Asgard - Home of the Aesir - 8th Part

Noatun

In the previous post I wrote about Freyja's hall, and as she is one of the Vanir also living in Asgard, now it is time to also write about her father, another Vanir deity that has a hall in Asgard.


Njörd's hall in Asgard is called Noatun and it is located outside the walls of the realm in the coastal zone to the west and southwest. In this coast his hall stands in a small bay and ships from the distance can see the hall of Njörd, a white structure with a few ships anchored in the bay below it. This structure is filled with open windows and the ceilings are different from the ones of all the other halls in Asgards, these are arched, resembling the bottom of a ship. 
There are fishing tools all over the place even hanged on the walls, and a salty wind blows inside. There are many seabirds around the area and often fly to the insides of the structure. Most of the furniture is made out of parts of ships, even the tables, and there are many colums that were once masts.

In this hall along with Njörd, others live there, most of them are sailors. Apart from the hall and the docks, there are also workshops behind the hall and all manners of sea working is made there, such as woodcarving, shipbuilding, net-mending, barrel-making and so on.

As you might imagine, this is the harbour where many ships from different lands take rest after great voyages, the many denizens of the Nine norse worlds come here, and others as well. This is a haven for those who love the sea and everything connected to it.

Sokkvabek

There is a goddess that few know, she is called Saga, the goddess of lore and knowledge through learning from the lore and study. This goddess also lives in Asgard by the sea. Her hall is called Sokkvabek. This is also a place of learning while relaxing at the same time, for those who love the sound of waves and seabirds and the whales during the night, and of course, refreshing the body and the soul in the waters which are near the hall, in fact, the hall is so close to the water, that there isn't sand or rock to place the feet, the hall goes directly into the water.
Inside this hall, there are many written memories such as poetry, songs, tales of old and so on. This goddess keeps the records of the past, some important, some irrelevant.

Thrymheim II

The tale of Skadi is one that people have heard so often, but summarizing it, there was a giant called Thjatsi who married an Aesir woman, by doing so he inherited all that was hers when she died. Thjatsi was slain by the Aesir but he had a daughter called Skadi who came all the way from Jotunheim to demand her inheritance and have her vengance upon the Aesir for killing her father.
She also wanted a husband of Aesir blood, so she could be accepted quickly into the Aesir tribe. She was married with Njörd but it didn't work out, but she still owns and lived in her father and stepmother's hall. Being a goddess who loves winter and can't stand another type of weather, during the summer of Asgard (which is quite long) she leaves the mountains of Asgard and goes back to her halls in Jotunheim.
Her hall in Asgard is called Thrymheim in honor to the giant Thrym the king of Jotunheim. Her hall in Jotunheim is also called by this name.
Her hall, is found in the great mountain chain of Asgard to the north and all the way to the east. There weather there is cold and snowy, but in lighter proportions, nothing compared to the weather of the mountains of Jotunheim where her other hall is placed.

Ydalir

Ydalir is the home of the god Ullr, the god of winter and hunting and also skiing. It is more like an hunting lodge in a grove surrounded by trees.


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Asgard Home of the Aesir - 7th part

Folkvang and Sessrumnir

When the Aesir and the Vanir tribes of gods ceased the war between them, there was an exchange of gods as a token of peace between the two tribes. One of the most famous deities of the Vanir to be sent to the Aesir side was Freyja.

She is the goddess of love, fertility, the pleasures of the body, spring season and also war and magic, she is very much honored by all. She is the eldest child of Njörd and Nerthus and sister to Freyr. She is the patron of those who work with the norse magic, Seidr, especially the women. It was Freyja who taught Odin the magic arts of Seidr/Seiðr.

This is a goddess that can be seen in Asgard and also in Vanaheim, traveling from one real to another for many purposes throughout the year. But this post is about the places of Asgard, so I will only be writting about her hall in Asgard.
While in the real of the Aesir, she is frequently seen in her hall, Sessrumnir, and also with the Valkyries of Valhalla, because too often she rides to war with them to pick those who have fallen in battle and take them with her, especially women, although, she will only take those sworn to her or to any other Norse god with the exception of those who are sworn to Odin, Thor or those who have to be sent to Helheim.

