
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 as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The ...
, Heimdall (from
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was 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 ...
Heimdallr; modern
Icelandic Heimdallur) is a
god
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
. He is the son of
Odin
Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
and nine mothers. Heimdall keeps watch for invaders and the onset of
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (also Ragnarok; or ; ) is a foretold series of impending events, including a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish (including the Æsir, gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, a ...
from his dwelling
Himinbjörg
In Norse mythology, Himinbjörg (Old Norse: ''Himinbjǫrg'' "heaven's castle"Simek (2007:147). or "heaven mountain"Lindow (2002:174).) is the home of the god Heimdallr. Himinbjörg is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled from earlier traditio ...
, where the burning rainbow bridge
Bifröst
In Norse mythology, Bifröst (modern Icelandic: Bifröst ; from Old Norse: /ˈbiv.rɔst/), also called Bilröst and often anglicized as Bifrost, is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the realm of the gods. ...
meets the sky. He is attested as possessing foreknowledge and keen senses, particularly eyesight and hearing. The god and his possessions are described in enigmatic manners. For example, Heimdall is golden-toothed, "the head is called his sword," and he is "the whitest of the gods."
Heimdall possesses the resounding horn
Gjallarhorn
In Norse mythology, Gjallarhorn (Old Norse: ; "hollering horn"Orchard (1997:57). or "the loud sounding horn"Simek (2007:110).) is a horn associated with the god Heimdallr and the wise being Mímir. The sound of Heimdallr's horn will herald the ...
and the golden-maned horse
Gulltoppr, along with a store of
mead
Mead (), also called honey wine, and hydromel (particularly when low in alcohol content), is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alco ...
at his dwelling. He is the son of
Nine Mothers, and he is said to be the originator of
social class
A social class or social stratum is a grouping of people into a set of Dominance hierarchy, hierarchical social categories, the most common being the working class and the Bourgeoisie, capitalist class. Membership of a social class can for exam ...
es among humanity. Other notable stories include the recovery of Freyja's treasured possession
Brísingamen
In Norse mythology, ''Brísingamen'' (or ''Brísinga men'') is the torc or necklace of the goddess Freyja, of which little else is known for certain., st. 13, "necklace of the Brisings"; endnote: "..frequently mentioned in connection with Freyja, ...
while doing battle in the shape of a
seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, also called "true seal"
** Fur seal
** Eared seal
* Seal ( ...
with
Loki
Loki is a Æsir, god in Norse mythology. He is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mythology), Laufey (a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to the goddess Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi (son of Lo ...
. The antagonistic relationship between Heimdall and Loki is notable, as they are foretold to kill one another during the events of Ragnarök. Heimdallr is also known as Rig, Hallinskiði, Gullintanni, and Vindlér or Vindhlér.
Heimdall is attested in the ''
Poetic Edda
The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems in alliterative verse. It is distinct from the closely related ''Prose Edda'', although both works are seminal to the study of Old Norse ...
'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional material; in the ''
Prose Edda
The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' () or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often considered to have been to some exten ...
'' and ''
Heimskringla
() is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland. While authorship of ''Heimskringla'' is nowhere attributed, some scholars assume it is written by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (117 ...
'', both written in the 13th century; in the poetry of
skald
A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry in alliterative verse, the other being Eddic poetry. Skaldic poems were traditionally compo ...
s; and likely in 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 E ...
on the
Saltfleetby spindle-whorl
The Saltfleetby spindle-whorl (Rundata: E18) is a lead spindle-whorl uncovered in Lincolnshire in England of an Anglo-Scandinavian style typical of the 10th century. It is notable for its Younger Fuþark inscription that has been interpreted as ...
found in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. Two lines of an otherwise lost poem about the god, ''
Heimdalargaldr
''Heimdalargaldr'' (Old Norse: 'Heimdallr's Galdr') is an Old Norse poem about the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. The poem is mentioned in two books of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'' book—''Gylfaginning'' and ''Skáldskaparmál''—but outsi ...
'', survive. Due to the enigmatic nature of these attestations, scholars have produced various theories about the nature of the god, including his relation to
sheep
Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...
, borders, and waves.
Names and etymology
The etymology of the name is obscure, but 'the one who illuminates the world' has been proposed. ''Heimdallr'' may be connected to ''Mardöll'', one of
Freyja's names. ''Heimdallr'' and its variants are usually
anglicized
Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
as ''Heimdall'' (; with the nominative ''-r'' dropped).
