Hi sy, you know a lot about norse mythology so can you tell me if sif was as important to vikings as freya or frigga?? Bc they barely mention her on the show and i dont find that much info about her. Did she get rituals and festivities?? What did people pray to her for?? All i know is that she had smth to do w crops and fertility
Hi there!
I consider her a smaller goddess than say Freyja or Frigga. In the poetic eddas, she’s lightly mentioned in passing in regards to Thor in the Hàrbarzljóðand the Hymiskviða. She does appear in the Lokasenna, where Loki is well, insulting everyone. He accuses her of sleeping around on Thor.
She does have an appearance with Loki who cut off her hair when she slept. Thor goes batshit and demands he replace it or he’ll crack every bone in his body. He goes to some dwarves and has shit fixed up with hair of gold– hair was incredibly important, but it’s also an insult to Thor is you think of it. You can relate her hair to grain, or some shit of the like, which is important. No grain, no bread, right?
She is Thor’s wife. By relation, it holds her to a certain standard. Thor was known as a God who brought agricultural abundance which was very important to the common people. After all, Odin related to be a God of the Nobility and Thor is considered a God of the Commoners, Thralls, Farmers as the Viking age progressed. Beyond what Vikings would have you think, most commoners weren’t Vikings. Norse commoners were often farmers. So Thor has his importance in this regard as well, I can only assume that relates Sif as a Goddess of Agriculture and Fertility herself.
Overall, little is really known about Old Norse heathen practices. However, religion was sort of an ‘every day’ life type thing. It was usually maintained in or out of homes. There were churches because there were laws about them. Likely on a smaller scale than the sagas though. In the Eyrbyggja saga, there was a temple was consecrated and included what Hirst stressed: idols and bowls for sacrificing. Another thing I would stress are arm-rings. Men swore oaths on them. Some other sagas included temples with iron altars, golden roofs, and such. Sacrificing, feasting, and drinking. Buuuut, that hasn’t been found (yet!! I hope!) by archaeologists yet. So worship was probably in smaller shrines by important structures like… a sacred mound, or rock, or tree. It might also be known that spirits and guardian spirits also took a role in Viking life.
Anyway, the point is there is little known about common practices in Viking age so I can’t necessarily answer your question about prayers and festivals. If you’re looking for something to include in a piece of fiction, I would advise that you do either reading or even look at the Asatru culture here on Tumblr.
A/N: These are just my personal notes on my own fics that I follow. I may or may not add to this.
Alpha
Alphas can be either female or male.
Alpha males have ‘knots’ or a ring of muscle that swells to lock their mate into place. This ring of muscle may not go down for a hour or more.
Breeders. Most likely to have many children and have little knowledge of them. Males have a need to spread their seed. Females are increasingly picky who they allow seed them. Can be drawn into a breeding craze and quickly enter a rut by an omega, mate or not, who is in heat.
Known to steal mates.
Can be described as trackers. Known to travel from home for an omega in heat, they can catch their scent for miles when one catches their attention. Similarly Alphas have their own distinct scent, alerting others of their territory in both mate and land.
On average, they tend to be dominant. They can have fiery tempers, instability in some way or are increasingly territorial with a need for control. Powerful creatures— women are just as fearsome as the men.
Pregnancy: It’s not wise to approach an Alpha’s pregnant partner. If perceived as a threat, it could be suicide.
Beta
Betas can be either female or male.
Male Betas do not have knots on their cocks. Can also smell omega heats, but can’t track them as well as alphas. Can be drawn into a craze like Alphas. Betas can impregnate or be impregnated, but far less fertile than their counterparts.
Omegas
Highly particular of who they mate with due to their fertility. They can be submissive to the one they accept as their alpha. Will fight back if provoked, especially young mothers. Stereotyped as being needy things as often multiple births attach them to their alphas.
Heats: Highly fertile. Omegas experience a “heat” in which their bodies prepare for carrying young. “Heats” are meant to attract mates with preference for Alphas. Often thrown into a state of disarray for a week or until their need is sated. Omegas can be impregnated off their heats with a lower risk of multiple births.
Pregnancy: Driven by instincts to protect children, nesting by making a bed of warm blankets as they get closer to giving birth. Can also have multiple births very easily.
