T H E  W O R L D  O F  T H E  V I K I N G S

Unlike many other people in Europe during 700 BC to 1100 AD the Vikings did not think that the world was flat. In Norse mythology the people believed that the universe was divided into nine different realms, all connected to each other through the world tree, which they called Yggdrasil.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

The worship of trees and the belief that some trees were sacred was common among many different Germanic people during this time. The Viking pagan tradition of sacrificing nine animals of male gender in an oak tree every ninth year is a typical example of this. During this time the most dignified sacrifice was a horse, and because of this the Catholic Church forbade all Christians from eating horsemeat. Another resemblance to Christianity is that in the Christian story of creation the tree plays a significant role.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

Yggdrasil had three roots and at each root there was a water source. The first root reached all the way down to Nifelheim, which was the realm of death. Here you could find Hvergelmir, the source of all the rivers in the world. It was also told that the dreadful dragon Nidhogg was lying hear eating at the roots of Yggdrasil.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

The frost giants dwelled in Jotunaheim where the second root ended. Here the water source was Mimisbrunn; the spring of all knowledge, wisdom, prophecy and poetry. Mimir was the guardian of Mimisbrunn and according to the legends he drank from the well everyday with a horn called Gjallarhorn. Because of this, he was considered to be the personification of wisdom but he also played the role as a link to the past. ^1,2,3,4,5,6*

Once again you can see a resemblance to the Christian story of creation where a tree of wisdom is found. I believe that the need of knowing why humans were wiser than the animals but also the need of knowing where the wisdom came from made people make up sources or trees of wisdom. This concept is found in modern fairy tales where a spring of wisdom or health can be found. It might be something that has survived from the age of the Vikings until today.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

Beneath the third root was the holy well Urdarbrunn. The water in this well was so sacred that anything touching it turned as white as the inside of an eggshell. Urdarbrunn was the place where the gods held their daily councils. In order to get here they have to ride over Bifrost, the bridge that linked earth and heaven.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

The three Norns, Urd (past), Verande (present) and Skuld (future), lived in a great hall near Urdarbrunn. The Norns ruled over the destinies of mortals and gods alike. Yggdrasil was constantly exposed to damage by animals living in it and it was the Norns job to keep it in good shape. On the places where Nidhogg had been eating they placed clay from the holy well. Another of their duties was to take some of the water in the well and sprinkle it all over the tree.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

An interesting detail with the Norns is that they play such an important role in the Norse mythology. They rule over everyone’s life, including the gods, but it is also their duty to look after the world. Gods often play this role and not three old women living near a well. The Norns were also Yggdrasil's link to the future.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

The humans lived in Midgard, which was surrounded by all the oceans. Exploration was something the Vikings were good at. They visited America, Asia, Europe, Russia, Iceland and Greenland.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

The trembling of Yggdrasil would signal the end of the world, Ragnarok. The gods and the giants would have their final battle and nothing would survive. Yggdrasil would however remain standing and from the tree two humans would emerge and repopulate the world. The story about Ragnarok might have been added at the end of the Viking age and is probably influenced by Christianity.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

Stories like these were not only important because of their religious purpose, but also because of their function as entertainment during the cold and long winter nights. These stories were not written down and someone had to memorise them. In the stories about Yggdrasil the number three is used very frequently, there are three roots, three water sources and three Norns. This might have been a way to make it easier for the narrator to memorise the story.^1,2,3,4,5,6*

By: Gabi (Gevriye) Yusuf

[ Home ] [ Sources ]

Send mail to gevriye.yusuf@intercollege.se with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1999  Gabi's group at Internationella Gymnasiet/International College
Last modified: september 23, 1999