Freyja's duties in Asgard are not equal to those of Vanaheim, her works in Asgard are linked to war and death. It is in Asgard that she keeps all she needs to go to war including her female pig called Hildisvin which is the offspring of Gullinbursti, the great boar of Freyr, brother of Freyja.

Her hall is placed in a field called Folkvang/Fólkvangr and her hall is also has the same name, although her home is called Sessrumnir, which might be the same Hall or two different ones. As I have written on another post about the flora and fauna of Asgard, because it is a realm so bright and most of the year it is like summertime, it is hard for any flower to sprout and live there, but in Folkvangr most of the time is springtime, ir is the only place in Asgard that this happens, obviously because of Freyja. All of the area is really pleasent, filled with trees, most given to Freyja by Idunna, but there are a lot of gardens, springs, meadows and so on. It is the place where warriors also go, but it is more like a place of rest, to clear the mind of all those disorders of war.
This is the place where the warrior learns to balance both sides of his condition as a warrior, where the warrior learns how to behave, meditate, to ponder and appreciate the gentler side of the war arts which require discipline.

As nowadays cats are so popular (they are awesome by the way) I would like to mention that Folkvangr, especially around Freyja's hall and in it, is filled with cats.

The inside of the hall is beautiful, divided in small areas with fire places and beautifully carved walls and colums. The place itself encourages people to gather around and talk or entertain themselves with music and games, this is the perfect hall of those who have dificulties in friendships, sometimes even if the reason is as simple as not knowing how to speak/deal/approuche another of our own kind. This is one of the major reasons why the hall of Freyja is called both Folkvangr and Sessrumnir, because the first one is huge and it is a place filled with guests, and outside there is another hall, a small one where Freyja is often seen along with practicers of Seidr, and that smaller hall might be Sessrumnir.

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Asgard Home of the Aesir (6th Part)

This is the 6th part of Asgard and the continuation of the places of renown and great importance that lie in the realm of the Aesir tribe of gods.

Vingolf

There is another hall that few know about it, since all the other most known halls in the norse mythology have somehow placed the others in the shade. One of these "not-so-famous" halls is Vingolf, which at first was aquired by Odin because Valhalla was filled with Einherjar and another hall was needed to place the overflowing warriors. But Valhalla isn't yet filled because of various reasons that I have written in the previous posts.

Vingolf became the property of the Aesir goddesses, they claimed it of their own and it is now a haven for the female Aesir. Of course that men can visit this hall, however, it is filled with that feminine touch, but it is quite beautiful and its gardens are pleasent to look upon. This hall was built in a beautiful land filled with hot springs around the hall itself, and there is also a small hall built in the center of the hot springs which serves as a healing house.

Bilskirnir

The largest hall in Asgard and one of the largest single-owner hall in all the nine worlds, is Thor's hall called Bilskirnir. This single hall is larger than Valhalla and all the houses around it, including the walls. Bilskirnir is the equivalent of a small city. This hall has six hundred and forty rooms, not only filled with people from Valhalla but also with those who died in battle and were sworn to Thor. In it Thor's guests also live there for a while, the servants of Thor and also Sif's servants, even Loki dwelt there for a time. The walls of this huge hall are made of brick and stone and all the rooms are high-ceilinged and each room has windows that are constantly open to let the air in, even when it is raining.

Unlike what we are used to hear or see about Thor in out modern world prespective, Thor is the champion of Asgard, he is the god of the common people such as farmers, he is the protector of mankind and often wanders in the world of mortals and has mortals as guests in his own hall. Thor isn't blond, he is red-haired and has a red-beard.

In this great hall also lives Meile, which most don't know who this figure is, and in truth he doesn't want to be known or be famous, but he is one of Thor's younger brothers who seldom is at Bilskirnir, but can be found there once in a while.