Heimdall is attested as having three other names; ''Hallinskiði'', ''Gullintanni'', and ''Vindlér'' or ''Vindhlér''. The name ''Hallinskiði'' is obscure, but has resulted in a series of attempts at deciphering it. ''Gullintanni'' literally means 'the one with the golden teeth'. ''Vindlér'' (or ''Vindhlér'') translates as either 'the one protecting against the wind' or 'wind-sea'. All three have resulted in numerous theories about the god.
Attestations
Saltfleetby spindle-whorl inscription

Heimdallr is likely mentioned on the
Saltfleetby spindle-whorl
The Saltfleetby spindle-whorl (Rundata: E18) is a lead spindle-whorl uncovered in Lincolnshire in England of an Anglo-Scandinavian style typical of the 10th century. It is notable for its Younger Fuþark inscription that has been interpreted as ...
, a
lead
Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
spindle whorl
A spindle whorl is a weighted object fitted to a spindle to help maintain the spindle's speed of rotation while spinning yarn. History
A spindle whorl may be a disk or spherical object. It is typically positioned on the bottom of the spindle. T ...
bearing an
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was 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 ...
Younger Fuþark inscription that was discovered in
Saltfleetby
__NOTOC__
Saltfleetby is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England on the coast of the North Sea, about east from Louth, Lincolnshire, Louth and north from Mablethorpe. The p ...
in eastern
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in 2010. The spindle-whorl itself is dated from the 10th to 12th centuries CE, with the writing possibly being added significantly after the object was made. Whilst there are difficulties in interpreting the inscription, it likely records a charm asking for help from
Odin
Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
, Heimdallr and , a figure whose name closely resembles that of
Þjálfi, one of
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
's servants. The religion of the writer is debated, with the invoking of Germanic gods not procluding adherence to Christianity, but also possibly attesting to the continuing of
Old Nordic religion
Old Norse religion, also known as Norse paganism, is a branch of Germanic religion which developed during the Proto-Norse period, when the North Germanic peoples separated into distinct branches. It was replaced by Christianity and forgotten ...
in some English communities significantly after the
establishment of Christianity in the region.
''Poetic Edda''
In the ''
Poetic Edda
The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems in alliterative verse. It is distinct from the closely related ''Prose Edda'', although both works are seminal to the study of Old Norse ...
'', Heimdall is attested in six poems; ''
Völuspá
''Völuspá'' (also ''Vǫluspá'', ''Vǫlospá'', or ''Vǫluspǫ́''; Old Norse: 'Prophecy of the völva, a seeress') is the best known poem of the ''Poetic Edda''. It dates back to the tenth century and tells the story from Norse Mythology of ...
'', ''
Grímnismál
''Grímnismál'' (Old Norse: ; 'The Lay of Grímnir') is one of the mythological poems of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript and the AM 748 I 4to fragment. It is spoken through the voice of ''Grímnir'', one ...
'', ''
Lokasenna
''Lokasenna'' (Old Norse: 'The Flyting of Loki', or 'Loki's Verbal Duel') is one of the poems of the ''Poetic Edda''. The poem presents flyting between the gods and Loki. It is written in the ljóðaháttr metre, typical for wisdom verse. ''L ...
'', ''
Þrymskviða
''Þrymskviða'' (Þrym's Poem; the name can be Old Norse orthography, anglicised as ''Thrymskviða'', ''Thrymskvitha'', ''Thrymskvidha'' or ''Thrymskvida'') is one of the best known poems from the ''Poetic Edda''. The Norse mythology, Norse my ...
'', ''
Rígsþula
''Rígsþula'' or ''Rígsmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Lay of Ríg') is an Eddic poem, preserved in the Codex Wormianus (AM 242 fol), in which a Norse god named Ríg or Rígr, described as "old and wise, mighty and strong", fathers the social class ...
'', and ''
Hrafnagaldr Óðins
''Hrafnagaldr Óðins'' ("Odin's raven-galdr") or ''Forspjallsljóð'' ("prelude poem") is an Icelandic language, Icelandic poem in the style of the ''Poetic Edda''. It is preserved only in late paper manuscripts. In his influential 1867 edition ...
''.
Heimdall is mentioned three times in ''
Völuspá
''Völuspá'' (also ''Vǫluspá'', ''Vǫlospá'', or ''Vǫluspǫ́''; Old Norse: 'Prophecy of the völva, a seeress') is the best known poem of the ''Poetic Edda''. It dates back to the tenth century and tells the story from Norse Mythology of ...
''. In the first stanza of the poem, the undead
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" and "sorceress", and they are frequently calle ...
reciting the poem calls out for listeners to be silent and refers to the Norse god:
This stanza has led to various scholarly interpretations. The "holy races" have been considered variously as either humanity or the gods. The notion of humanity as "Heimdall's sons" is otherwise unattested and has also resulted in various interpretations. Some scholars have pointed to the prose introduction to the poem ''
Rígsþula
''Rígsþula'' or ''Rígsmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Lay of Ríg') is an Eddic poem, preserved in the Codex Wormianus (AM 242 fol), in which a Norse god named Ríg or Rígr, described as "old and wise, mighty and strong", fathers the social class ...
