscription
A runic inscription is an inscription made in one of the various runic alphabets. They generally contained practical information or memorials instead of magic or mythic stories. The body of runic inscriptions falls into the three categories of El ...
intended as a charm. The inscription says that "I cut cure-runes", and also "help-runes", once against elves
An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
, twice against trolls
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
, thrice against thurs and then a mention of a valkyrie occurs:
This is followed by "I send you, I look at you, wolfish perversion, and unbearable desire, may distress descend on you and ''jöluns'' wrath. Never shall you sit, never shall you sleep ... (that you) love me as yourself." According to Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees, the inscription "seems to begin as a benevolent formulation before abruptly switching to the infliction of distress and misery, presumably upon the recipient of the charm rather than the baleful valkyrie", and they posit the final line appears "to constitute a rather spiteful kind of charm aimed at securing the love of a woman".[MacLeod (2006:34–37).]
MacLeod and Mees state that the opening lines of the charm correspond to the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Sigrdrífumál'', where the valkyrie Sigrdrífa provides runic advice, and that the meaning of the term ''skag'' is unclear, but a cognate exists in ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'' where Sinfjötli accuses Guðmundr of having once been a "''skass''-valkyrie". MacLeod and Mees believe the word means something like "supernatural sending", and that this points to a connection to the Ragnhild Tregagás charm, where a valkyrie is also "sent forth".[
]
Valkyrie-names
The Old Norse poems '' Völuspá'', '' Grímnismál'', '' Darraðarljóð'' and the ''Nafnaþulur
''Nafnaþulur'' (Old Norse: ) is a subsection of the ''Prose Edda'', the last part of the ''Skáldskaparmál
''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Language of Poetry'; c. 50,000 words; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda''.
The sectio ...
'' section of 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 ...
'' book '' Skáldskaparmál'', provide lists of valkyrie names. In addition, some valkyrie names appear solely outside of these lists, such as '' Sigrún'' (who is attested in the poems '' Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'' and ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
"Völsungakviða in forna" or "Helgakviða Hundingsbana II" ("The Second Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane") is an Old Norse poem found in the ''Poetic Edda''. It constitutes one of the Helgi lays together with ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'' and ''Helgakv ...
''). Many valkyrie names emphasize associations with battle and, in many cases, on the spear—a weapon heavily associated with the god Odin.[Davidson (1988:96).] Some scholars propose that the names of the valkyries themselves contain no individuality, but are rather descriptive of the traits and nature of war-goddesses, and are possibly the descriptive creations of skalds.[Examples include Davidson (1988:96–97) and Simek (2007:349).]
Some valkyrie names may be descriptive of the roles and abilities of the valkyries. The valkyrie name ''Herja
In Norse mythology Herja (Old Norse) is a valkyrie attested in the longer of the two '' Nafnaþulur'' lists found in the ''Prose Edda''.Jónsson (1973:678).
Rudolf Simek says the name is etymologically related to the Old Norse ''herja'' and Old Hi ...
'' has been theorised as pointing to a connection to the name of the goddess ''Hariasa
Hariasa is a Germanic goddess. Hariasa is attested on a (now lost) stone bearing a Latin dedication to her. The stone was found in Cologne, Germany and dated to 187 CE ( CIL XIII 8185).Simek (2007:131).
Etymology
Rudolf Simek says that like the ...
'', who is attested from a stone from 187 CE.[Simek (2007:143). For Hariasa, Simek (2007:131).] The name ''Herfjötur
In Norse mythology, Herfjötur (Old Norse: ''Herfjǫtur'', "host-fetter"Orchard (1997:194). or "fetter of the army"Simek (2007:142).) is a valkyrie. Herfjötur is attested as among the 13 valkyries listed in the '' Poetic Edda'' poem '' Grímnismá ...
'' has been theorised as pointing to the ability of the valkyries to place fetters.[Simek (2007:142).] The name ''Svipul In Norse mythology, Svipul (Old Norse "changeable"Simek (2007:308).) is a valkyrie. Svipul is attested among valkyrie list in the poem ''Darraðarljóð'' and the longer of the two '' Nafnaþulur'' valkyrie lists in the ''Poetic Edda'' book ''Skál ...
'' may be descriptive of the influence the valkyries have over wyrd or ørlog—a Germanic concept of fate
Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.
Fate
Although often ...
.[Simek (2007:308).]
