Norse cosmology
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In the cosmology of Norse mythology, there are nine worlds, unified by the world tree Yggdrasil. The Norse creation myth tells how everything came into existence and how the world of men was created by the gods. Mapping the nine worlds escapes precision because the Poetic Edda often alludes vaguely, and the Prose Edda may be influenced by medieval Christian cosmology.
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[edit] Yggdrasil (Ellis 1964, p. 26)
A giant ash tree, Yggdrasil, lies at the center of the Norse cosmos. Three roots support it, one in the world of the Aesir, one in the world of the frost giants, and one in the world of the dead. Beneath the root in the world of the frost giants is the spring of Mimir, whose waters contain wisdom and understanding. Beneath the tree in the world of the Aesir, is the sacred spring of fate, the Well of Urd.
The tree is tended by the Norns, who live near it. Each day, they water it with pure water and whiten it with clay from the spring to preserve it. The water falls down to the earth as dew.
The tree is continually threatened by animals that feed on it. On the topmost branch of the tree sits an eagle. The beating of its wings cause the winds in the world of men. At the root of the tree lies a great serpent, Niðhǫggr, gnawing at it continuously. The squirrel Ratatosk carries insults from one to the other. Harts and goats devour the branches and tender shoots.
[edit] Creation (Ellis 1964, p. 27)
In the beginning, there were two regions: Muspell in the south, full of light and fire; and Niflheim, a land of snow and ice in the north. Between them stretched the yawning emptiness of Ginnungagap.
As heat and cold met in Ginnungagap, a living giant, Ymir, appeared in the melting ice. From his left armpit, the first man and woman were born. From his legs, the frost giants were born.
Ymir fed on the milk of the cow Auðhumla. She licked the blocks of salty ice, releasing Buri. Buri's son Bor had three sons, the gods Odin, Vili and Ve. The three slew Ymir, and all of the frost giants but Bergelmir were drowned in the blood.
From Ymir's body, they made the world of men: his blood the seas and lakes, his flesh the earth, his bones the mountains and his teeth the rocks. From his skull they made the dome of the sky, setting a dwarf at each of the four corners to hold it high above the earth. They protected it from the giants with a wall made from Ymir's eyebrows.
Next they caused time to exist, sending Night and Day to drive around the heavens in horse drawn chariots. They also set a girl Sun and a boy Moon on paths across the sky. These two had to drive fast to outrun the wolves who pursued them.
[edit] The Nine Worlds
The phrase 'nine worlds' is Níu Heimar in Old Norse. Relating to heima meaning 'home' or 'homestead', the term heimr means 'homeland', or in a larger sense the 'world'. When counting the nine worlds, they include the earth, called Miðgarðr, where humans as a family dwell.
[edit] Asgard (Ellis 1964, p. 28)
Asgard is the realm of the gods. It was built after the world of men, and contains many halls. Odin's hall, Válaskjálf, is roofed in silver. He can sit within it and view all the worlds at once. Gimli, a hall roofed in gold, to which righteous men are said to go after death, also lies somewhere in Asgard.
Valhalla, the hall of the slain, is the feast hall of Odin. Those who died in battle spend the day fighting, then are raised in the evening to feast in Valhalla.
Heimdall, the god's warden, dwells beside Bifröst, the rainbow bridge. Each day, the gods ride over Bifröst to their meeting place at the Well of Urd.
[edit] Counting the Worlds
In the Poetic Edda, the poem Alvíssmál has a stanza that lists six worlds, clarifying each 'world' is the realm of a different family of beings. Þórr asks: What is the wind named 'in every world' (heimi hverjum í)? Álvíss answers:
- Alvíssmál 20
- It is named 'wind' with the Humans.
- But 'waverer' with [the Æsir] the gods.
- [The Vanir] the awe-rulers call it 'neigher' [making sounds like a horse].
- The Jötnar 'shrieker' [during deadly arctic storms].
- The Álfar 'whistler'.
