He practiced a form of magic called Seidr. Though not as well known for his magical abilities as Loki, Odin was magical. These last two “meanings” of the valknut aren’t widely accepted. Therefore, most serious Norse mythology and Viking scholars discount this meaning out of hand. However, most artifacts featuring it also feature Odin, not Hrungnir. Hrungnir was a giant who Thor defeated in the Prose Edda’s “Skáldskaparmál.” The heart’s description is as follows: “Hrungnir had the heart which is notorious, of hard stone and spiked with three corners, even as the written character is since formed, which men call Hrungnir’s Heart.” Īs a result, some people think that’s the real meaning behind the valknut. Above the dying man is a large carving of the valknut. The spear-wielding figure may be cutting a Blood Eagle into the sacrificed figure’s back. One of the images carved into the stone shows a sacrifice to Odin.Ī figure lies on a table near another figure with a spear. The justification for this meaning of the valknut comes primarily from the Stora Hammar stones. Why do people get tattoos of the valknut symbol? See below Sacrifice, Specifically to Odin Therefore, any death associated with Odin would’ve been a warrior’s death. In Norse mythology, Odin only chose the most fierce warriors to go with him to Valhalla, and he sent his valkyries to retrieve them. Those who believe the valknut symbolizes the transition between life and death often ascribe it specifically to a warrior’s death. Since one of Odin’s powers includes guiding people through that transition, the symbol also gets equated with the All-father. That’s why so many, though not all, scholars agree that the valknut symbolizes the transition between life and death. The symbols often appeared on burial mounds and stones found inside or near burial mounds. However, scholars have found it on surviving artifacts. These two things go hand-in-hand and are the most commonly accepted meanings of the valknut symbol, sometimes called “Odin’s knot.”Īs mentioned earlier, the word valknut doesn’t appear in any Norse or Viking literature. The Transition Between Life and Death & Odin They’ll also discuss a common opinion among scholars on what the symbol’s various aspects mean individually. The following sections will look at each of these different associations of the symbol as a whole. Other accepted meanings of the valknut include:

Still others take the analogy further and claim it represents a sacrifice to Odin. One of the most common interpretations is that it symbolizes the transition between life and death.Īnother common association with the valknut is the god Odin. The word valknut means “knots of those fallen in battle.” However, people have different opinions about what the symbol itself means. There’s no single, uncontested meaning of the valknut symbol. Unfortunately, being able to see it doesn’t necessarily equate to understanding it. The Oseberg Ship (carved into a bed and on a surviving tapestry).Today, people who want to see the valknut can view it on various artifacts in Scandinavian museums, including: Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.What is the meaning of the valknut symbol? See below What Is the Meaning of the Valknut Symbol?

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. There seems to be more to the symbol than death and sacrifice.

Evidence suggests that the symbol's original contents go far beyond the common themes of interpretation, which are none the less fossilized in both scholarly and neopagan discussion.

The symbol frequently occurs with horses on other Gotlandic picture stones - maybe suggestive of a horse cult? It also occurs on jewelry, coins, knife-handles, and other more or less mundane objects. Most likely the 'meaning' of the symbol was prestige, like so many other foreign influenced fashions. The 'valknut' was most likely simply borrowed from Christian Anglo-Saxons and Carolingians If there was any meaning ascribed to the symbol, we are left in the dark, but claims of Odinnic or mortuary connections are unfounded. Want a more in-depth look at the symbol? Check out these excerpts and follow the links: Compare for example this Northumbrian sceatta with this coin from Ribe. Hi! It appears you have mentioned some fancy triangles! But did you know that the word 'valknútr' is unattested in Old Norse, and was first applied to the symbol by Gutorm Gjessing in his 1943 paper 'Hesten i førhistorisk kunst og kultus', and that there is little to no basis for connecting it with Óðinn and mortuary practices? In fact, the symbol was most likely borrowed from the triquetras appearing on various Anglo-Saxon and Carolingian coins.

Simple valknut