There are two other denizens of this great hall, two other of great renown a part from Sif herself, the wife of Thor. These two are Roskva and Thjalfi or Thjalfr. They are the children of Egil Skytten, the midgard mortal, it is said that he had an affair with Groa, the giant sorceress wife of Aurvandil who is the first husband of Sif, and together they had a son, the god Ullr. So it is said that Roskva and Thjalfi are the sons of Egil the mortal and of Groa, which makes them Half-human.
There are many talls of how Roskva and Thjalfi came to live with Thor, the most heard one (summarizing) is that when Thor and Loki were traveling together, they came to a farm where they found this human family with two children. They all sat and had dinner together, they ate one of Thor's goats but all had been warned not to break any bones. The children did it and as a payment for their disobedience, Thor took them to his hall to work there.
Another tale, not so often heard, is that Groa and Aurvandil were good friends of Thor and after raising the two children, they sent them to be fostered at Bilskirnir. Thjalfi became Thor's page, accompanying him in many journeys.
Thjalfi is also the messenger of Bilskirnir and a guide for those who are wandering about Asgard and lost. Roskva helps in Bilskirnir and she is also a guide there, for this great hall is a confusing labyrinth.

Behind Thor's hall there is a small hall (small compared with Bilskirnir itself) that belongs to Thor's daughter Thrud, the sister of Magni and Modi. The land where Thor's hall was built is called Thrudheim, in honor of Thor's daughter and to show the love and pride he has for her.


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The Triskell and Triquetra

In another post, I talked about the Fylfot symbol, a symbolism of the triade of gods and today in this post I will continue with another symbol of that same triade, and also the Norns.

The Triskell is attributed to magical work such as reading the runes and as such, it is alsp connected with the Norns, the goddesses of fate. 
The first branch of Triskell (Odin) describes the essence and the ocult meaning. The second branch on the right (Vili) is the principle of movement, energy and life tendencies. The third branch of the left (Vé) reveals the materialization of these impulses in the reality of our body and the world around us.

The importance of numbers in ancient religions has always been very present, as in here we see that the number three simbolizes the wisdom we can all obtain. However, the number nine is also present in the religions of northern Europe (3x3 = 9) which symbolizes that which is beyond our understanding, this is the number that symbolizes a consciousness beyond our mortal body, symbolizes the initiatory process of traveling to the other world as Odin did in his sacrifice hanging on the world tree Yggdrasil.

An older spirituality, the number three symbolized three different worlds, three realities or different planes of consciousness, the upper world, the middle world and the underworld, the foundations of a spiritual work, the foundations of shamanism. We also note this triade with the three types of guardians in the Norse mythology, Heimdall guards the Bifrost Bridge, Modgud the bridge that connects Helheim and Thor protects Asgard.

Retreating further into the origins of life according to the Norse mythology, also in the beginning there were only three planes. Niflheim and Muspelheim and Ginnungagap which was also a form of primeval life. Only then was it possible the appearance of the first signs of life through Ymir and Audhumbla.

Thus we see that the number three instilled in the Nordic symbolism, give us the understanding that this number is the number creator of all life forms, an energy catalyst.

The triquetra is also a Norse symbol closely connected with the Valknut and the Triskelion Horn. There are thousands of artifacts with this symbol in ornaments which have been found in Gnezdilovo ( in Russia ) all the way to York ( in England).
Initially this word designated any three-cornered figures, but now it is applied to the shape formed by three interlocked semicircles at the place where three circles would overlap.

The Triquetra was also used by the Christians to convey their own religious content. As an example, the Triquetra that was struck on the coins by the Christian Norse kings of York, was probably already reinterpreted by York Vikings in the Christian perspective. The same may apply to the silver penny issued by Harald Hardrade (king of Norway from 1047 to 1066).

