James and Anthony dive into how misunderstandings are propagated about our faith, how this relates to us as a folk and how the creation of man by the gods ushered in the peace age and how our souls are connected to our progenitors. Join us for a deep dive into authentic germanic theology for the modern pagan.
James and Anthony begin breaking down the epic mythological timeline by examining the nordic and germanic creation myth, the deeper story behind it and how it relates to us as a folk to this day. Join us for a deep dive into authentic germanic theology for the modern pagan.
James and Anthony discuss how traditionalism connects us to our past and how it can help us build modern heathen communities. We examine piety, morals, community building, the lore and identity. Join us for a deep dive into authentic germanic theology for the modern pagan.
James and Anthony discuss finding a name, modern heathen beliefs, theology and universalism vs polytheism in Asatru and pagan beliefs.
ALU!
This phrase is often said during blot or in other contexts of conversation, but what does it mean? Why do we say ALU? And what is its significance to our belief system and rituals? This phrase is one of the most important concepts within our faith and its very important for the folk to understand its meaning because it has everything to do with our fate and protecting our future.
ALU (ᚨᛚᚢ) is intrinsically tied to runes. We see this phrase almost exclusively used with the elder futhark ( a few Anglo Saxon examples also exist) on several archeological artifacts such as urns, coins, rune stones, burial items and even protection charms. ALU is the most common magical runic formula that we know of, and while academia (non-practitioners of the faith) may have provided various theories on its meaning and purpose I will attempt to provide you a spiritual understanding of its significance as a practioner of the faith.
The etymology of the word has been widely debated over the last couple hundred years by linguists, but I would point out that there is a reason for this confusion on its etymology. The term seems to have disappeared from inscriptions for a significant period of time during the migration period of the folk during the christianization of Europe. As christianity spread by force in our native homelands, our religious practices and beliefs were outlawed and many of our ancestors perished by drowning (what the christians called “baptism”) and sword. Over time it became essential to conceal sacred places, items and beliefs by encrypting their meanings and knowledge in common lore and stories that our ancestors passed down through the ages. ALU is one such example of the concealment of our belief system.
In stanzas 7 and 19 of the Old Norse poem Sigrdrífumál, Knowledge of “Ale Runes” is imparted by the Valkyrie Sigdrifa (Brynhildr) to Sigurd. The old Norse word is Ølrunar i.e. ALU Runes. Verse 19 continues:
“hveim er þer kná oviltar / oc ospilltar
ser at heillom hafa;
niottu, ef þu namt,
unz riufaz regin.”
“Who knows them rightly and reads them true,
Has them himself to help;
(Ever they aid, till the gods are gone.)”
It is these verses that convinced some linguists that ALU means Ale, as the term eventually became a commonly used term for this as a metonym (allegory or metaphor). However we can see in the ending passage of verse 19 that true knowledge of these Ale Runes (ALU Runes) offers protection to the one that has learned its true meanings. It is within this concept of “protection” that we find the true understanding of ALU.
There is another important word related to ALU that is tied to this concept of protection i.e. Alh. An “Alh” has been defined by linguists as a sacred area, sacred grove or a temple. ALU and ALH are inextricably tied to eachother but they do not mean the same thing in the original context of our faith. Although modern definitions of “Alh” includes the idea that this word can mean a temple, I would argue that this definition was the result of our ancestors reaction to the christianization of our homelands and became associated as a means of convention rather than historical practice. Originally, as noted by Tacitus in his Germania, the germanic folk worshiped in sacred groves and did not consider confining our gods to indoor buildings as befitting our gods. It was not until the spread of christianinity in Europe and the destruction of our holy sites that we see a trend of our ancestors gathering for rituals in buildings such as hofs. I believe this was a reaction to the christian persecution of our folk and their response to further hide knowledge of sacred areas from their enemies and to protect the folk. Over time worshipping indoors became the common practice and knowledge of our sacred spaces became all but forgotten, especially as our ancestors began migrating north and west to lands further away from the christian onslaught. The reason we must carefully consider what the actual definition of an “alh” is, is because an alh was the center of worship and protection of our gods and the rituals performed within an alh are the catalyst to receiving this protection from our gods.
We can find support for the definition of an “alh” being strictly related to sacred groves or natural outdoor areas in the preservation of this word in modern Lithuanian as “alkas”, which exclusively means holy place, place of the gods, or an alter in an outdoor space. What makes this definition significant is that Lithuanian is the most archaic indo european language still spoken in modern times and it has properly preserved this definition of an alh to this day. Additionally, the laws of an alh make it obvious that it strictly referenced an outdoor space. The laws surrounding an alh forbade the harming of any life within an alh; it was forbidden to harm any animal, cut any part of a tree or intentionally pull a blade of grass. An alh was a place of protection, not just for the folk but for all sacred life within the alh. The only exception to these laws was the preist and the sacrifice to be given to the gods.
So how does an “alh” relate to “ALU”? The word “alh” originates from “ALU”, possibly derived for PIE word h₂lek- which means to ward off, or to protect. ALU is the source of fate, the origin of creative forces representing the sources of creation. It consists of three runes ᚨ-ᛚ-ᚢ (Anzus-Lauguz-Uruz), which is the recipe for the sacred mead. This is profound, because the epic lore tells us that our gods and the jotun battle for control of this sacred mead, as the one that controls the mead has the ability to control fate, or at least influence fate.