Bonds
A bite to their scent/mating glands bonds A/B/Os. Unless bitten back, the mark does not take a hold as ‘my mate’. The bite itself is both intensely painful and alarmingly arousing. A bitten mate may smell of their partner. Bonds do not ward off other Alphas, but are a display of ‘hey fucker, this is mine.’ Bondings create highly aggressive partners to threats such as other A/B/Os.
Scenting
Cuddling in order to put their scent on mate. Suitors might dip down to smell their intended to see if they have a scent as well.
A/N: HAHA, you’ve come here. To hear Sy rant about pointless, stupid pieces of things I’ve read about and for me to dump it here. Below you can find my resources from books, websites, papers, blah blah blah on Viking and related culture in the Norse and interrelated world.
Eddic [Mythology of All Races]: Hel and the Underworld
A/N: All content is from Mythology of All Races Vol. 2. There was quite a bit of talk of Christian influence from Snorri, so I’m a bit wary of his ass now. Still, here are some notes.
Hel
Ideology
Old and those who died ‘straw death’ in bed, Valhall for warriors, women to Freyja, maidens to Gefjun and drowned to Ran. (Snorri) However, some of those who didn’t die went to Valhall such as King Vanland slain by a Mara and king Halfdan who died in bed. Hel sent Halfdan to Valhall.
Location
Under the roots of Yggdrasil.
Many gates. Inside the hall is ‘a high house’.
Her hall is called Sleet cold.
Servant is hunger. Maid servant Tardy. Threshold Sinking to destruction. Bed is disease. Bed cover is unhappiness.
Gnipahellir
‘Cliff cave’ is near the entrance guarded by Garm.
Niflhel
Perhaps misty (Nifl meaning ‘mist’, ‘darkness.’)
Balder sits on a high seat.
Bright of rings and platforms of gold.
Dead ear and drink mead.
Helveg
A troublesome road. May be more than one.
Gjoll bridge
Brig o dread, na brader than a thread in Yorkshire belief, the dead had to pass.
Toilsome journey aided by equipment that the dead are buried with. Hel-Skor, Hel-Shoes were shoes given to the dead.
Etched with gold.
Guarded with gold.
Maidens of Hel
Solarljod ‘Song of the Sun,’ maidens of Hel calling men to die.
‘Hel will fold thee in her arms.’
Hel
Monstrous daughter of Loki.
Cast into Nilflhel/Niflheim by Odin. Garnered power over nine realms to apportion their dwellings to all who were sent to her, those who die of sickness or old age.
Heljarskinnn, Complexion of a deathly hue. Snorri might be behind this (Christian views).
Appearance of Hel
Half black, half flesh colour. Snorri May have used Christian thought here. Like in most shit, apparently.
Heljarskinn, “Black as Hel.”
Hel will fold thee in her arms: popular saying.
Pets of Hel
Has a dog Garm: barked at Odin when he came to consult to volva.
Chest sprinkled with blood and howls before Ragnarok.
Also a rust red cock that crowd to awaken dwellers.
Balder
Hermod rode to release Baldur from her but could not because Loki said, ‘Let Hel hold what she has!’ So Baldur is ‘the companion of Hel.’
Sits on a high seat.
The Dead
May ride on horseback over the Gjoll bridge as dead were buried with their horses.
Barrows
Dead inside are Haug-Bui or Barrow-wight.
Are a small underworld as a dead man’s abode.
Hel is an extension of their barrow.
The dead in narrows can reveal themselves to the living.
They resent desecration and can resent thralls buried with them.
Can also haunt or attack the living; Karr vs Grettir. Cut off their head and place it st the thigh. Burn the body and bury the ashes deep.
Can continue to haunt people though resembling vampires.
Much of the dead interested in their descendants as well as give information on important matters.
More famous the dead, the more revered they were.
Family barrows usually by dwelling to die into the hill in Iceland. Things and Dooms might be held on it.
The dead could also enquire of their future: Odin did with Balder.
Common thought that dead communicated with the living through dreams.
Dead could dwell in a particulator stone. In the Cristne-saga Codran and his kin worshipped at one specific stone.
**Note of Odin: knows a spell which might make hanged man talk.
Valhalla
Names
Hall of the slain
Hropt’s (Odin’s) battle hall
Abode of joy
Description
Gold bright and wide in Gladsheim.