Theories
Old English and Old English charms
Richard North says that the description of a raven flying over the Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
ian army (glossed as ) may have been directly influenced by the Old Norse concept of Valhalla, the usage of in may represent a loan or loan-translation of Old Norse , but the Cotton Cleopatra A. iii and the ''Corpus Glossary'' instances "appear to show an Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
conception of that was independent of contemporary Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
n influence".[
Two ]Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
charms mention figures that are theorised as representing an Anglo-Saxon notion of valkyries or valkyrie-like female beings; , a charm to cure a sudden pain or stitch, and ''For a Swarm of Bees "For a Swarm of Bees" is an Anglo-Saxon metrical charm that was intended for use in keeping honey bees from swarming. The text was discovered by John Mitchell Kemble in the 19th century. The charm is named for its opening words, "'", meaning "agai ...
'', a charm to keep honey bees from swarming
Swarm behaviour, or swarming, is a collective behaviour exhibited by entities, particularly animals, of similar size which aggregate together, perhaps milling about the same spot or perhaps moving ''en masse'' or migrating in some direction. ...
. In , a sudden pain is attributed to a small, "shrieking" spear thrown with supernatural strength () by "fierce" loudly flying "mighty women" () who have ridden over a burial mound:
Theories have been proposed that these figures are connected to valkyries.[Greenfield (1996:257).] Richard North says that "though it is not clear what the poet takes these women to be, their female sex, riding in flight and throwing spears suggest that they were imagined in England as a female being analogous to the later Norse ."[North (1997:105).] Hilda Ellis Davidson
Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson (born Hilda Roderick Ellis; 1 October 1914 – 12 January 2006) was an English folklorist. She was a scholar at the University of Cambridge and The Folklore Society, and specialized in the study of Celtic and Ge ...
theorizes that was originally a battle spell that had, over time, been reduced to evoke "a prosaic stitch in the side".[Davidson (1990:63).] Towards the end of ''For a Swarm of Bees'', the swarming bees are referred to as "victory-women" (Old English ):
The term "victory women" has been theorised as pointing to an association with valkyries. This theory is not universally accepted, and the reference has also been theorised as a simple metaphor for the "victorious sword" (the stinging) of the bees.[
]
Merseburg Incantation, fetters, , and norns
One of the two Old High German
Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050.
There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old High ...
Merseburg Incantations call upon female beings—''Idisi
In Germanic mythology, an idis (Old Saxon, plural idisi) is a divine female being. ''Idis'' is cognate to Old High German itis and Old English ides, meaning 'well-respected and dignified woman.' Connections have been assumed or theorized between th ...
''—to bind and hamper an army. The incantation reads:
Once the Idisi sat, sat here and there,
some bound fetters, some hampered the army,
some untied fetters:
Escape from the fetters, flee from the enemies.[Simek (2007:171).]
The ''Idisi'' mentioned in the incantation are generally considered to be valkyries. Rudolf Simek says that "these Idisi are obviously a kind of valkyrie, as these also have the power to hamper enemies in Norse mythology" and points to a connection with the valkyrie name (Old Norse "army-fetter").[ Hilda R. Davidson compares the incantation to the Old English charm and theorises a similar role for them both.][
Simek says that the West Germanic term ''Idisi'' ( osx, idis, goh, itis, ang, ides) refers to a "dignified, well respected woman (married or unmarried), possibly a term for any woman, and therefore glosses exactly Latin " and that a link to the North Germanic term is reasonable to assume, yet not undisputed. In addition, the place name Idisiaviso (meaning "plain of the Idisi") where forces commanded by ]Arminius
Arminius ( 18/17 BC – 21 AD) was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe who is best known for commanding an alliance of Germanic tribes at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, in which three Roman legions under the command of ge ...
fought those commanded by Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar (24 May 15 BC – 10 October AD 19) was an ancient Roman general, known for his campaigns in Germania. The son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia the Younger, Germanicus was born into an influential branch of the Patric ...
at the Battle of the Weser River
The Battle of the Weser River, sometimes known as the First Battle of Minden or Battle of Idistaviso, was fought in 16 AD between Roman legions commanded by Roman Emperor Tiberius's heir and adopted son, Germanicus, and an alliance of Germanic ...
in 16 AD. Simek points to a connection between the name ''Idisiaviso'', the role of the Idisi in one of the two Merseburg Incantations and valkyries.
Regarding the , Simek states that Old Norse appears commonly as simply a term for "woman", just as Old High German , Old Saxon and Old English , and may have also been used to denote a type of goddess. According to Simek, "several of the Eddic sources might lead us to conclude that the were valkyrie-like guardians of the dead, and indeed in I 19 the valkyries are even called "Odin's ". The are explicitly called dead women in 28 and a secondary belief that the were the souls of dead women (see ) also underlies the of Icelandic folklore
Nordic folklore is the folklore of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. It has common roots with, and has been mutually influenced by, folklore in England, Germany, the Low Countries, the Baltic countries, Finland and Sapmi. ...