'', where Heimdall is said to have once gone about people, slept between couples, and so doled out classes among them (see ''Rígsthula'' section below).
[See discussion at Thorpe (1866:3), Bellows (1923:3), and Larrington (1999:264).]

Later in ''Völuspá'', the völva foresees the events of
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (also Ragnarok; or ; ) is a foretold series of impending events, including a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish (including the Æsir, gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, a ...
and the role in which Heimdall and
Gjallarhorn
In Norse mythology, Gjallarhorn (Old Norse: ; "hollering horn"Orchard (1997:57). or "the loud sounding horn"Simek (2007:110).) is a horn associated with the god Heimdallr and the wise being Mímir. The sound of Heimdallr's horn will herald the ...
will play at its onset; Heimdall will raise his horn and blow loudly. Due to manuscript differences, translations of the stanza vary:
Regarding this stanza, scholar
Andy Orchard
Andrew Philip McDowell Orchard, (born 27 February 1964) is a British academic of Old English, Norse and Celtic literature. He is Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxfo ...
comments that the name ''Gjallarhorn'' may here mean "horn of the river
Gjöll
Gjöll (Old Norse: ''Gjǫll'' ) is the river that separates the living from the dead in Norse mythology. It is one of the eleven rivers traditionally associated with the Élivágar, rivers that existed in Ginnungagap at the beginning of the world ...
" as "Gjöll is the name of one of the rivers of the Underworld, whence much wisdom is held to derive", but notes that in the poem ''
Grímnismál
''Grímnismál'' (Old Norse: ; 'The Lay of Grímnir') is one of the mythological poems of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript and the AM 748 I 4to fragment. It is spoken through the voice of ''Grímnir'', one ...
'' Heimdall is said to drink fine
mead
Mead (), also called honey wine, and hydromel (particularly when low in alcohol content), is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alco ...
in his heavenly home
Himinbjörg
In Norse mythology, Himinbjörg (Old Norse: ''Himinbjǫrg'' "heaven's castle"Simek (2007:147). or "heaven mountain"Lindow (2002:174).) is the home of the god Heimdallr. Himinbjörg is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled from earlier traditio ...
.
Earlier in the same poem, the völva mentions a scenario involving the hearing or horn (depending on translation of the Old Norse noun ''hljóð''—translations bolded below for the purpose of illustration) of the god Heimdall:
Scholar Paul Schach comments that the stanzas in this section of '' Völuspá'' are "all very mysterious and obscure, as it was perhaps meant to be". Schach details that "''Heimdallar hljóð'' has aroused much speculation. Snorri
n the ''Prose Edda''seems to have confused this word with ''gjallarhorn'', but there is otherwise no attestation of the use of ''hljóð'' in the sense of 'horn' in Icelandic. Various scholars have read this as "hearing" rather than "horn".
Scholar
Carolyne Larrington comments that if "hearing" rather than "horn" is understood to appear in this stanza, the stanza indicates that Heimdall, like Odin, has left a body part in the well; his ear. Larrington says that "Odin exchanged one of his eyes for wisdom from Mimir, guardian of the well, while Heimdall seems to have forfeited his ear."
[Larrington (1999:265).]
In the poem ''
Grímnismál
''Grímnismál'' (Old Norse: ; 'The Lay of Grímnir') is one of the mythological poems of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript and the AM 748 I 4to fragment. It is spoken through the voice of ''Grímnir'', one ...
'', Odin (disguised as ''
Grímnir''), tortured, starved and thirsty, tells the young
Agnar of a number of mythological locations. The eighth location he mentions is Himinbjörg, where he says that Heimdall drinks fine
mead
Mead (), also called honey wine, and hydromel (particularly when low in alcohol content), is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alco ...
:
Regarding the above stanza,
Henry Adams Bellows comments that "in this stanza the two functions of Heimdall—as father of humanity
. . . and as warder of the gods—seem both to be mentioned, but the second line in the manuscripts is apparently in bad shape, and in the editions it is more or less conjecture".
In the poem ''
Lokasenna
''Lokasenna'' (Old Norse: 'The Flyting of Loki', or 'Loki's Verbal Duel') is one of the poems of the ''Poetic Edda''. The poem presents flyting between the gods and Loki. It is written in the ljóðaháttr metre, typical for wisdom verse. ''L ...