From an epic understanding of our lore/history handed down to us and within a spiritual context, first there was ALU (ᚨ-ᛚ-ᚢ); then there was Audhumbla, Ymir and Buri; then there was Odin and his two brothers Hoenir and Lodur (Vili and Ve are titles of the two brothers). After the slaying of Ymir, most Jotun drowned in his blood. Bergelmir became the progenitor of a new line of giants, Odin became the progenitor of humans breathing ond into them, while Hoenir is the mead stirrer after ragnarok and brings forth life again with 9 surviving gods; while Lodur becomes the progenitor of the elven/dwarfish lines- Freyr is later given Elfheim as a tooth gift, leaving Lodur who had his status removed and was bound until ragnarok because of his revolt against Odin and the Aesir, he is the leader of the sons of muspel (also known as surt) who leads the charge against the aesir at ragnarok. It is important to understand the placement of the gods in this construction as it explains the reason why our god totems were three in nature i.e. Odin, Thor and Freyr. Freyr replaces Lodur, Hoenir waits until after surts destruction at ragnarok and then rises to stir the mead, and so Odin’s son Thor is given authority from Odin himself as the protector of Midhgard replacing the functions of Hoenir for the time being. In the next creation it appears that Hoenir replaces Mimir in the new creation within the next cycle as Thor dies at ragnarok but is able to resurrect himself.
Protection from what? Why do we need protection? To answer this question gets to the very root of our faith and our rituals. There was a time when our folk were at peace and lived in a golden age with the gods protection over us. The gods left us to our own and rarely took notice of us. This changed when one of our folk killed a god i.e. Hadding kills Svipdagr-Óðr in the guise a dragon or ormr (see UGMI ch. 106). At this point in the epic, Svipdagr has already married Freyja and is under her protection. Once Hadding commits this act of deicide the gods demand wereguild for the crime, Freyya appears before Hadding with the following curse:
This curse is Freyja explaining the amount of suffering the Jötuns will cause. Ægir shall cause the seas to rise against him. Kári will bring the winds that will torment him. Hrímþursar will cause him, his animals, and his ship to freeze. Fárbauti, the Jötun of hurricanes, will destroy any roof he lies under. The Dwavres of the cardinal directions shall turn against him. The wereguild to the gods for this crime was blot, offering sacrifices for protection from these forces. The blot restores the bonds between the gods and the folk.
As the story continues….”So, when Hadding went back, he suffered all things after this one fashion, and his coming brought disquiet upon all peaceful places. For when he was at sea a mighty storm arose and destroyed his fleet in a great tempest: and when, a shipwrecked man, he sought entertainment, he found a sudden downfall of that house. Nor was there any cure for his trouble, ere he atoned by sacrifice for his crime, and was able to return into favour with heaven. For, in order to appease the deities, he sacrificed dusky victims to the god Freyr. This manner of propitiation by sacrifice he repeated as an annual feast, and left posterity to follow. This rite the Swedes call Frøblod (Freysblót, a part of the Vetrnætr).” Saxo Destam Danorum bk 1.
We can see within this story the origin of the main ritual function of blot i.e. protection. As mentioned before, Tacitus wrote about how the germanic folk worshipped in sacred groves (an alh). These groves were the Alh or protected sanctuary where these blots and rituals would take place. These spaces were protected because they were the places that the gods resided i.e. the ve. The ve was the place where the god totems (or idols) resided within the Alh. Only the preists were allowed to enter the ve with the sacrificial offering. The alh not only contained the ve but also contained the hörgr. The hörgr was the altar, from which the preist would perform the sacrificial slaughter. The preist would then take the offering from the hörgr to the gods in the ve. The hörgr is the sending station while the ve, where the gods resided, was Iðavöllr the receiving station of the gods.
How does this connect to ALU? ALU existed before an ALH, and its meaning is esoteric and metaphysical as it is the source of creation and fate. While “ALh” derived from ALU with a specific meaning of a protected and sacred natural place (via connotation of what ALU represented inregards to fate), as an alh was literally a place of protection because it was a place where the gods resided (God Totems) in the ve, and could literally intervene with fate, on behalf of the folk.
ᚨ- Gods
ᛚ-Water, Wells, Fate etc.
ᚢ- The bull (The Sacrifice)
= PROTECTION
The following is an essay written by a member of the PNWWP. This essay was an assignment for a ritual training course, wherein the individual is asked to examine their spiritual journey and explain their view on ritual, expectations of the student on what they are looking to gain by begining the life long journey of becoming a Gothi.
Ceremony, prayer, meditation, mindfulness, ascension; they all form the foundation of our ritual practices. From the simplest of daily practices in the management of our time dedicated to personal and professional endeavors to the most sacred of rites, rituals are living models of our beliefs. When we practice, contemplate, and ameliorate our intentions and purpose through both daily practices and ritualistic ceremonies, we build our connection to our living Gods and to our folk. While each kindred, clan, tribe, family, or individual may each have their unique applications of ceremonial purpose, we must understand their importance in their roles to gaining spiritual guidance, wisdom, and growth. Rituals give us the opportunities to become our best selves in both celestial and ancestral honor. In other words, “rituals are everything.”