.[Simek (2007:61–62).] Simek says that "as the function of the matrons
Matron is the job title of a very senior or the chief nurse in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and other Commonwealth countries and former colonies.
Etymology
The chief nurse, in other words the person ...
was also extremely varied—fertility goddess, personal guardians, but also warrior-goddesses—the belief in the , like the belief in the valkyries, norns and matrons, may be considered to be different manifestations of a belief in a number of female (half-?) goddesses."[
]Jacob Grimm
Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (4 January 1785 – 20 September 1863), also known as Ludwig Karl, was a German author, linguist, philologist, jurist, and folklorist. He is known as the discoverer of Grimm's law of linguistics, the co-author of th ...
states that, though the norns and valkyries are similar in nature, there is a fundamental difference between the two. Grimm states that a can be both norn and a valkyrie, "but their functions are separate and usually the persons. The norns have to pronounce the fatum ate
Ate or ATE may refer to:
Organizations
* Active Training and Education Trust, a not-for-profit organization providing "Superweeks", holidays for children in the United Kingdom
* Association of Technical Employees, a trade union, now called the Nat ...
they sit on their chairs, or they roam through the country among mortals, fastening their threads. Nowhere is it said that they ride. The valkyrs ''ride'' to war, decide the issues of fighting, and conduct the fallen to heaven; their riding is like that of heroes and gods".[Grimm (1882:421).]
Origins and development
Various theories have been proposed about the origins and development of the valkyries from Germanic paganism to later Norse mythology. Rudolf Simek suggests valkyries were probably originally viewed as "demons of the dead to whom warriors slain on the battlefield belonged", and that a shift in interpretation of the valkyries may have occurred "when the concept of Valhalla changed from a battlefield to a warrior's paradise". Simek says that this original concept was "superseded by the shield girls—Irish female warriors who lived on like the ''einherjar'' in Valhall." Simek says that the valkyries were closely associated with Odin, and that this connection existed in an earlier role as "demons of death". Simek states that due to the shift of concept, the valkyries became popular figures in heroic poetry, and during this transition were stripped of their "demonic characteristics and became more human, and therefore become capable of falling in love with mortals .." Simek says that the majority of the names of the valkyries point to a warlike function, that most of valkyrie names do not appear to be very old, and that the names "mostly come from poetic creativity rather than from real folk-belief."
MacLeod and Mees theorise that "the role of the corpse-choosing valkyries became increasingly confused in later Norse mythology with that of the Norns
The Norns ( non, norn , plural: ) are deities in Norse mythology responsible for shaping the course of human destinies.'' Nordisk familjebok'' (1907)
In the ''Völuspá'', the three primary Norns Urðr (Wyrd), Verðandi, and Skuld draw wate ...
, the supernatural females responsible for determining human destiny .."[MacLeod (2006:39).]
Hilda Ellis Davidson
Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson (born Hilda Roderick Ellis; 1 October 1914 – 12 January 2006) was an English folklorist. She was a scholar at the University of Cambridge and The Folklore Society, and specialized in the study of Celtic and Ge ...
says that, regarding valkyries, "evidently an elaborate literary picture has been built up by generations of poets and storytellers, in which several conceptions can be discerned. We recognise something akin to Norns, spirits who decide destinies of men; to the seeresses, who could protect men in battle with their spells; to the powerful female guardian spirits attached to certain families, bringing luck to youth under their protection; even to certain women who armed themselves and fought like men, for whom there is some historical evidence from the regions round the Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
". She adds that there may also be a memory in this of a "priestess of the god of war, women who officiated at the sacrificial rites when captives were put to death after battle."[Davidson (1990:61).]
Davidson places emphasis on the fact that ''valkyrie'' literally means "chooser of the slain". She compares Wulfstan's mention of a "chooser of the slain" in his ''Sermo Lupi ad Anglos'' sermon, which appears among "a blacklist of sinners, witches and evildoers", to "all the other classes whom he ulfstanmentions", and concludes as those "are human ones, it seems unlikely that he has introduced mythological figures as well." Davidson points out that Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
traveller Ibn Fadlan
Aḥmad ibn Faḍlān ibn al-ʿAbbās ibn Rāšid ibn Ḥammād, ( ar, أحمد بن فضلان بن العباس بن راشد بن حماد; ) commonly known as Ahmad ibn Fadlan, was a 10th-century Muslim traveler, famous for his account of his ...