Spears are its rafters, shields the roof and benches with corslets.
A wolf hangs by the west door and over it is an eagle (carved figures)?
Thund river (perhaps sky) surrounds Valhall and Thjodvitnir’s fish swim, the sun
The dead find it hard to swim through Thund.
Valgrind is the outer gate, behind it are 540 doors where eight hundred warriors each will go through to fight in Ragnarok.
Cooking
Cook of Valhalla is Andhrimnir whom cooks the boar Sæhrimnir in the cauldron Eldhrimnir. Odin’s wolves are known to sit beside him.
Not really known what the dead eat.
The Valkyries bring heroes mead
Life of Einherjar
The Einherjar become Odin’s osksynir, or wish sons. Odin is the Valhfather, father of the slain.
The rooster Gollinkambi ‘Gold-comb’ wakes the warriors.
Einherjar go and fight each other, then are healed by nightfall when they feast.
Whom?
For brave and noble fighters, those of high birth, heroes and freemen.
Saxo: (Bjarka songs) No humble and obscure race, no low-born ones, no base souls are Odin’s prey, but he weaves the fate of the mighty and fills Valhall with noble shapes.’
Thralls to Thor.
Freyja and Odin
Remember that Odin is the lord of ghosts! (drauga drottinn)
Also Man of the mountain and god of the fells (Fjajllgautr).
Odin appoints the dead to Valhalla or Vingolf.
Vingolf also contains the abode of goddesses by Gladsheim where warriors might share.
Freyja says who may have the seats in her hall Sessrumnir within Folkvang.
Vingolf is known as the Friend-hall, Wine Hall and Hall of the Beloved where the Valkyrie’s serve the warriors
Renewal of the world
Gimle will have an abundance of drink in the hall Brimir within Okolnir.
The fairest of all the halls and supper bright! Perhaps in the third Heaven Vidblainn where the fires of Surt cannot reach.
Sindri is a hall in Nidafells of red gold where the good and pure in heart will dwell.
Sindri’s people are dwarfs.
Nastrand
** Snorri may not have understood all his sources **
‘Corpses strand’
It’s doors face north.
It is a great and evil hall where snake-heads spurt venom into it, running rivers along the hall. Perjurers, men whom seduce other men’s wives and murderers must walk the waters.
In Hvergelmir the snake tears dead man’s corpses.
Oathbreakers must wad Vadgelmir’s waters.
Nidhogg
Nidhogg gnaws the root of Yggdrasil (Grimnismal).
Nidhogg comes flying from Nidafells with the bodies of the dead on its wings (Voluspa).
Gnaws a root over Niflheim below Hvergelmir which is a well in Hell (Snorri).
Odinsakr
Names
The Acre of the Not Dead
Land of beauty with a tower suspended in the air that can be reached by a ladder.
Tons of food and wine.
Society
Before going to war, warriors would wish each other a journey to Valhall ‘to show him the way to Valhall’
Sy’s note: I don’t trust Snorri as far as I can throw him so… I’ll try and mark things from here on out with Snorri if I find it.
Divination, prophecy and magic common, but there is lawful and unlawful magic during these times.
Runes
Spjall, galdr, ljodh are also called runes. However runes are engraving and coloured with blood such as in Havamal.
Runes thou shalt find, and fateful signs,
Most powerful signs, most mighty signs,
By the mighty poet Odin coloured, by the high gods made,
By the chief of the gods carved.
Run meaning ‘a mystery’ or ‘mysterious knowledge’ but also alphabetic value.
Some runes not ordinary!
Must have a ritual to give power to them such as in Havamal where there were invocation, offering and methods of slaughtering the victim.
Can not be used unless you know their meaning, do not be ignorant.
Runes had a name representing a particular object in which good or evil magic was made. To produce a magical result, you must know the power of each. Runes might be scraped off and steeped in mead then cast far away.
Sigrdrifa taught runes to Sigurd in the Eddas-- victory, ale, birth, wave, branch, speech and thought runes. In Rigsthula, Rig taught them to the first earl and so forth for life and everlasting runes.
Some runes are for the gods, elves, Vanir and men.
“There are beech, birth and ale runes and the excellent magic runes for him who knows them rightly and reads truly: they will benefit until the gods perish.”