More than anything, I wish to gain such wisdom, for not only myself, but for the greater good of the folk. Any talents, knowledge, skills, and abilities, I may now possess or gain through my completion of this course and ongoing education, are not only mine. May our Gods strike me down if I do not admit to how challenging this first essay has been for me in every aspect of my being. Not due to lack of aspiration, but due to my desire to truly come to a place where I felt like I was spiritually prepared for the work that needs to be dedicated to this lifelong journey. I have spent much time in meditation and personal daily practice with the knowledge and understanding that I have already obtained in my experiences and studies over the last 8 years as a practicing Odinist to strengthen my determination to undertake this process. In doing so, I have found two truths (albeit not the only ones to recognize): that ritual is at the center of Odinism/Asatru and that specific and intentional action and language are paramount to the existence of our culture. I have never been one who often is left speechless, but due to the significant importance of the concept of practices and traditions I do not wish to take my words and my beliefs on the subject lightly. As our Gods are living and breathing within us and within our blood ancestral memory, so they speak to us through our rituals. Our approach to practice must be with reverence to our ancestors as well as our gods, goddesses, and deities. The line of communication with which we are gifted allows us a direct connection with them in our practices. It is integral to make this distinction in our faith as we are a folk of action, rather than a people who simply regurgitate rhetoric blindly. Our very survival depends on our adherence to ritual, practice, and tradition. Ritual means a future for our people and, now more than ever, I want to contribute to building that legacy.
While I have been more casual than I would like to admit in my own practices up until this last year, my decision to take this course has many influences, both personal and communal. I have had the privilege of being a part of an active kindred and am one of its founding members. This has put me into an “Ambassador” role when working with fellow kindreds and organizations. My ability to be approachable and considerate of newer members or those showing interest in Odinism/Asatru has been a double-edged sword, as I have often been lacking in answers to their inquests. This either warranted either passing them to another source or having to research a satisfactory answer. Although education is at the heart of the practice of our faith, it has also become a spiritual obstacle for me, as it has caused a sense of uncertainty in my own intentions. Am I just here to belong somewhere? Am I honoring my Gods? Are they, my Gods? As I would never wish to hinder or damage the spiritual experiences of others, I had to search my own soul for my own answers.
I found myself from an early age with a great spiritual thirst which led me down many different paths until lying upon Odinism and it has not been without internal strife. While I was raised in a local Baptist Christian church and appreciate the knowledge that afforded me to recognize and understand more deeply art, literature, and historical events, I found my need for growth lacking fulfillment. I recall attempting to study and prepare for my baptism, only to find that I was no “lamb of God’ and declined to continue that path. Although I still spent the remainder of my youth attempting to obtain spiritual enlightenment within Christianity and through the study of all religions that I have knowledge of, I never felt the kind of energy as I have felt in our faith. Until then I can only describe a sense of “drowning” in superficial habit disguised as genuine belief. As priests would hear a call to their pilgrimage of servitude, so would the call come to me to honor the Gods and Goddesses in my deeds and my purpose.
Most recently, within the last month of this writing, my family and I have participated or hosted folk events that included blot and sumbel every weekend. Each of these have had their influences on one another, as many participants carried over between occasions. However, within the same community, we had notably differing experiences depending on the kindred(s) and individuals involved. This has led to an ongoing discussion locally of what is and is not considered appropriate in our rituals and sacred spaces, as well as their presentation and execution. I hope to gain more personal clarification on not just the historical significance of these traditions, but also, as you stated, their practical applications in our lives.
When I first became aware of this course, I felt a surge of aspiration. Although I had to focus and use this desire to participate and create new routines and personal rituals to achieve this goal, the work in preparation itself has already been transformational for me. I firmly believe in the connection of the mind, body and mind and intend to not rush the process, nor remain stagnate due to my unobtainable drive for perfection. Each step, however doubled back, still must drive me onward. My pace must as it is, and I must be able to accept that as an irrefutable fact, lack any fear of falling short of honor. I pledge to dedicate myself to fully engaging in the process, to not judging my progress other than to further my emersion into the course and the knowledge I hope to gain, and to be honest in the work. Stanza 54 of the Havamal states:
“A measure of Wisdom, each man shall have,
But never too much let him know;
The fairest lives, do those men live
Whose wisdom wide has grown.”
So too will I accept the limitations of my humanity, but also seek to exceed my own expectations. As my journey is only unfolding as the Norns would see fit, so will I dedicate my actions to creating a beautiful experience on the road ahead.
Hail.
I grew up without a faith in my household. My grandparents never professed any religious leanings at all, nor pushed it on us. When the yearnings of spirituality did start calling, I naturally chose Christianity as the path to study and follow. That was probably around 19. Soon after, I became familiar with the British-Israelite take on the Biblical scriptures, so logically I embraced it because I was a…(tribally)… aware teen. Writers that are commonly referenced, these were the early works that I studied, and people like Wesley Swift, et al.
Even as a youth I was highly read…(with a)… logical…(Mind)…, so I couldn’t run from the fact that the evidence of the claims from modern archaeological, ethnological, genetic and linguistic research just didn’t support the theories, not with anything definitive that a historian or archaeologist would apply to evidence in general. Literally some of the correlations made between place names, linguistics and historical circumstance are laughable through the lens of true science and history.
After about two years into it I simply had to discard it in favor of higher reasoning. That, and someone along the way had introduced me to the great sagas and Poetic Eddas of the Norsemen, the grand mythologies and spiritual worldview of our own…(germanic)… people. I haven’t wavered from that for over 25 years, and I’ve learned this: people are quick to digest information that affirms their own belief system, but rarely will they attempt to absorb or understand material that goes against it. When truly, this is how you achieve a real synthesis.
I absolutely love, respect and adore all of the tribal history of our people, whether it be the Scots, the Norse, the Franks, the Germans, ad infinitum. The danger that has befallen us is that somehow within the last several hundred years we have become convinced (and programmed) that Christianity is somehow our birthright or something that sprang organically from the soul of our…(people). Nothing could be further from the truth, and essentially, any religion which will serve the purpose of maintaining a people’s health and historical longevity, must spring from the soul of said people.
