Category Archives: #Norsevember

Many people today see Vikings with the mythical romanticism shared by knights, samurai and ‘swashbuckling pirates’ of the 17th century. DNA tests to find out if you have Viking DNA are increasingly popular. Although I include myself among those who’d find it cool to have some viking ancestry, the Anglo Saxons, Normans (Norsemen who settledContinue reading “The Anglo Saxons & The Norse”

Erik Bloodaxe, or Eiríkr Haraldsson, is probably one of the best-known names in Viking history! He was known in Old Norse as Eiríkr blóðøx, and reigned for a short time as King of Norway and twice as King of Northumbria (c. 947-948 and 952-954). Erik was the son of the Norwegian King Harald Fairhair, theContinue reading “Erik Bloodaxe”

I almost started this post making some Dad joke about Vinland being a disappointment because it wasn’t full of wine. Turns out however, that this is exactly why it was named Vinland. The Norse name for the land they discovered reflected reality. Archaeological discoveries at L’Anse aux Meadows proved that the Norse travelled to this place whereContinue reading “Vinland”

If you like this post, please consider subscribing to my new home; Beyond the Barrow. This is a space for folklore, mythology, fantasy and history, with a special focus on Northern Europe. It’s free to subscribe: https://beyondthebarrow.substack.com/ For the final post of week one (The Norns and the Weaving of Fate) we have a shortContinue reading “Magic of the Norse; Seiðr”

Today I want to have a look at the figure of Óðinn, the (all) father of the Norse Gods. You might expect, especially if you are more familiar with monotheistic religion, that the primary figure in a belief system is going to be a kindly, virtuous protector and the main source of spiritual thought andContinue reading “Perceptions of Óðinn“

There is perhaps nobody in Norse mythology who does battle with the giants so often and so fiercely as Thor. Thor pretty much always comes out on top – until Ragnarök comes, at least. There is also the perception that Thor quite enjoys it. But what is the reality, based on the sources; is itContinue reading “Thor and the Jötnar”

One of the most intriguing things about mythologies are the interesting and colourful creatures that make up the lore, and Norse mythology definitely sticks to this formula. The mythology has such a magical, fantastical feel to it – and it would, being the inspiration for a lot of modern fantasy. The lack of primary sourcesContinue reading “Níðhöggr, Ratatoskr and the creatures of the 9 worlds”

Did you know about the three children Loki conceived with the giant Angrboða? If you were here last Norsevember you may have read about them in Ben’s post on the giants of Norse Mythology . You might also be interested in reading an interview with Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart – the storyContinue reading “In Defence of Loki’s Children”

Dwarves are a staple of old stories, fantasy and folklore from Northern Europe and lands with Germanic ancestry in particular. Not to be confused with Dwarfism, you will probably be aware that Dwarves are usually depicted as a humanoid race completely apart from our human race, with magical qualities. In Germanic, Scandinavian and Celtic folklore,Continue reading “The Dwarves of Norse Mythology”

If you like this post, please consider subscribing to my new home; Beyond the Barrow. This is a space for folklore, mythology, fantasy and history, with a special focus on Northern Europe. It’s free to subscribe: https://beyondthebarrow.substack.com/ Hello and welcome to this year’s Norsevember! I hope you have a fantastic Norse-filled month. The first postContinue reading “The Norns and the Weaving of Fate”