'',
Loki
Loki is a Æsir, god in Norse mythology. He is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mythology), Laufey (a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to the goddess Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi (son of Lo ...
flyts with various gods who have met together to feast. At one point during the exchanges, the god Heimdall says that Loki is drunk and witless, and asks Loki why he won't stop speaking. Loki tells Heimdall to be silent, that he was
fated a "hateful life", that Heimdall must always have a muddy back, and that he must serve as watchman of the gods. The goddess
Skaði
In Norse mythology, Skaði (; Old Norse: ; sometimes anglicized as Skadi, Skade, or Skathi) is a jötunn and Æsir, goddess associated with bowhunting, skiing, winter, and mountains. Skaði is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 1 ...
interjects and the flyting continues in turn.
[Larrington (1999:92).]
The poem ''
Þrymskviða
''Þrymskviða'' (Þrym's Poem; the name can be Old Norse orthography, anglicised as ''Thrymskviða'', ''Thrymskvitha'', ''Thrymskvidha'' or ''Thrymskvida'') is one of the best known poems from the ''Poetic Edda''. The Norse mythology, Norse my ...
'' tells of Thor's loss of his hammer,
Mjöllnir, to the
jötnar and quest to get it back. At one point in the tale, the gods gather at the
thing and debate how to get Thor's hammer back from the jötnar, who demand the beautiful goddess
Freyja
In Norse mythology, Freyja (Old Norse "(the) Lady") is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr (magic for seeing and influencing the future). Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a char ...
in return for it. Heimdall advises that they simply dress Thor up as Freyja, during which he is described as ''hvítastr ása'' (translations of the phrase vary below) and is said to have
foresight like the
Vanir
In Norse mythology, the Vanir (; Old Norse:, singular Vanr) are a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future. The Vanir are one of two groups of gods (the other being the Æsir) and are the namesake of the ...
, a group of gods:
Regarding Heimdall's status as ''hvítastr ása'' (variously translated above as "brightest" (Thorpe), "whitest" (Bellows), and "most glittering" (Dodds)) and the comparison to the Vanir, scholar
John Lindow
John Frederick Lindow (born July 23, 1946) is an American philologist who is Professor Emeritus of Old Norse and Folklore at University of California, Berkeley. He is a well known authority on Old Norse religion and literature.
Biography
John Lin ...
comments that there are no other indications of Heimdall being considered among the Vanir (on Heimdall's status as "''hvítastr ása ''", see "scholarly reception" below).
[Lindow (2002:170).]
The introductory prose to the poem ''
Rígsþula
''Rígsþula'' or ''Rígsmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Lay of Ríg') is an Eddic poem, preserved in the Codex Wormianus (AM 242 fol), in which a Norse god named Ríg or Rígr, described as "old and wise, mighty and strong", fathers the social class ...
'' says that "people say in the old stories" that Heimdall, described as a god among the
Æsir
Æsir (Old Norse; singular: ) or ēse (Old English; singular: ) are deities, gods in Germanic paganism. In Old Nordic religion and Nordic mythology, mythology, the precise meaning of the term "" is debated, as it can refer either to the gods i ...
, once fared on a journey. Heimdall wandered along a seashore, and referred to himself as ''Rígr''. In the poem, Rígr, who is described as a wise and powerful god, walks in the middle of roads on his way to steads, where he meets a variety of couples and dines with them, giving them advice and spending three nights at a time between them in their bed. The wives of the couples become pregnant, and from them come the various classes of humanity.
[Larrington (1999:246—252).]
Eventually a warrior home produces a promising boy, and as the boy grows older, Rígr comes out of a thicket, teaches the boy
runes
Runes are the Letter (alphabet), letters in a set of related alphabets, known as runic rows, runic alphabets or futharks (also, see ''#Futharks, futhark'' vs ''#Runic alphabets, runic alphabet''), native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were ...
, gives him a name, and proclaims him to be his son. Rígr tells him to strike out and get land for himself. The boy does so, and so becomes a great war leader with many estates. He marries a beautiful woman and the two have many children and are happy. One of the children eventually becomes so skilled that he is able to share in runic knowledge with Heimdall, and so earns the title of ''Rígr'' himself. The poem breaks off without further mention of the god.
''Prose Edda''
In the ''Prose Edda'', Heimdall is mentioned in the books ''
Gylfaginning
''Gylfaginning'' (Old Norse: 'The Beguiling of Gylfi' or 'The Deluding of Gylfi'; 13th century Old Norse pronunciation ) is the first main part of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'', after the initial Prologue. The ''Gylfaginning'' takes the form of ...
'', ''
Skáldskaparmál
''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'Poetic Diction' or 'The Language of Poetry'; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda'', compiled by Snorri Sturluson. It consists of a dialogue between Ægir, the divine personification of the sea, and Bra ...