As a worldview, the religion of Christianity was an alien transplant onto Europe, which would have made no headway were it not for force of arms and subversion. If we can accept that in our modern era we have been told a slew of historical lies and distortions when it comes to recent events, what makes you think that foregone events in the past are not the same scenario? We were lied to about our natural religions. They were snuffed out of existence by Judeo-Rome, (while) the wily…(Foreigner)… laughs at us while we relish in something of his creation that he…connived…(our folk)… with.
Acceptance of Christianity by Europeans included acceptance of the belief that before Christ the Nation of Israel, a non-European people, were the exclusive chosen people of God. This required an act of extreme self-negation by our…(own folk)…, for such an acceptance amounted to a severe…insult to say the people of Greece and Rome, who previously had viewed the nation of Israel as insignificant. This is historical fact. The result of this anti-self development has been to warp the historical consciousness of our Folk, causing them, in a form of psychological and spiritual servitude to non-European….(religions, forgetting their own traditional faiths)…, to center their view of the past around, and to trace their cultural origins from, the alien land of the Old Testament, thus neglecting to identify properly with the history of their own ancestors…
BST
There is a modern trend in germanic heathenry circles to hail and praise Loki, as if he is a god worthy of praise. I like to credit the marvel movies for this trend. These movies, and even the comic books written decades ago, have contributed to a confusion that seems to have gripped the collective mind of society about who or what these gods were and were not. However, no matter how entertaining these movies or comic books appear to be, their portrayal of the Norse and Germanic gods has no basis in the original traditions of our folk. One of these many misconceptions revolves around the character of Loki. The marvel world would imagine and portray Loki as this jester like God, the “trickster” type character that “magically” represents an archtypal chaotic force that’s always up to no good’ tolerated by the rest of the gods as part of the family. This perception could not be further from the truth when comparing it to the broader germanic and nordic sources that we have. Infact, the tale of Loki as told in the traditional sources is a tale of treachery, murder and destruction.
I have seen a lot of discussion about Loki throughout the years and it has always struck me as odd when I see this debate because it’s almost more of a social statement to support Loki than a true desire to understand his story, what crime he committed, what his punishment was for this crime and what happens to those that follow him – Spoiler Alert it’s not good.
Following the epic methodology when interepreting the chronology of events in the lore, as it tells the history of creation from the begining of time until the end of times, we can understand how the trial and condemnation of Loki came about and what its results were. It is not within the scope of this article to revisit all of the crimes committed by Loki but rather to focus on his greatest crime and his condemnation by the gods and what happens to those that follow him. Let me begin by summarizing a few things about Loki that should be understood before examining these three things.
The first appearance of Loki in the lore is late in the chronology of events and he appears out of no where when he is found walking with Odin and Thor. This supports the idea that Loki was originally known by another name before his abrupt appearence and that at some point a name taboo related to the true name of Loki came into effect. This idea is also supoported by the lack of etymology of the word/name of Loki in the broader Indo European tradition. The only references of this name exists soley in Nordic/Scandavian and Icelandic material. It appears a name taboo did infact exist and although the true identity of who loki was is not within the purview of this article, this author holds the personal opinion that Loki may have been no other than Lodur the brother of Odin and Hoenir (The trio featured as the brothers that slew Ymir and created the worlds and fashioned man, each imparting certain gifts to man and woman). Although there does not exist enough evidence to definitively identify these two as the same entity there are a few clues to this pairing.
The first clue is the abrupt disappearence of Lodur from the lore and then the sudden appearence of Loki shortly thereafter. This by itself doesn’t mean much, but there is a story about Lodur that many people do not know. There is a tale about Lodur becoming jealous of Odin and attempting to steal the sacred mead from Mimir’s well. This sacred mead allows the one that possesses it to control the fate or destiny of the universe. As the story goes all three sons of Borr, Odin and his two brothers Hoenir and Lodur, were apprentices of Mimir. Odin excelled in his tutelage and was choosen by Mimir as his successor and Lodur considering himself better than Odin rebels at what he perceives as an injustice and attempts to steal the mead. The story is based on a passage in Saxo’s Danish History Book 1 and is incomplete, but it is thought that this is when Lodur becomes Surt (Viktor Rydberg goes into detail about Lodur’s history in his Investigation Into Germanic Mythology and Carla O’Harris expands this connection in her work, identifying Surt as Lodur). Surt is the one that rebels against the gods and rises at ragnarok to destroy the world with his sword (the same sword that Freyr gave to gerd while under a seidhr spell put on him by Angrboda, the mother of gerd). This theory is also supported by the etymology of the name Lodur, which means “The Fire Producer”. If this transition of Lodur becoming Surt is accurate, then it only makes sense about his disappearence in the lore that some sort of name taboo happened producing the sudden appearence of a new character in the lore called Loki, whom some scholars also associate with fire.
What crime could lead to a name taboo? What horrendous act must a god commit to be bannished from the annuls of history in the conscousness of the folk that even his name is forbidden to speak? According to the traditions handed down to us through out the ages and preserved in Icelandic, Nordic and Danish sources; that crime is the murder of a god. This is not just the murder of a god, but the murder of the “most beloved god” of all i.e. Baldr. This is exactly what Loki is responsible for as he was the prinicple instigator of Baldrs death, the only one in all of creation that did not weep for Baldr, thus sealing his fate.