Odin
Runes were spoken and declared in the hall of Odin, advice given to Loddfafnir.
Runes are ascribed to the gods-- Odin came in possession of them.
“He wrote them for the gods, as Dainn for elves, Dvalin for dwarfs, and Alsvith for giants.”
Carved and coloured before speaking on the man on the gallow before touching Gerd with runes which caused a frenzy in her.
Some Effects
Runes were carved on a cup to destroy a poison.
Could be cut under a dead man’s tongue to make him speak.
Societal
Victory written on sword hilt and other parts of sword, the name of Tyr being uttered twice.
Ale-runes which the wife of another will not betray a man’s trust must be written on the drinking horn and back of the hand with the sign Naudr being written on the nail.
Birth runes to relieve pain of childbirth should be written on palm of hand and joints-- call the Disir to help.
Scandinavian runes found in graves: bones of a weasel, teeth of a horse, claws, vertebrae of a snake
Seidr
Ynlinga-saga: Origins to Freyja of harmful and at times protective magic.
Both Odin and Gullveig practice it according to Loki.
Seidhmadhr: male magician.
Seidhkona: female magician.
A special seat and staff necessary.
Magic songs sung.
Could kill, caust tempests or create delusions.
Souls could be cast out of her body while remaining on the seat. If the soul was wounded or killed, the witch would show similar wounds or die.
Volva and Spakona
Prophetess and spaewife are soothsayers that practice divination although they can use seidr.
Volva travel the land especially during winter nights when spirits were about. She would be well cared for as a guest.
Uti-Seta: Power gained by sitting out for many nights and the dead or others give revelation to the Volva.
Even dead, the volva can give her knowledge such as with Odin and the dead Volva regarding Balder in the Voluspa.
Aeral flight of Witches and Sorcerers
Myrkrida (Dark Rider) and Kveldrida (Night Rider)
Performed with a gandr or gandreid-- staff.
The Tunnrida sat on roof tops or hedges of a home to destroy it, rode and sported in the air after shape shifting. Charms may be used to discomfit the house riders below. Usually made the soul wander about.
A tenth I know when House-riders
In flight sweep through the air;
Ican so work that they wander
Bereft of their own form
Unable to find their way home.
Witches, troll-women or demoniac beings rode a wolf with snakes (troll women’s steed) or (the dusky stallion on which the Night-rider fareth)
Witches
Cattle with diseased spine were troll ridden and witches might cause this.
Haegtessan gescot: invisible arrow of Anglo-Saxon charms.
Harm crops and cause tempest.
Could take away warrior’s courage and blunt weapons.
“Icelandic and Norwegian laws condemn these different practices, including the use of runes and spells, and one of these laws speaks of the troll-woman who, if proved guilty of riding a man or his servants, was fined three marks.”
Hi there, correct me if i'm wrong, but in viking age the father are most likely to keep his children close, since it was very important since birth the prensence and care of the man of the household/daddy, but it was not unusual to send the children to foster families, right? (like allies for example). Do you think the Ragnarssons would do such thing? Of all of them, I belive Bjorn is the most likely to send his children to a foster family.
I was waiting all day to answer this question.
So in summary, Vikings did foster children. They also adopted children. Two completely different things. So lets keep to fostering. Often, fostering a child meant was meant to bond a man to his superior. You can’t get much more superior than Bjorn Ragnarsson in these times. However he might foster his child out to show some trust and friendship. All that good stuff.
It might be worth saying that mortality rates were high so those who had many children might foster some children out to couples who were childless. Mortality rates were depressing to say the least. Parents would probably not live to see their children married.
It was an alliance of which tight bonds could be built. They could learn certain trades from those that were more skilled. For example, the Ragnarssons are Vikings. They raid, they fight… that’s just their legacy. But take my fic Irreplaceable for example. Veifnr might have been interested in being a carpenter just like Floki. So Ivar could have fostered out Veifnr to Floki so he could learn these skills.This would have been a good thing– to teach Veifnr some independence which was treasured in society. The parents would give support to the ones fostering the child just like child support.