'', and ''
Háttatal
The Háttatal (Old Norse: 'Tally of Metre (poetry), Metres'; c. 20,000 words; Old Norse: , Modern Icelandic: ) is the last section of the ''Prose Edda'' composed by the Icelandic poet, politician, and historian Snorri Sturluson. Using, for the mo ...
''. In ''Gylfaginning'', 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 t ...
tells the disguised mythical king
Gangleri of various gods, and, in chapter 25, mentions Heimdall. High says that Heimdall is known as "the white
As", is "great and holy", and that
nine maidens, all sisters, gave birth to him. Heimdall is called ''Hallinskiði'' and ''Gullintanni'', and he has gold teeth. High continues that Heimdall lives in "a place" called
Himinbjörg
In Norse mythology, Himinbjörg (Old Norse: ''Himinbjǫrg'' "heaven's castle"Simek (2007:147). or "heaven mountain"Lindow (2002:174).) is the home of the god Heimdallr. Himinbjörg is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled from earlier traditio ...
and that it is near
Bifröst
In Norse mythology, Bifröst (modern Icelandic: Bifröst ; from Old Norse: /ˈbiv.rɔst/), also called Bilröst and often anglicized as Bifrost, is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the realm of the gods. ...
. Heimdall is the watchman of the gods, and he sits on the edge of heaven to guard the Bifröst bridge from the berg
jötnar. Heimdall requires less sleep than a bird, can see at night just as well as if it were day, and for over a hundred leagues. Heimdall's hearing is also quite keen; he can hear grass as it grows on the earth, wool as it grows on sheep, and anything louder. Heimdall possesses a trumpet, Gjallarhorn, that, when blown, can be heard in
all worlds, and "the
head
A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple ani ...
is referred to as
Heimdall's sword". High then quotes the above-mentioned ''Grímnismál'' stanza about Himinbjörg and provides two lines from the otherwise lost poem about Heimdall, ''
Heimdalargaldr
''Heimdalargaldr'' (Old Norse: 'Heimdallr's Galdr') is an Old Norse poem about the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. The poem is mentioned in two books of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'' book—''Gylfaginning'' and ''Skáldskaparmál''—but outsi ...
'', in which he proclaims himself to be the son of
Nine Mothers.
[Faulkes (1995:25-26).]
In chapter 49, High tells of the god
Baldr
Baldr (Old Norse also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, he 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 known in ...
's funeral procession. Various deities are mentioned as having attended, including Heimdall, who there rode his horse Gulltopr.
[Faulkes (1995:50). See Faulkes (1995:68) for Úlfr Uggason's '' Húsdrápa'' handling this.]
In chapter 51, High foretells the events of Ragnarök. After the enemies of the gods will gather at the plain
Vígríðr
In Norse mythology, Vígríðr or Óskópnir is a large field foretold to host a battle between the forces of the Æsir, gods and the forces of Surtr as part of the events of Ragnarök. The field is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in th ...
, Heimdall will stand and mightily blow into Gjallarhorn. The gods will awake and assemble together at the
thing. At the end of the battle between various gods and their enemies, Heimdall will face Loki and they will kill one another. After, the world will be engulfed in flames. High then quotes the above-mentioned stanza regarding Heimdall raising his horn in ''Völuspá''.
[Faulkes (1995:54).]
At the beginning of ''Skáldskaparmál'', Heimdall is mentioned as having attended a banquet in
Asgard
In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr''; "Garden of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in several Old Norse sagas and mythological texts, including the Eddas, however it has also been suggested to be refe ...
with various other deities.
[Faulkes (1995:59).] Later in the book, ''
Húsdrápa'', a poem by 10th century
skald
A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry in alliterative verse, the other being Eddic poetry. Skaldic poems were traditionally compo ...
Úlfr Uggason, is cited, during which Heimdall is described as having ridden to Baldr's funeral pyre.
[Faulkes (1995:68).]
In chapter 8, means of referring to Heimdall are provided; "son of nine mothers", "guardian of the gods", "the white As" (see ''Poetic Edda'' discussion regarding ''hvítastr ása'' above), "Loki's enemy", and "recoverer of
Freyja's necklace". The section adds that the poem ''
Heimdalargaldr
''Heimdalargaldr'' (Old Norse: 'Heimdallr's Galdr') is an Old Norse poem about the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. The poem is mentioned in two books of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'' book—''Gylfaginning'' and ''Skáldskaparmál''—but outsi ...
