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Odin was also one of the most powerful magicians in Norse mythology.

Claims Viking Symbols and Runes May Be Banned – The Fuller PictureĪ section of the Stora Hammars I stone in Gotland, Sweden depicts a valknut in a central, dominant position, appearing alongside figures interpreted as Odin.

Runes of Power and Destruction: Reading the Cursed Runestones of Sweden.

He was also the leader of hosts of the dead, such as the warriors of Valhalla and the Wild Hunt. In Norse mythology, Odin ferried the spirits of the dead to the underworld and then back to the world of the living. For example, the Anglo-Saxon urns feature depictions of horses and wolves, animals that are often companions of Odin in the Norse tales. Even when Odin is not shown alongside the Valknut, other symbols closely associated with him are found.

( Public Domain ) The Valknut’s Association with OdinĪnother argument for the association of the Valknut with fallen warriors is how often it is depicted alongside Odin, one of the most prominent gods in Norse mythology.

Norse image stone Lärbro Tängelgårda I showing Odin and two representations of the tricursal form of the Valknut. This suggests that the Valknut may have originated far earlier than the Viking Age. Symbols similar to the Valknut have also been found on cremation urns of Anglo-Saxons, another Germanic people closely related to the Norse. This ring has been preserved in the British Museum. The Oseberg ship was one of the most important archaeological finds in Viking Age history, based on the preservation quality of the ship and its grave goods.Īn Anglo-Saxon ring from the eighth century also features a Valknut. The Valknut has also been found on grave goods, including on a wooden bed from the Oseberg ship burial in Norway. These were raised stones with runic inscriptions, often erected beside a grave. The symbol is found on several runestones on the Swedish island of Gotland. In the archaeological record, the Valknut appears exclusively in connection with the cult of the dead. So why did modern archaeologists ascribe the ‘slain warrior’ meaning to the Valknut symbol? Archaeologists and historians had to give the symbol a name, because it appears farther back than any documented name for it. The words varl meaning ‘slain warrior’, and knut, meaning ‘knot’ were combined to make Valknut. It’s a compound word from Norwegian that means ‘knot of those fallen in battle’. Valknut is a name only given to the symbol recently.

Unicursal (left) and tricursal (right) variations of the Valknut symbol. The Norse God Odin: Viking God of War, Father of Thor, but There’s More.Decoding Viking Signs: Nine Norse Symbols Explained.The second variant is unicursal, using a singular line to create the three interconnected triangles. This features three triangles interlocking with each other, each with their own separate shape. There are numerous variations of the Valknut, although two specific configurations are by far the most common styles found. In this article, we will discuss the origins, variations, and theories surrounding this emblem. Composed of three interlocking triangles, it is not entirely clear what exactly the symbol represents, but it has been found on many Viking Age artifacts, so it was clearly of some importance. The Valknut is a symbol shrouded in mystery, and it is still the cause of much debate today. One of the most controversial and mysterious of these symbols is the Valknut. It has provided us with some iconic gods, monsters, and even symbols. Norse mythology is a rich and vibrant source of tales, myths and legends.