- In Hel, [the dead] call it 'squall' [a sharp increase in wind speed before a rain].
- Vindr heitir með mönnum.
- en váfuðr með goðum.
- kalla gneggjuð ginnregin.
- æpi jötnar.
- alfar dynfara.
- kalla í helju hviðuð.
Thus there are at least six worlds, each being the homeland of a particular family of beings. Inferrably, they correspond to the following place names mentioned elsewhere.
- 1. Humans: Miðgarðr.
- 2. Æsir (gods): Ásgarðr or Iðavöllr.
- 3. Vanir (gods): Vanaheimr.
- 4. Jötnar (giants): Jötunheimr or Utgarðr (Ellis 1964, p. 32).
- 5. Álfar (elves): Álfheimr (Ellis 1964, p. 28).
- 6. Dead: Hel.
Dvergar may be missing from the list because, living in caverns, they have no winds. Dvergar and Álfar are distinguished from each other elsewhere in the poem (for example Alvíssmál 14). Moreover the two place names, Álfheimr and Svartálfaheimr, confirm there are two separate homelands.
- 7. Dvergar (dwarves): Svartálfaheimr or Niðavellir.
Plausibly, the realms of the primordial elements of ice and fire count as 'homelands'. It may be these realms are not the 'homeland' of any beings because all beings came to life somewhere in Ginnungagap, the empty wind between these two realms where ice and fire could intermingle (via water, rimefrost, smoke, and sparks) to bring forth life. The place name of the element of ice, Niflheimr, means the arctic 'Mist Homeland', suggesting it is one of the Nine Homelands.
- 8. Ice: Niflheimr.
- 9. Fire: Muspell.
Nevertheless, the relationships between these and other significant realms can be confusing. Precise mapping remains uncertain. For example, Hel is said to be located in Niflheim (Ellis 1964, p. 32):
- As for Hel, ... Odin sent her down into the realm of mist and darkness, Niflheim. There she rules a kingdom encircled by a high wall and secured by strong gates.
[edit] Attestations
The phrase Níu Heimar occurs in the following Norse texts.
[edit] Poetic Edda
- Völuspá 2
- I remember the nine worlds, nine giantesses [who personify each land], the glorious [world tree] Mjötviðr [that unites them], before the ground below [existed].
- Níu man ek heima, níu íviðjur, mjötvið mæran, fyr mold neðan.
- Vafþrúðnismál 43
- I can say truly [about] the secrets from the Jötnar and all the gods, because I have come [traveling] over each world. I came [traveling over each of] the nine worlds, [even to the remotest places in each one], [even] before Niflhel below [where people] from Hel die.
- Frá jötna rúnum ok allra goða ek kann segja satt, þvíat hvern hefi ek heim of komit. Níu kom ek heima, fyr Níflhel neðan; hinig deyja ór helju halir.
[edit] Prose Edda
- Gylfaginning 34
- [Óðinn] threw Hel [the deity of death] into Niflheimr and gave her authority over the nine worlds.
- Hel kastaði hann í Niflheim ok gaf henni vald yfir níu heimum.
[edit] Modern systems
The modern Norse religion, Asatru, strives to systemize evidence from the Norse texts, and may list the nine worlds as follows, but this system too has difficulties:[1]
The three worlds above the earth, in heaven:
- 1. Ásgarðr (Asgard)
- 2. Álfheimr (Alfheim)
- 3. Múspellsheimr (Muspellsheim or Muspell) (in south)
The three worlds on earth:
- 4. Vanaheimr (Vanaheim)
- 5. Miðgarðr (Midgard)
- 6. Jötunheimr (Jotunheim)
The three worlds below the earth, in underworld:
- 7. Niflheimr (Niflheim) (in north)
- 8. Hel
- 9. Svartálfaheimr (Svartalfaheim)
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Davidson, HR Ellis (1964), "Gods and Myths of Northern Europe", Penguin Books
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