In germanic law their is a concept of restoring ones honor when a dishonorable act is done. Just as Loki restored the honor of Sif after cutting her hair (an act that was reserved only for women that committed adultry) by facilitating the creation of sifs magical giolden hair, Loki had an opportunity to restore his honor for his role in the death of Baldr by weeping for him with the rest of creation, he choose not to. The gods then assembled at Aegirs hall and the trial of Loki then begins and is recorded in the Lokasenna. What comes of Loki’s trial is his conviction of the murder of Baldr by the gods. Loki then attempts to flee the gods. He is eventually caught and bound with the entrails of his own son by Vali and his mouth is sewn shut so that he should not speak any words. A venomous snake is placed over his head that drops its poison onto Loki. Sigyn, Loki’s wife, holds a bowl over his head to catch the snake venom trying to prevent it from harming him. It is there in that cave where Loki and his wife will remain, bound and rendered powerless until ragnarok. This bindiing is profoundly magical and renders Loki impotent until Ragnarok when he breaks free of his binding to rise with the Jotun to fight against the gods in their attempt to destroy them. Loki and/or Sutr and their army kill many gods and destroy the world, but ultimately their actions are unsuccesful and the new world rises from Jormungandr with the survivng gods while the soul of the folk is reborn by Hoenir who remained at Mimir’s well until after ragnarok to stir his Odr and brings forth the next creation as Baldr and Nanna return.
This story makes it obvious to me why hailing or praising Loki is pointless in the first place. He has no ability to procure benefit to those that do so as he has been rendered powerless by the gods when he was bound. So why do people insist on hailing this cursed being? I personally believe those that do so mostly do this from ignorance. They do not know the lore, its history/epic nature and mostly do this as a social statement to appear cool and rebellious. For if someone knowingly hails and prays to loki understanding his true nature, then this person has intelligently decided to side with the enemies of the gods and seeks to destroy all that the gods have created and that person shares the same fate as Loki and is ultimately destroyed during ragnarok.
It should be noted that there are only two possible depictions of Loki in archeaological finds; The Kirkby Stephen Stone and possibly the Gosforth Cross. Both images bare no name to definitively identify the character portrayed on these two finds, but on both depictions the character is bound and on the Gosforth cross there is an image of a woman standing over a bound figure, while holding a bowl with a snake over head. The imagery matches the story that has survived in the literary sources. However, the lack of any amulets, charms or other runic carvings that display the name “Loki” supports the name taboo associated with this condemned being and strongly suggests that Loki worship was completely unknown to our ancestors. Infact we find no examples in any histories, sagas, manuscripts, place/location names nor any other known source attesting to any form of Loki worship.
There is one story that is known from Saxo grammaticus, that some have misidentified as an example of a king praying to Loki; but even in this single example (which actually is not Loki that’s being prayed to), the end result of the king and his followers after their devotional prayers is misfortune and destruction. It would take a very distorted reading of Saxo, Book 8 to arrive at the conclusion this story represents an example of Loki worship by royalty, no less. Some claim that Saxo was writing about Loki Laufeyjarson and referring to him as Útgarða-Loki. First, we do not know that Saxo was writing about “Loki Laufeyjarson”.He speaks of a bound figure in the places of torment in hell named Utgard-Loki. In Snorri’s Edda, Utgard-Loki is a separate figure, a giant also named Skyrmir, who fools Thor, Loki, Thjalfi and Roskva with illusions. If he is speaking of Loki Laufey’s son, then he is speaking of him when he is bound in Niflhel by the gods.
Saxo says: “While he was thus inclined, certain men who wished ill to Thorkill came and told Gorm that it was needful to consult the gods, and that assurance about so great a matter must be sought of the oracles of heaven, since it was too deep for human wit and hard for mortals to discover. Therefore, they said, Utgarda-Loki must be appeased,…. he must first travel to a grassless land which was veiled in deep darkness; but he must first voyage for four days, rowing incessantly, before he could reach his goal. There he could visit Utgarda-Loki, who had chosen hideous and grisly caves for his filthy dwelling. Thorkill was much aghast at being bidden to go on a voyage so long and hazardous; …With his crew he entered a land where an aspect of unbroken night checked the vicissitude of light and darkness. He could hardly see before him, but beheld a rock of enormous size. Wishing to explore it, he told his companions, who were standing posted at the door, to strike a fire from flints as a timely safeguard against demons, and kindle it in the entrance.Then he made others bear a light before him, and stooped his body through the narrow jaws of the cavern, where he beheld a number of iron seats among a swarm of gliding serpents. Next there met his eye a sluggish mass of water gently flowing over a sandy bottom. He crossed this, and approached a cavern which sloped somewhat more steeply. Again, after this, a foul and gloomy room was disclosed to the visitors, wherein they saw Utgarda-Loki, laden hand and foot with enormous chains. Each of his reeking hairs was as large and stiff as a spear of cornel. Thorkill (his companions lending a hand), in order that his deeds might gain more credit, plucked one of these from the chin of Utgarda-Loki, who suffered it. Straightway such a noisome smell reached the bystanders, that they could not breathe without stopping their noses with their mantles. They could scarcely make their way out, and were bespattered by the snakes which darted at them on every side. Only five of Thorkill’s company embarked with their captain: the poison killed the rest. The demons hung furiously over them, and cast their poisonous slaver from every side upon the men below them. But the sailors sheltered themselves with their hides, and cast back the venom that fell upon them. One man by chance at this point wished to peep out; the poison touched his head, which was taken off his neck as if it had been severed with a sword. Another put his eyes out of their shelter, and when he brought them back under it they were blinded. Another thrust forth his hand while unfolding his covering, and, when he withdrew his arm, it was withered by the virulence of the same slaver. They besought their deities to be kinder to them; vainly, until Thorkill prayed to the god of the universe, and poured forth unto him libations as well as prayers; and thus, presently finding the sky even as before and the elements clear, he made a fair voyage. And now they seemed to behold another world, and the way towards the life of man. At last Thorkill landed in Germany, which had then been admitted to Christianity.