's detailed account of a 10th-century Rus
Rus or RUS may refer to:
People and places
* Rus (surname), a Romanian-language surname
* East Slavic historical territories and peoples (). See Names of Rus', Russia and Ruthenia
** Rus' people, the people of Rus'
** Rus' territories
*** Kievan ...
ship funeral on the Volga River
The Volga (; russian: Во́лга, a=Ru-Волга.ogg, p=ˈvoɫɡə) is the List of rivers of Europe#Rivers of Europe by length, longest river in Europe. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Cas ...
features an "old Hunnish
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...
woman, massive and grim to look upon" (who Fadlan refers to as the "Angel of Death") who organises the killing of the slave girl, and has two other women with her that Fadlan refers to as her daughters. Davidson says that "it would hardly be surprising if strange legends grew up about such women, who must have been kept apart from their kind due to their gruesome duties. Since it was often decided by lot which prisoners should be killed, the idea that the god "chose" his victims, through the instrument of the priestesses, must have been a familiar one, apart from the obvious assumption that some were chosen to fall in war." Davidson says that it appears that from "early times" the Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples were historical groups of people that once occupied Central Europe and Scandinavia during antiquity and into the early Middle Ages. Since the 19th century, they have traditionally been defined by the use of ancient and ear ...
"believed in fierce female spirits doing the command of the war god, stirring up disorder, taking part in battle, seizing and perhaps devouring the slain."[Davidson (1990:61–62).]
Freyja and Fólkvangr
The goddess Freyja and her afterlife field Fólkvangr, where she receives half of the slain, has been theorized as connected to the valkyries. Britt-Mari Näsström points out the description in ''Gylfaginning'' where it is said of Freyja "whenever she rides into battle she takes half of the slain", and interprets ''Fólkvangr'' as "the field of the Warriors". Näsström notes that, just like Odin, Freyja receives slain heroes who have died on the battlefield, and that her house is Sessrumnir (which she translates as "filled with many seats"), a dwelling that Näsström posits likely fills the same function as Valhalla. Näsström comments that "still, we must ask why there are two heroic paradises in the Old Norse view of afterlife. It might possibly be a consequence of different forms of initiation of warriors, where one part seemed to have belonged to Óðinn and the other to Freyja. These examples indicate that Freyja was a war-goddess, and she even appears as a valkyrie, literally 'the one who chooses the slain'."[Näsström (1999:61).]
Siegfried Andres Dobat comments that "in her mythological role as the chooser of half the fallen warriors for her death-realm Fólkvangr, the goddess Freyja, however, emerges as the mythological role-model for the Valkyrjar and the dísir".[Dobat (2006:186).]
Modern art
Valkyries have been the subjects of various poems, stories, works of art, and musical works. In poetry, valkyries appear in "''Die Walküren'' by H. Heine (appearing in ''Romanzero'', 1847), "''Die Walküren'' (1864) by H. v. Linge, and "''Sköldmon'' (appearing in ''Gömda Land'', 1904).[Simek (2007:349).] In music, they appear in '' Die Walküre'' by Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
(1870), from which the " Ride of the Valkyries" is the most well known theme. In literature, Valkyries make an appearance in Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
Andersen's fairy tales, consisti ...
's fairy tale "The Marsh King's Daughter".
Works of art depicting valkyries include ''Die Walküren'' (sketch, 1818) by J. G. Sandberg, ''Reitende Walküre'' (fresco
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
), previously located in Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
palace but now destroyed, 1865–66 by M. Echter, ''Valkyrien'' and ''Valkyriens død'' (paintings, both from 1860), ''Walkürenritt'' ( etching, 1871) by A. Welti, ''Walkürenritt'' (woodcut
Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts. Areas that ...
, 1871) by T. Pixis, ''Walkürenritt'' (1872) by A. Becker (reproduced in 1873 with the same title by A. v. Heyde), ''Die Walkyren'' (charcoal
Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...
, 1880) and ''Walkyren wählen und wecken die gefallenen Helden (Einherier), um sie vom Schlachtfield nach Walhall zu geleiten'' (painting, 1882) and ''Walkyrenschlacht'' (oil painting, 1884) by K. Ehrenberg, ''Walkürenritt'' (oil painting, 1888, and etching, 1890) by A. Welti, ''Walküre'' (statue) by H. Günther, ''Walkürenritt'' (oil painting) by H. Hendrich, ''Walkürenritt'' (painting) by F. Leeke, ''Einherier'' (painting, from around 1900), by K. Dielitz, ''The Ride of the Valkyries'' (painting, from around 1900) by J. C. Dollman, ''Valkyrie'' (statue, 1910) and ''Walhalla-freeze'' (located in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, 1886–87), ''Walkyrien'' (print, 1915) by A. Kolb, and ''Valkyrier'' (drawing, 1925) by E. Hansen.[Simek (2007:349–350).]
