The runestone also had on it a swastika, another symbol that has been seen on artifacts from the Viking Age and earlier.Īs you probably already know, the Swastika was used by the Nazis, led by Adolf Hitler, giving the symbol a bad rep. Valknut is often compared to the three-horned symbol engraved on the Snoldelev Stone, a 9th-century runestone found in Snoldelev, Ramsø, Denmark. Just like other Norse symbols, the Valknut is also associated with other symbols both from the Viking Age and other cultures throughout the world. Valknut, Odin’s Symbol and the Serpent by Mikhail Balashov on Shutterstock Symbols Similar to or Derived From Valknut The interlocking triangles were also thought to represent the connection between Earth, Hel (underworld), and the Heavens. Valknut and the Significance of “the Three”īecause Valknut is composed of three triangles, it was largely used and thought to symbolize the significant “threes” in life.įor instance, it was associated with fertility, rebirth, and reincarnation. The visual description in the Edda was unfortunately not very detailed enough to completely ascertain that the Valknut was actually a representation of Hrungnir’s heart. His heart was made of stone and had three corners, very much like the appearance of the Valknut. Īccording to the Edda, Hrungnir was a giant who was believed to be the spirit of winter, night, darkness, and the grave. The Valknut is also believed to symbolize Hrungnir‘s heart, as mentioned in the Prose Edda. And that is what makes the Knot of the Slain Warriors a pagan symbol. Yggdrasil is the ash tree that is believed to be the gateway to the different realms.īecause the Valknut symbol was closely associated with Odin, Seidr practitioners have also commonly used it, among other Viking symbols, in literature and rituals. Odin himself was believed to travel through the Nine Realms riding his horse, Sleipnir through the branches of the Yggdrasil (IG-druh-sill). It was said that the practitioners of Seidr were able to control the path of reality, allowing them to reach higher levels of consciousness and travel through the Nine Realms to catch a glimpse of the future to help them achieve their goals. The staff used in the Seidr rituals denotes a phallic symbolism, as clued by various Nordic literature. According to studies and sources, the rituals may have involved sexual stimulation and energy - in other words, sex magic. When practicing Seidr, the women practitioners collectively prayed, chanted, and entered a state of trance during the rituals. Regular men who risked practicing Seidr were persecuted as doing so was seen as going against Germanic social norms in that period. Valknut, the Knot of the Slain by Tata Donets on Shutterstock Generally, it was only practiced by women, but many believe that its chief practitioner was Odin himself. Seidr (SAY-der) was the heathen Norse practice of magic and shamanism. Valknut As a Norse Magical Symbol and the Practice of Seidr If you would like to learn more about symbols of Odin, read our extensive list by clicking here. That is why Valknut is thought to represent Odin’s magical powers of binding and unbinding. People believed that Odin had the power to use magic to bind and unbind things, as well as to control people’s minds. As such, among other things, he was believed to be a powerful magician associated with concepts such as wisdom, royalty, healing, death, war, victory, poetry, and sorcery. Odin’s name is translated into English as “the Master of Ecstasy”. However, the general consensus is that the symbol has been being used to represent Odin, the most powerful and revered god in Norse mythology, since the early ages. There are a number of theories regarding where the Valknut originated from and what it means. This is considered to be the reason why the Valknut symbol has been closely associated with Odin and eventually has come to be known as the symbol of Odin. The three-triangle Valknut was commonly seen on runestones and gravestones, and it often appeared alongside the figure of Odin the Allfather, or animals that represented him, such as the wolf or horse. One of the popular pieces of evidence regarding the ancient use or inscription of Valknut symbol was on the Tängelgårda stone from 7th-century Gotland, Sweden. The symbol, which is also sometimes called Odin’s symbol/the symbol of Odin, is believed to date back to the ancient times. The word originates from the Norwegian language, and was attributed with the symbol much later than its actual creation. The term “valknut” is actually a modern word with the literal meaning, “slain warrior knot/the knot of the slain warriors”. Valknut, the Symbol of Odin by Bourbon-88 on Shutterstock What is the meaning of Valknut?
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