So after an encounter with the “god” Utgard-Loki, nearly dying and losing a number of his men, Thorkill turns to the God of the Universe and converts to Christianity — the fate of all Loki worshippers apparently.
So now lets look at the circumstances that brought Thorkill to that “god”. Saxo says: Harald’s son GORM won no mean place of honour among the ancient generals of the Danes by his record of doughty deeds. For he ventured into fresh fields, preferring to practise his inherited valour, not in war, but in searching the secrets of nature; and, just as other kings are stirred by warlike ardour, so his heart thirsted to look into marvels; either what he could experience himself, or what were merely matters of report. And being desirous to go and see all things foreign and extraordinary, he thought that he must above all test a report which he had heard from the men of Thule concerning the abode of a certain Geirrod. For they boasted past belief of the mighty piles of treasure in that country, but said that the way was beset with peril, and hardly passable by mortal man. …Three hundred men announced that they had the same desire as the king; and he resolved that Thorkill, who had brought the news, should be chosen to guide them on the journey, as he knew the ground and was versed in the approaches to that country. Thorkill did not refuse the task.
…Now when they had come to Halogaland (Helgeland), they lost their favouring breezes, and were driven and tossed diverse ways over the seas in perilous voyage. At last, in extreme want of food, and lacking even bread, they staved off hunger with a little pottage….perceiving that land was near, they bade a youth of great nimbleness climb to the masthead and look out; and he reported that a precipitous island was in sight. All were overjoyed, and gazed with thirsty eyes at the country at which he pointed,…Then Thorkill told them to take no more of the herds that were running about in numbers on the coast, than would serve once to appease their hunger. If they disobeyed, the guardian gods of the spot would not let them depart. But the seamen, more anxious to go on filling their bellies than to obey orders, postponed counsels of safety to the temptations of gluttony, and loaded the now emptied holds of their ships with the carcases of slaughtered cattle…On the following night monsters dashed down upon the shore, filled the forest with clamour, and beleaguered and beset the ships. One of them, huger than the rest, strode over the waters, armed with a mighty club. Coming close up to them, he bellowed out that they should never sail away till they had atoned for the crime they had committed in slaughtering the flock, and had made good the losses of the herd of the gods by giving up one man for each of their ships. …[They escape and enter the paradise land of the giant Gudmund, filled with treasures, and Guldmund leads them to the gates of Niflhel] …Gudmund perceived that Thorkill was shrewder than he at every point; so, despairing to accomplish his treachery, he carried them all across the further side of the river, and let them finish their journey. They went on; and saw, not far off, a gloomy, neglected town, looking more like a cloud exhaling vapour. Stakes interspersed among the battlements showed the severed heads of warriors and dogs of great ferocity were seen watching before the doors to guard the entrance. Thorkill threw them a horn smeared with fat to lick, and so, at slight cost, appeased their most furious rage. High up the gates lay open to enter, and they climbed to their level with ladders, entering with difficulty. Inside the town was crowded with murky and misshapen phantoms, and it was hard to say whether their shrieking figures were more ghastly to the eye or to the ear; everything was foul, and the reeking mire afflicted the nostrils of the visitors with its unbearable stench. Then they found the rocky dwelling which Geirrod was rumoured to inhabit for his palace. They resolved to visit its narrow and horrible ledge, but stayed their steps and halted in panic at the very entrance. {There they find the giant Geirrod and his daughters, whom Thor killed and sent to Niflhel].
After much loss of life, they attempt to return home. Saxo says: The king bewailed his friend’s disaster and departed hastening on his voyage. This was at first prosperous, but afterwards he was tossed by bad weather; his men perished of hunger, and but few survived, so that he began to feel awe in his heart, and fell to making vows to heaven, thinking the gods alone could help him in his extreme need. At last the others besought sundry powers among the gods, and thought they ought to sacrifice to the majesty of diverse deities; but the king, offering both vows and peace-offerings to Utgarda-Loki, obtained that fair season of weather for which he prayed. [So the men pray to the powers of heaven for safety, and the King decides to pray to Utgard-Loki instead, who is described as a bound demon in the text] and his prayer is answered.
Here is the crux. Saxo continues: Coming home, and feeling that he had passed through all these seas and toils, he thought it was time for his spirit, wearied with calamities, to withdraw from his labours. So he took a queen from Sweden, and exchanged his old pursuits for meditative leisure. His life was prolonged in the utmost peace and quietness; but when he had almost come to the end of his days, certain men persuaded him by likely arguments that souls were immortal; so that he was constantly turning over in his mind the questions, to what abode he was to fare when the breath left his limbs, or what reward was earned by zealous adoration of the gods. While he was thus inclined, certain men who wished ill to Thorkill came and told Gorm that it was needful to consult the gods, and that assurance about so great a matter must be sought of the oracles of heaven, since it was too deep for human wit and hard for mortals to discover. Therefore, they said, Utgarda-Loki must be appeased, and no man would accomplish this more fitly than Thorkill.
So driven by greed, King Gorm wanted to go see if the tales of Gudmund the giant and his treasure were true. Losing a gret deal of men, and almost dying in the process himself, King Gorm prays to the demon Utgard-Loki and his prayer is answered. Then at the end of a prolonged life, King Gorm was convinced by some men that souls were immortal, and as a result he contemplated where we would go when he died. In this state, enemies of Thorkill convinced the king that the powers of heaven insisted that Utgard-Loki (the bound demon he had previously prayed to) must be appeased and that Thorkill was just the man for the job! So Gorm’s praying to Loki was driven by his extreme need and fear for his life, and he had to atone for doing so or risk not going to heaven.