'' is about him, and that, since the poem, "the head has been called Heimdall's doom: man's doom is an expression for sword". Hiemdallr is the owner of
Gulltoppr, is also known as Vindhlér, and is a
son of Odin. Heimdall visits
Vágasker and
Singasteinn and there vied with Loki for
Brísingamen
In Norse mythology, ''Brísingamen'' (or ''Brísinga men'') is the torc or necklace of the goddess Freyja, of which little else is known for certain., st. 13, "necklace of the Brisings"; endnote: "..frequently mentioned in connection with Freyja, ...
. According to the chapter, the skald Úlfr Uggason composed a large section of his ''Húsdrápa'' about these events and that ''Húsdrápa'' says that the two were in the shape of seals. A few chapters later, ways of referring to Loki are provided, including "wrangler with Heimdall and
Skadi", and section of Úlfr Uggason's ''Húsdrápa'' is then provided in reference:
Renowned defender eimdallof the powers' way ifrost kind of counsel, competes with Farbauti's terribly sly son at Singastein. Son of eight mothers plus one, might of mood, is first to get hold of the beautiful sea-kidney ewel, Brisingamen I announce it in strands of praise.
The chapter points out that in the above ''Húsdrápa'' section Heimdall is said to be the son of nine mothers.
[Faulkes (1995:75—77).]
Heimdall is mentioned once in ''
Háttatal
The Háttatal (Old Norse: 'Tally of Metre (poetry), Metres'; c. 20,000 words; Old Norse: , Modern Icelandic: ) is the last section of the ''Prose Edda'' composed by the Icelandic poet, politician, and historian Snorri Sturluson. Using, for the mo ...
''. There, in a composition 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 th ...
, a sword is referred to as "Vindhlér's helmet-filler", meaning "Heimdall's head".
''Heimskringla''
In ''
Ynglinga saga
''Ynglinga saga'' ( ) is a Kings' sagas, Kings' saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelanders, Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It is the first section of his ''Heimskringla''. It was first translated into Engl ...
'' compiled in ''
Heimskringla
() is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland. While authorship of ''Heimskringla'' is nowhere attributed, some scholars assume it is written by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (117 ...
'', Snorri presents a
euhemerized
In the fields of philosophy and mythography, euhemerism () is an approach to the interpretation of mythology in which mythological accounts are presumed to have originated from real historical events or personages. Euhemerism supposes that histor ...
origin of the Norse gods and rulers descending from them. In chapter 5, Snorri asserts that the
Æsir
Æsir (Old Norse; singular: ) or ēse (Old English; singular: ) are deities, gods in Germanic paganism. In Old Nordic religion and Nordic mythology, mythology, the precise meaning of the term "" is debated, as it can refer either to the gods i ...
settled in what is now Sweden and built various temples. Snorri writes that Odin settled in
Lake Logrin "at a place which formerly was called
Sigtúnir. There he erected a large temple and made
sacrifices
Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving.
Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks ...
according to the custom of the Æsir. He took possession of the land as far as he had called it Sigtúnir. He gave dwelling places to the temple priests." Snorri adds that, after this,
Njörðr
In Norse mythology, Njörðr (Old Norse: ) is a god among the Vanir. Njörðr, father of the deities Freyr and Freyja by Sister-wife of Njörðr, his unnamed sister, was in an ill-fated marriage with the goddess Skaði, lives in Nóatún (myth ...
dwelt in
Nóatún,
Freyr
Freyr (Old Norse: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as Frey, is a widely attested Æsir, god in Norse mythology, associated with kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, fair weather, and good harvest. Freyr, sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr, was ...
dwelt in
Uppsala
Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019.
Loc ...
, Heimdall at Himinbjörg,
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
at
Þrúðvangr
In Norse mythology, Þrúðvangr (plural: Þrúðvangar; Old Norse: , "power-field",Simek (2007:330). sometimes anglicized as Thrudvang or Thruthvang) is a field where the god Thor resides. The field is attested in the ''Prose Edda'' and in ''Heims ...
,
Baldr
Baldr (Old Norse also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, he 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 known in ...
at
Breiðablik and that to everyone Odin gave fine estates.
[Hollander (2007:10).]
Visual depictions

A figure holding a large horn to his lips and clasping a sword on his hip appears on a stone cross from the
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
. Some scholars have theorized that this figure is a depiction of Heimdall with Gjallarhorn.
[Lindow (2002:168).]
A 9th or 10th century
Gosforth Cross
The Gosforth Cross is a large stone monument in St Mary's churchyard at Gosforth in the English county of Cumbria, dating to the first half of the 10th century AD. Formerly part of the kingdom of Northumbria, the area was settled by Scandinavi ...
in
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancash ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
depicts a figure holding a horn and a sword standing defiantly before two open-mouthed beasts. This figure has been often theorized as depicting Heimdall with Gjallarhorn.