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Princess Piki - Part III

Princess Piki

Part III

The freezing cries echoed, all was swallowed by mist, those who stood there were quailing in fear. From within the forest, whatever was coming their way, could be heard as clear as water breaking the dead silence of a cave. The hooves trailing the paths, the moaning, the howls... even the most mighty-hearted shrank in awe. Then, once more, silence fell. A chill grabbed Lutzar's men by their neck and they swallowed it dry, as one swallows a three-weeks bread, scratching the throat all the way down to the stomach. Twigs breaking here and there, leafs being lifted from the ground and a steady hoarse wheezing. The men grabbed the hilt of their swords still attached to the sheaths, their hands trembled and fear made their weapons heavier. Silence was broken by a cry in agony as a dark beast leaped and tore the flesh of a unhappy fool. It did not take long for another to die in a gruesome way, and the air was filled with screams of terror and anguish followed by gurgling sounds of people suffocating in their own blood. Now all knew why the forest of Lürnothil was deprived of any settlings in a radius of at least fifty miles in all directions. This ancient forest was inhabited by an ancient evil left behind, hideous creatures named Bwyrgil.

Niniär was terrified, all that madness took over the reins of night. Glowing eyes came towards her, claws ripped the mist and a monstrous head piered from within the blurry fog. She turned pale and unmoved but she knew that she could not tarry there, fear was a delay, a swift and deadly delay followed by unbearable pain and an horrible death. She came to her senses and broke the chains that freezed her mind and hastened towards wherever safe harbour she could find. To perilous ways her legs carried her. The ground was filled with rocks and thorny roots, in the gloom of night there were many traps for wandering feet. She fled to where the sun rises, leaving behind Lake Unir and entering the land of Weiyth, a vast untamed land, almost two hundred miles wide, where the wild oxen graze near the great Urodum river that runs in haste and anger. To whatever direction she went, she would never find anyone,  and this was in a time before King Arävar rulership, thus, there were too few towns, by this time there was only the Hojkur¹ and the nobles that ruled in it. The nearest place with any folk was the Hojky of Gilnimb, three hundred and eighteen miles southwest of Weiyth.

Niniär heard the neigh of an horse, like her, this stunning animal was running in fear leaving behind its master to be the meal of a ravenous Bwyrgil. She was used to deal with such magnificent animals and so she stopped him and with her gentle voice almost in melody, eased the creature. The horse was brown from snout to hoof, a long mane as black as coal and in its forehead white fur resembling a four-pointed star. In many battles it had fought and conquered, and after its final troubling night, time came to give rest to the creature. Niniär took care of the horse and fetched food for both. For three days and nights they bonded, and at the dawn of the fourth day, they rode together to meet the lake Gladtló which was fed by the river Urodum. Niniär took comfort in the company of her new friend and she became fond of him, but her heart foreboded that the days ahead would be as perilous as uncertain.

To be continued...

¹ Hojky (Sing.) or Hojkur (Plur.) is the small economical and self-sustaining area where a great hall is placed and the people that work in the fields around it or have anykind of jobs to support the community, live in it along with the noble that rules over the entire Hojky. It so happens that some Hojkur have a fortified fence around the great hall and also some houses and barns around the hall which gave birth to the first villages, and in the time of King Arävar's kingship some of these became the first towns.


Arith Härger


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Asgard - Home Of The Aesir (5th part) - Fensalir

Fensalir

The post about Asgard and its places continue, this one is exclusively about Fensalir the hall of Frigga.


Like many of the Halls of Asgard, Fensalir also has a golden roof, it is a beautiful hall surrounded by birch trees, because this is the tree of the goddess Frigga. It is delightful to look upon this hall especially during autumn, while the leaves of the birch trees are yellow and the white bark of these really match the colors of the hall. The lawns around the hall are filled with chamomile. Behind the hall lies a vast fens with a real mystical athmosphere.

Fensalir is like a small village but with a huge hall standing there with many small houses around it. After reaching the great white door of the hall, inside of it a cosy and homely feeling fills all that set their feet on the floor of the hall. It is a bright hall with good food and the smell of dried herbs. n the area around Frigga's hall there are other halls, smaller ones, barns where livestock is kept and also workshops.

Frigga is the most powerful goddess of Asgard and she is one of the members of the council of Asgard. Frigga is a peace-maker and a peace-keeper. She is also a great seer and the patron of marriage as well as the patron of all the home works such as crafts, cooking, weaving and so on.
Frigga can be usually found at her home, her hall, always busy along with her helpers.