See also
* Apsara
* Aston Martin Valkyrie, a hybrid sports car launched by Aston Martin in 2018
*
* Valravn, a supernatural "raven of the slain" appearing in 19th century Danish folk songs
Citations
General and cited references
* Andrén, A.; Jennbert, K.; Raudvere, C. (2006)
Old Norse Religion: Some Problems and Prospects
in ''Old Norse Religion in Long Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions, an International Conference in Lund, Sweden, 3–7 June 2004''. Nordic Academic Press.
* Byock, Jesse (trans.) (2006).
The Prose Edda
'. Penguin Classics.
* Hilda Ellis Davidson, Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis (1988).
Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions
'. Manchester University Press.
* Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis (1990).
Gods and Myths of Northern Europe
'. Penguin Books.
* Dobat, Siegfried Andres (2006).
Bridging mythology and belief: Viking Age functional culture as a reflection of the belief in divine intervention
in Andren, A.; Jennbert, K.; Raudvere, C. ''Old Norse Religion in Long Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions, an International Conference in Lund, Sweden, 3–7 June 2004''. Nordic Academic Press.
* Ursula Dronke, Dronke, Ursula (Trans.) (1997).
The Poetic Edda: Volume II: Mythological Poems
'. Oxford University Press.
* Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). ''Edda''. Everyman's Library, Everyman.
* Finlay, Alison (2004).
Fagrskinna, a Catalogue of the Kings of Norway: A Translation with Introduction and Notes
'. Brill Publishers.
* Friðriksdóttir, Jóhanna Katrín (2020) ''Valkyrie: The Women of the Viking World'' (Bloomsbury Academic)
* Greenfield, Stanley B.; Calder, Daniel Gillmore; Lapidge, Michael (1996).
A New Critical History of Old English Literature
'. New York University Press.
* Jacob Grimm, Grimm, Jacob (1882) translated by James Steven Stallybrass. ''Deutsche Mythologie, Teutonic Mythology: Translated from the Fourth Edition with Notes and Appendix by James Stallybrass''. Volume I. London: George Bell and Sons.
* Hall, Alaric (2007).
Elves in Anglo-Saxon England
'. Boydell Press.
* Kennedy, Maev (2013). "Flight of the valkyrie: the Viking figurine that's heading for Britain". Theguardian.com, Monday 4 March 2013. Online
* Lee M. Hollander, Hollander, Lee Milton (1980).
Old Norse Poems: The Most Important Nonskaldic Verse Not Included in the Poetic Edda
'. Forgotten Books.
* Hollander, Lee Milton (Trans.) (2007).
Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway
'. University of Texas Press.
* Finnur Jónsson (1973). ''Den Norsk-Islandske Skjaldedigtning''. Rosenkilde og Bagger.
* Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999).
The Poetic Edda
'. Oxford World's Classics.
* John Lindow, Lindow, John (2001).
Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals and Beliefs
'. Oxford University Press.
* MacLeod, Mindy; Mees, Bernard (2006).
Runic Amulets and Magic Objects
'. Boydell Press.
*
* Näsström, Britt-Mari (1999).
Freyja: The Trivalent Goddess
in Sand, Reenberg Erik; Sørensen, Jørgen Podemann (1999). ''Comparative Studies in History of Religions: Their Aim, Scrope and Validity''. Museum Tusculanum Press.
* North, Richard (1997).
Heathen Gods in Old English Literature
'. Cambridge University Press.
* Orchard, Andy (1997).
Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend
'. Orion Publishing Group, Cassell.
* Vladimir Orel, Orel, Vladimir (2003). ''A Handbook of Germanic Etymology''. Brill.
* Rudolf Simek, Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall.
Dictionary of Northern Mythology
'. Boydell & Brewer, D.S. Brewer
* Wessén, Elias; Sven B.F. Jansson (1953–58).
Sveriges runinskrifter: IX. Upplands runinskrifter del 4.
' Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien.
*Beyblade Burst (2015-2022) - The Tops: Valkyrie, Victory Valkyrie, God Valkyrie, Winning Valkyrie, Cho-Z Valkyrie, Slash Valkyrie, Brave Valkyrie, Saviour Valkyrie and Ultimate Valkyrie
External links
MyNDIR (My Norse Digital Image Repository)
illustrations of Valkyries from Victorian and Edwardian retellings of Norse Mythology. Clicking on the thumbnail will give you the full image and information concerning it.
{{Authority control
Valkyries,
Psychopomps
Norse underworld
Textiles in folklore
Women warriors