[Bailey (1996:86—90).]
Scholarly reception
Heimdall's attestations have proven troublesome and enigmatic to interpret for scholars.
[For example, scholar ]Georges Dumézil
Georges Edmond Raoul Dumézil (4 March 189811 October 1986) was a French Philology, philologist, Linguistics, linguist, and religious studies scholar who specialized in comparative linguistics and comparative mythology, mythology. He was a prof ...
summarizes the difficulties as follows:
The god Heimdall poses one of the most difficult problems in Scandinavian mythography. As all who have dealt with him have emphasized, this is primarily because of a very fragmentary documentation; but even more because the few traits that have been saved from oblivion diverge in too many directions to be easily "thought of together," or to be grouped as members of a unitary structure. (Dumézil 1973:126)
A variety of sources describe the god as born from Nine Mothers, a puzzling description (for more in-depth discussion, see
Nine Mothers of Heimdallr
In Norse mythology, the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr are nine sisters who gave birth to the god Heimdallr. The Nine Mothers of Heimdallr are attested in the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; in the poetry of skalds; and ...
). Various scholars have interpreted this as a reference to the
Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán, personifications of waves. This would therefore mean Heimdall is born from the waves, an example of a deity born from the sea.
[See for example Lindow (2002: 169) and Simek (2007: 136).]
In the textual corpus, Heimdall is frequently described as maintaining a particular association with boundaries, borders, and liminal spaces, both spatial and temporal. For example, ''Gylfaginning'' describes the god as guarding the border of the land of the gods, Heimdall meets humankind at a coast, and, if accepted as describing Heimdall, ''Völuspá hin skamma'' describes him as born 'at the edge of the world' in 'days of yore' by the Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán, and it is Heimdall's horn that signals the transition to the events of
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (also Ragnarok; or ; ) is a foretold series of impending events, including a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish (including the Æsir, gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, a ...
.
[For brief discussion of this topic, see Lindow (2002: 170).]
Additionally, Heimdall has a particular association with male
sheep
Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...
, rams. A form of the deity's name, ''Heimdali'', occurs twice as a name for 'ram' in ''Skáldskaparmál'', as does Heimdall's name ''Hallinskíði''. Heimdall's unusual physical description has also been seen by various scholars as fitting this association: As mentioned above, Heimdall is described as gold-toothed (by way of his name ''Gullintanni''), as having the ability to hear grass grow and the growth of wool on sheep, and as owning a sword called 'head' (rams have horns on their heads). This may mean that Heimdall was associated with the ram perhaps as a sacred and/or sacrificial animal or that the ancient Scandinavians may have conceived of him as having been a ram in appearance.
[For discussion on this, see for example Lindow (2002: 171), Simek (2007: 136), and Much (1930).]
All of these topics—Heimdall's birth, his association with borders and boundaries, and his connection to sheep—have led to significant discussion among scholars. For example, influential
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 strong ties to etymology. Philology is also defined as the study of ...
and
folklorist
Folklore studies (also known as folkloristics, tradition studies or folk life studies in the UK) is the academic discipline devoted to the study of folklore. This term, along with its synonyms, gained currency in the 1950s to distinguish the ac ...
Georges Dumézil
Georges Edmond Raoul Dumézil (4 March 189811 October 1986) was a French Philology, philologist, Linguistics, linguist, and religious studies scholar who specialized in comparative linguistics and comparative mythology, mythology. He was a prof ...
, comparing
motifs and clusters of motifs in western Europe, proposes the following explanation for Heimdall's birth and association with rams (italics are Dumézil's own):
In popular culture
As with many aspects of
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 as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The ...
, Heimdall has appeared in many modern works.
Heimdall
In Norse mythology, Heimdall (from Old Norse Heimdallr; modern Icelandic language, Icelandic Heimdallur) is a Æsir, god. He is the son of Odin and nine mothers. Heimdall keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himi ...
appears as a character in
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
and is portrayed in the
film versions by English actor
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna Elba Order of the British Empire, OBE ( ; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor and musician. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three BAFTA Awards and six Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards. He w ...
.
Heimdall is the namesake of
a crater on
Callisto
CALLISTO (''Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation in Stage Toss-back Operations'') is a reusable VTVL Prototype, demonstrator propelled by a small 40 kN Japanese LOX-LH2 rocket engine. It is being developed jointly by the CNES, French ...
, a moon of
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
.
Heimdall is the protagonist of
an eponymous video game released in 1991 and its 1994 sequel, ''
Heimdall 2''. In the 2002
Ensemble Studios
Ensemble Studios was an American video game developer. It was founded by Tony Goodman in 1994 and incorporated the following year. It borrowed the name of Ensemble Corporation, a consulting firm founded by Goodman in 1990. It was acquired by ...
game ''
Age of Mythology
''Age of Mythology'' is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on October 31, 2002 in North America and on November 14, 2002 in Europe.