Saxo continues: Others, again, laid information against him as guilty of treachery and an enemy of the king’s life. Thorkill, seeing himself doomed to extreme peril, demanded that his accusers should share his journey. Then they who had aspersed an innocent man saw that the peril they had designed against the life of another had recoiled upon themselves, and tried to take back their plan. But vainly did they pester the ears of the king; he forced them to sail under the command of Thorkill, and even upbraided them with cowardice. Thus, when a mischief is designed against another, it is commonly sure to strike home to its author. And when these men saw that they were constrained, and could not possibly avoid the peril, they covered their ship with ox-hides, and filled it with abundant store of provision. In this ship they sailed away, and came to a sunless land, which knew not the stars, was void of daylight, and seemed to overshadow them with eternal night. Long they sailed under this strange sky; at last their timber fell short, and they lacked fuel; and, having no place to boil their meat in, they staved off their hunger with raw viands. But most of those who ate contracted extreme disease, being glutted with undigested food..(This is the crew that will sail into Niflhel, visit the hall on the Nastronds mentioned in Voluspa, before entering the deadly cave of Utgard-Loki, King Gorm’s “god”
That is the strongest piece of evidence a few people have used to justify the worship of Loki, and it occurs in a heavily euhemerized and Christianized text. Loki can only be understood as a god to be worshipped if we ignore the context of the entire passage. He is a “god’ chained in Niflhel, the places of punishment in the lower world, and any contact with him is deadly. He is clearly NOT one of the “powers of heaven” mentioned in the text.
So according to Saxo, if this is Utgard-Loki, he too is chained up in the places of punishment just as Snorri and the Eddic poems state. Who would worship a bound enemy of the gods destined to lead the inhabitants of Niflhel in the ship Naglfari to battle the gods to the death? Only a deranged mind would knowingly stand against the gods and godesses of our folk and those that do so, openly confess their fate and their own impending doom being cursed by the gods and nothing but Misfortune awaits them.
Just how sacred was the bear to the germanic folk? This totem animal was considered so sacred that there was a name taboo on it; and this is why we call the bear what it is today i.e. “bear” which means “the brown one”. The incredible paintings in the Chauvet cave in South-eastern France include images of bears. This artwork depicts the now extinct cave bear and is around 30,000 years old! This animal has been an important aspect of the Indo European folk quite literally for tens of thousands of years. In ancient times, the bear symbolized the misseri cycle of winter and summer. The hibernation period begining at the start of winter and the awakening of hibernation during sumri (which in the surviving Icelandic Misseri Calander falls in April of the modern Gregorian calendrical system).
The motif of the bear traces itself to ancient times and sacred rites of passage that still have remenant memories in the folk consciousness to this day. The bear was considered to posses certain powers over nature and it’s regeneration in the spring (sumri). This parallels with Thor and is certainly why in the Skaldskaparmal, Snorri uses the name “Björn” (or Bear) as a heita (synonym) of Thor for he is the god that over sees and controls the weather and the growth of crops and nature for regenration in sumri or first summers day, or what we now call spring. The allusion of the gods in the form of animals is common in norse lore; Odin as the eagle, Frey as the Elk or Stag and so it is no wonder that Thor is also associated with such a magnificient creature like the bear.
The bear was more than a symbolic representation of the seasonal cycles, for in ancient times the bear was seen as a magical animal and totem (Fylgja) one that could pass its Hamingja to others. As Europe slowly became christianized there appears a transition of motifs regarding the bear that left survivng tales in later accounts of dragons with hidden lairs that hoard gold, and the hunt of some warrior to find and slay that dragon and recover his hidden treasure. This motif is nothing other than a hidden tale of the ritualized bear hunt from pre-christian times i.e. the dragon in a hidden cave which is the bear in the hidden cave. But what are these stories really telling us? What do they mean?
To find the answer to these questions an examination of known lore and its associations and mentions of the bear in these tales is prudent. However, upon examination of known Norse related text there is only a handful of direct references that exist which makes the obvious associations of the importance of the bear to the germanic folk not easily gleaned at a quick glance of the material. Some people believe that this small amount of surviving material was the result of the migrations of the folk to Iceland where bears did not exist and it is in Iceland where the majority of our known lore was perserved for future generations. Indeed, as Christianity spread through out Europe there was a consorted effort by christian priests, warriors and warlords to outlaw the sacred lore and history of the germanic tribes which were quickly subdued and conquered after the treacherous massacre of Verden by Charlemagne in 782 when more than 4,500 Jarls of the germanic/saxxon tribes were slaughtered. This allowed Charlemagne to consildate his power over much of continental Europe and what followed was a campaign to obliterate the native religion of the Germanic folk. As preists and warlords forced local populations to convert to this new foreign faith, the folk began to seek new lands and the era of the vikings began with migration to the Isles and lands west of continental Europe. It was during this same time frame that we see a transition of motifs in the sacred lore of the folk e.g. the bear becoming represented by the dragon which was also a foreign motif brought to europe from the east.