Overwhelmingly the system wasn’t just a ‘ha I don’t like you bye’ but something to build trust and strengthen ties which was very important in Viking society. I know that Bjorn gets a lot of flack for his negligence and utter stupidity with Siggy. However, he also was a stepfather who seemed proud of his son. I think that if his child really wanted to learn a trade he would foster the child out. I personally think the same for Ivar as well. Though he might have it in a grand scheme just like Ragnar did in some ways. Ubbe might? I imagine he’d end up being a helicopter father though to the point where the kid is like “Fadir… go away.” I don’t see Hvitserk doing such a thing and Sigurd? Hm, I always saw him as having a small and quiet family.
A/N: Happier things. All content is from Mythology of All Races Vol. 2. These are simply my notes of what I want to remember from this chapter.. Obviously things within this can be debated.
Names
Evil companion and bench mate of Odin by Snorri.
Mit-othin (?)
Father of Fenris-wolf
Utgard-Loki (?)
The bound god
The Cunning Loki
The Sky god
Lodur (Voluspa)
The Firebringer
Birth
Son of giants Farbauti ‘dangerous striker’ and mother Laufey ‘leafy isle’/Nal.
Mother was thin: Nal means needle.
Brothers are Byleist and Helbindi.
Combination of parents name— friction to start fire?
Maybe fire god or demon.
Stole Brisinga-men ‘fire.’
Relation of Norse custom to Loki: “A Norse saying when the fire crackles is ‘Loki is beating his children’ and the skin of milk is thrown into the fire as a dole.”
Little children toss baby teeth in fire “Lokke Lokke bring me a bone tooth: Here is a Gold tooth.”
Appearance and Disposition
Beautiful and comely but evil disposition and fickle.
Tends to get the gods into trouble and save them later.
Foulmouthed and slanderous— Lokasenna.
Has shoes to run through air and over water.
Dwarf association
Conduct is elfish to the dwarves.
Associated with making Menglod’s hall and forged Lævateinn sword in underworld.
Transforms a lot!
A mare
A seal
A fly
A flea
A milkmaid
A woman
A giantess
A salmon
Bird by Freyja’s feather dress.
Witty
Excelled in sleight and strategy.
Evaded the gods paying the giant rebuilding Asgard.
Brings goddess Idunn power by way of another giant Thjazi.
Silly and Mischevious
Causes Thjazi’s daughter Skadi to laugh and reconcile after the Æsir slated her father, who pursued Loki to Jötunheim to bring back Idunn as a nut.
Cuts Sif’s hair out of mischief but promises Thor (who would have broken his bones) to get Black Elves to make Sif’s hair gold to grow like any other hair.
Thief
Thief of Brisinga-men and Idunn and her apples.
Dislikes it when others are praised such as Fimafeng, who he slew, at Ægir’s banquet.
Chaos
Caused fight with Geirrod and daughters. Was starved in and tortured there at one point. Ransoms his life promising to bring Thor without hammer or girdle of strength. Gerriod was overtaken by Thor.
Children and Lovers
Sigyn
Nari or Narfi.
Birthed Sleipnir.
Told the giant artificer who rebuilt Asgard to demand Freyja, the moon and the sun. The gods demanded he avoid the command or be killed. Loki shifted into a mare and was chased by the giant’s stallion Svadifari, suspending the work on Asgard until it was done outside of the prearranged amount of time. Thor slays the giant and Loki gives birth.
Angrboda
Jormundandr, Fenrir and Hel nourished in Jötunheim.
Odin sent gods to bring them to him.
Casts Jormungandr into the sea and lies about the land.
Hel thrown into Niflheim.
Fenrir was bound.
Woman of Embers
Ate a cooked heart of a woman he found in embers.
Milked cows for months.
Became pregnant and gave birth to a monster.
This regards him as subterranean fire (female).
Cows he milks are warm springs
Thor
Visited Utgard-Loki and the giant Thyrm.
Thrymskvitha- aids Thor in recovering the hammer from Thyrm.
Odin
Friend of Odin. Servingman of Odin.
Staunch friend of Hœnir by Thjodolf of Hvin.
Chosen as Odin’s wish-son.
Given heavy tasks by Odin and was spoken well of.
Knew almost everything that happened and relayed it to Odin.
Joined with Odin and Hœnir; creating first pair (related to Andvari’s treasure) and the story of Idunn.
Odin and Loki mixed their blood in blood-brotherhood. Odin promises to spill no blood unless it was for both.
Balder
Punishment of Loki
His in mountains with a house with four doors so that he could see in all ways.