As I have written before, there are smaller halls around Fensalir which belong to Frigga's handmaidens, however, not hall of Frigga's handmaidens have their hall near Fensalir, some live in different parts of Asgard far from Fensalir, others don't even have a hall because they prefer a smaller house or to live inside Fensalir itself, but most of the time the helpers of Frigga can be found inside Fensalir, most are women and it is impossible to mention all of them.

I can name a few though, I could say I will mention the most important, but all of them have their importance as you might imagine. 
One of Frigga's handmaiden is her own sister Fulla, the goddess of abundance. She is the keeper of Frigga's wealth, all of it and whatever it is.
Fulla lives in Fensalir and lets put it in these terms, she is the second in command when Frigga is busy or not in Fensalir.
There are also human servents in Fensalir.

One of the most important handmaidens of Frigga and highly sought by many is Eir the healer of the Aesir. She keps her own hall around Fensalir, like a hospital.

There is also Gna, Frigga's messenger who lives in Frigga's hall, however she seldom is in it. Gna is always working and running on horseback in the errands that Frigga sends her to. Her horse is named Hofvarpnir whose parents are Gardrofa and Harmskerpir.

There is another handmaiden called Gefjon, a strong farmworker. She is the patron of manuel laborers, either men or women, and she is also the patron of unmarried girls. She has four sons and not a single daughter.

Snotra, another handmaiden, the goddess of virtue and hard working.

Lofn is the protector of lovers and romance and also love. She protects and helps all of those whom relationships are disapproved by someone, or a group of people or even society. She might be one of Frigga's handmaidens but she spends a lot of time in Sessrumnir working with the goddess Freyja.

Sjofn is another, also frequently seen at Sessrumnir, she is the handmaiden of peacemaking between couples. She is the relationship counselor. She has her own cottage and there is a very important rule, before anyone attempts to enter, all weapons must be laid outside. Interesting enough, she also works with the god Forseti.

Var, the goddess who witnesses oaths, is a mostly silent witness, rarely seen even at Fensalir unless someone is doing something that she needs to witness.

Hlin, the handmaiden of mourning, gives comfort and consolation to those who are grieving. She is also a battle Goddess. Hlin is a weaponsmaster, and for those few whom Frigga finds worthy, will teach both Her skill and wisdom in warcraft. (Not the game as you might think)

Syn is the doorkeeper of Fensalir, and another goddess of oath taking. She lives in Fensalir.

Vor is another rarely-seen handmaiden. She is a seer and wisewoman.

Huldra, the hardworking handmaiden of flocks and herds, is often conflated with Holda. However, some say that they are the same, and some say that they are completly different. Huldra is the patron of the Huldre-folk, small earth wights of Midgard.

700-year-old melting village in Alaska

The archaeologists from the University of Aberdeen have been racing against time and acting as quickly as they can in order to save the remains of a 700 year-old village in Quinhagak which is in Alaska. This village has been preserved under ice for centuries, but as it is exposed to the elements during the digging, it is in danger, exposed to the elements following the melting of permafrost.

Luckily the team of archaeologist have already recovered hundreds of preserved artefacts that have been kept intact for the following centuries underneath the permafrost. The findings include sixty wooden dolls with the original paint still on it, along with leather, fur, ceremonial masks, carvings of sea monsters from the myths, also plants and even a 400 year-old grass that has been frozen in time.

As you might imagine, the scientists had to work extremely fast in order to save all of these findings, since it is the first time in 700 years that the artefacts have been exposed to the natural elements. This is because the soil is held together by the ice, as the ice melts, the soil becomes very vulnerable to all the elements around and the marine erosion.

One of the most exciting findings was the strands of human hair, probably the leftover from a haircut, the archaeologists say, it was across the floor of a well preserved house. This also means that the scientists can perform an analysis and thus discover more about the diet of the original inhabitants of this place, the Yup'ik people.

There is little knowledge about these people, the so called Yup'ik people living in an area of north America which is three times bigger than Scotland. According to the records, it seems they moved there between 1300 and 1650, covering the little Ice Age which was a period of repid global climate changes during the early 15th century.