A spin-off from the ''A ...
'', Heimdall is one of 12 gods the Norse can choose to worship. Heimdallr is one of the playable gods in the
multiplayer online battle arena
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is a Video game genre, subgenre of strategy video games in which two teams of Gamer, players compete on a structured battlefield, each controlling a single Player character, character with distinctive abilit ...
game ''
Smite''.
Heimdall also appears as an antagonist in the 2022
action-adventure
An action-adventure game is a video game genre, video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres.
Definition
An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements f ...
video game ''
God of War Ragnarök
''God of War Ragnarök'' is a 2022 action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released worldwide on November 9, 2022, for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, marking the ...
'' and is played by the American actor
Scott Porter.
See also
*
Heimdall (comics)
Heimdall () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Norse deity Heimdall. Heimdall is described as all-seeing and all-hearing and is the sole protector of the Bifrös ...
*
List of Germanic deities
In Germanic paganism, the indigenous religion of the ancient Germanic peoples who inhabit Germania, Germanic Europe, there were polytheism, a number of different gods and goddesses. Germanic deities are attested from numerous sources, including w ...
*
Germanic mythology
Germanic mythology consists of the body of myths native to the Germanic peoples, including Norse mythology, Anglo-Saxon paganism#Mythology, Anglo-Saxon mythology, and Continental Germanic mythology. It was a key element of Germanic paganism.
O ...
Notes
References
*
*
Bellows, Henry Adams (1923). ''The Poetic Edda''.
American-Scandinavian Foundation.
*
Cöllen, Sebastian (2015). ''Heimdallr – der rätselhafte Gott. Eine philologische und religionsgeschichtliche Untersuchung''. Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde 94. Berlin & Boston:
Walter de Gruyter
Walter de Gruyter GmbH, known as De Gruyter (), is a German scholarly publishing house specializing in academic literature.
History
The roots of the company go back to 1749 when Frederick the Great granted the Königliche Realschule in Be ...
.
*
Dodds, Jeramy. Trans. 2014. ''The Poetic Edda''.
Coach House Books.
*
Dumézil, Georges (1973). "Comparative Remarks on the Scandinavian God Heimdall". Trans. Francis Charat. In: ''Gods of the Ancient Northmen'' ed.
Einar Haugen
Einar Ingvald Haugen (; April 19, 1906 – June 20, 1994) was an American linguist and writer known for his influential work in American sociolinguistics
and Norwegian-American studies, including Old Norse studies.
Haugen was a professor at ...
.
University of California Press
The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by faculty ...
.
*
Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). ''Edda''.
Everyman
The everyman is a stock character of fiction. An ordinary and humble character, the everyman is generally a protagonist whose benign conduct fosters the audience's identification with them.
Origin and history
The term ''everyman'' was used ...
.
*
*
Hollander, Lee M. (Trans.) (2007).
Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway'.
University of Texas Press
The University of Texas Press (or UT Press) is the university press of the University of Texas at Austin. Established in 1950, the Press publishes scholarly and trade books in several areas, including Latin American studies, Caribbean, Caribbea ...
.
*
*
Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999). ''The Poetic Edda''.
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
.
*
Lindow, John (2002). ''Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs''.
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
.
*
Much, Rudolf 1930. "Der nordische Widdergott". ''Deutsche Islandforschung 1930'', Vol. 1: ''Kultur'', ed. Walther Heinrich Vogt, Veröffentlichungen der Schleswig- Holsteinischen Universitätsgesellschaft, 1928:1 (Breslau: F. Hirt, 1930), p. 63–67.
* Schach, Paul (1985). "Some Thoughts on ''Völuspá''" as collected in Glendinning, R. J. Bessason, Heraldur (Editors).
Edda: a Collection of Essays''
University of Manitoba Press
The University of Manitoba Press (UMP) is an academic publishing house based at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Founded in 1967, the UMP is the first university press in western Canada.
Publishing 12 to 14 books a year, UMP is regarded as ...
.
*
Simek, Rudolf (2007). Translated by Angela Hall.
Dictionary of Northern Mythology'.
D.S. Brewer
*
Thorpe, Benjamin (Trans.) (1866) ''The Elder Edda of Saemund Sigfusson''.
External links
MyNDIR (My Norse Digital Image Repository)Illustrations of Heimdall from manuscripts and early print books.
{{Authority control
Æsir
Killed deities
Norse gods
Sons of Odin
hu:Germán mitológia#Heimdall