Hid as a salmon during day in Franang’s waterfall.
At night he made a net and abandons it when the Æsir were near.
Odin saw where he was hiding from Hlidskjalf.
Hid as a salmon once more but Ksavir realized it was a fishing net.
Thor catches him.
Bound in the bowels of his son Vali which turned to iron.
His son Narfi was turned into a wolf.
Skadi fastened a Snake over his face so that poison would drop on his face.
Sigyn (a Asynjur) held a tiny shell under the poison to collect it but some would fall on his face when she pulled it away.
Earthquakes caused by his struggling.
Ragnarok
There he waits for Ragnarok where he breaks free and stands at the helm of a ship with those in Hel.
Loki, Hrym and frost giants fight with heroes of Hel against Heimdall and they slay one another.
Insults
A man bearing children as a woman and a man taking a woman’s form we’re not uncommon but considered the most deadly insults
Hreidmarr
Odin Hœnir and Loki brought into power after he slays his son in the form of an Otter. (Hreidmarr’s).
Odin sends Loki to Svartalfheim to capture the dwarf Andvari (as a fish) and make him give up his treasure.
Loki takes all of the things, ring included that the dwarf wanted to keep as a sole item.
Given to Odin who covers it with a fur without the ring.
The nose of the ring was uncovered and Hreidmarr insisted on it being covered. Odin gives up ring.
Ring and treasure becomes a curse.
Fimafeng
Ægir invited elves and gods to a feast.
Fimafeng was praised and Loki slew him.
Gods shook their shields, howled and ran him out of the forest.
Returns to the hall to ask Eldir what is going on.
Weapons, war and no nice word for him.
Loki goes in to mix venom with their ale and bring hatred.
Asks for a drink after a long journey but gods are silently claiming there is no place for Loki there.
Loki appeals to Odin in their brotherhood pact.
Odin asks Vidar to find a place for him.
Shit happens: Bragi is accused of being a coward. Idunn begs him to weigh Loki’s kinship with Odin but is turned on by Loki.
Loki accuses her of having love with her brother’s killer. Idunn tried to calm Bragi.
Gefjun calls Loki a slanderer and that he hates everyone.
Loki accuses her this time of sexual misconduct with a boy who gave her a necklace.
Odin tells him that he’s crazy to piss her off as she knows the destinies of man— and Loki turns on Odin accusing him of giving victory to those who don’t deserve it.
Odin pops off that Loki has been milking cows as a woman and giving birth to children.
Loki says that Odin made magic spells in the shape of a witch while in Samsey.
Accuses Frigg of misconduct with Odin’s brothers Vili and Ve.
Frigg says that Balder would kill him if he were alive.
Loki boasts that he killed him.
Freyja is accused of sharing favour with all the gods and being her brother’s loved.
Njord taunts him by calling him a womanly god and asks why he is here.
Loki taunts Njord with being only a hostage from the Vanir and having had a son (Frey) with his sister.
Tyr claims Frey is the best of heroes.
Loki tells him to shut up as he has lost his wolf by the Fenris-Wolf and Loki knocked up his wife AND didn’t have to pay a crime.
Frey tells him that the wolf is bound until Ragnarok and he can be too.
Loki says Frey bought Gerd with gold and sword, and now must await Muspell’s sons when they ride through Myrkwood.
Byggvir (Frey’s servant) intervenes and says if he were like Frey, he would crush him to bone marrow. Loki calls him a coward.
Heimdall: you drunk Loki go home.
Skadi claims that they will bind Loki with his sons bowels
Loki tells her he was among those who killed her father and reminds her of their love.
Sid hasn’t done anything wrong! She pours his ale but is reminded of their history.
Beyla claims Thor is coming by the shaking of the mountains. Thor was slaying trolls.
Enter Thor.
Thor threatens to close Loki’s mouth with his hammer.
Loki claims he doesn’t need to threaten. He’ll be less fierce when he fights the Fenris-wolf.
Three more times he is threatened and Loki taunts him with hiding in a giants glove and having trouble in opening Skrymir’s wallet.
Finally he goes but warns Ægir to have no more parties because fire will consume here.
Source Credit
MacCulloch, John Arnott. The Mythology of All Races: Eddic. Vol. 2, Cooper Square Publ., 1964.