What we know from survivng lore about the bear is that this creature held certain magical properties. Icelandic material clearly ties this animal to hamrammr or shape shifting. This idea was probably best captured in the Hrólfs saga kraka where king Hrolf had great warriors in his bodyguard; Bjarki (which means “little bear”), the champion of King Hrolf of Denmark, was “said to fight in the form of a great bear in the ranks of the king’s army, while his human form lay at home and seemed asleep”. This tale is recorded in more than 40 known manuscripts and can be found in narratives from Denmark, Iceland, and Norway. The Skjǫldunga saga tells us that Boðvarr bjarki was a Norwegian and married one of King Hrólfr’s daughters. In the Hrólfs saga kraka it is explained that Bjarki is the son of Bera (she bear) and Bjorn (bear). This story presents us with a clear association of the bear cult still extant in Norse culture as late as the writings that recorded these events circa 1200 ce, almost 600 years after the events of Bjarki and King Hrolf in circa 600 ce. The narrative of these events tells us that Hrólfr kraki was the greatest king of Denmark during the Heroic Age. In his court at Hleiðargarðr he was surrounded by loyal servants and the greatest of champions; chief among them was Boðvarr bjarki. Despite his leading status among the champions of King Hrólfr, according to the most expansive accounts of the final battle at Hleiðargarðr, where King Hrólfr and all of his champions would eventually fall, Boðvarr bjarki was conspicuously absent from the initial stages of the battle as he was in his bed laying down. It was not until Boðvarr’s friend and fellow champion of King Hrólfr, Hjalti, awakened Bjarki to join the battle, and according to Hrólfs saga kraka, it was not until this moment that their defeat was sealed as Hrólfs saga tells of a large bear defending the king while Boðvarr was absent from the battle and suggests that Bjarki was laying in trance controlling the actions of the bear which was described as “men saw that a great bear went before King Hrolf’s men, keeping always near the king. He slew more men with his forepaws than any five of the king’s champions. Blades and weapons glanced off him, and he brought down both men and horses in King Hjorvard’s forces, and everything which came in his path he crushed to death with his teeth, so that panic and terror swept through King Hjorvard’s army…”. In the Bjarkarímur there is a ríma that records a similar story about Bjarki, and although it does not record Boðvarr Bjarki as the bear himself and Bjarki is not sleeping in this rendition of the story, he is clearly being associated with the actions of the bear during the battle.
While the tale of Boðvarr Bjarki is an extraordinary tale of a great warrior, one that many scholars suggest was a Beserker (Bear Shirt), to understand the association of the bear with this great warrior we should first look at what sort of magical association the bear has to the Berserker. In Grettirs Saga it tells of the story of a man named Bjorn (Bear) who throws Grettir’s cloak into the den of a bear. Grettir slays the bear, recovers his cloak, and returns with the bear’s paw as a token of his victory (it should be noted that the bear’s paw was also called hrammr). We have a similar motif in Hrolf’s saga when Boðvarr Bjarki has a protege, named Hjalti, who undergoes a simulated encounter as his initiation rite where Boðvarr slays a dragon-like beast (a kenning for a bear), then sets its skin up on a frame. Hjalti then “attacks” the beast and symbolically kills it before witnesses, earning his place among the warriors of the band. What is being described in these events is an ancient germanic initiation rite, one that goes back tens of thousands of years. To understand the meaning of this rite and its purpose we must look to another tale from the lore; the tale of Volund the smith.
The story of Volund the smith is recorded in the poetic edda in a poem titled Völundarkvitha. In this story the king of the Alfs had three sons Volund, Egil and Slagfiðr. Volund and his two brother venture out one night and found Valkyries also described as swans spinning flax by a river. The three brothers snuck up on these swans and took them home as their brides. After some time these Valkyrie wives had a longing for battle and they flew away. It is related that when Volunds bride left that she gave him a ring. Volunds two brothers chased after their brides while Volund himself stayed home in Ulfdalir (Wolf’s Valley). While in greif missing his beloved wife he sat there day after day on a bear skin (the bear skin is central to understanding this story, take note) while cooking bear steaks, making replica after replica of the gold ring his wife had left for him, slowly mastering the smithing arts. Stories of Völund’s proficiency in metal-work reached the ear of King Nidud. The king, desiring to use these skills for his own aggrandizement, kidnapped the smith and stole his rings, and imprisoned him on an island. To make sure Volund would not escape the king crippled and hamstrung him and forced him to forge items. While captive, Volund was able to trick two sons of the king with promises of a treasure, and once he was able to lure these boys he chopped off their head and feet, fashioning goblets from their skulls and sending these to the king. Böðvild, a daughter of king Nidud, took the ring Volunds bride had given him which was seized by the king and she tried to appease him with it. Volund then seduces her and gets her pregnant. Later, he flies to Niðhad’s hall where he explains all that he has done. Niðhad summons his daughter, asking her if Völundr’s story was true. The poem ends with Böðvild stating that she was unable to protect herself from Völundr as he was too strong for her, alluding that he had used powerful magic on her.
Volund is the same as Weyland (also spelled Wayland, Weland and Watlende), the smithing god of the Anglo-Saxon’s that was brought with the Saxon settlers to Brittain. As the son of the Alf King, Volund is Visi Alfa or Alfa Ljodhi (Prince of the Alfar or countryman of the álfar).The significance of Volunds story is over looked by most scholars and practioners of the ancient faith, but this is not without reason. The story as perserved in the poetic edda is incomplete and missing details. This story was also preserved in the Germanic Thidreks Saga, which features many of the same events as the Völundarkvitha, but begins by describing Velent (Völund) as the son of a giant . The Völundarkvitha portrays the story as if this is a tale of a depraved human. However, glimpses of Volunds importance to the religion of the Norse is attested by his mythological importance in a myriad archeological finds; runic inscriptions (a Frisian runic inscription ᚹᛖᛚᚩᛞᚢ wela[n]du ‘wayland’), casket inscriptions on burials, Gotlandic picture stones and even inscribed on crosses in England. We can imagine some association of Volund with death, but why?
What remains of the story from germanic sources on Volund is very late and incomplete. As prince of the Alfar or countryman of the álfar, Volund’s story actually originates with these folk. The Finns (from El-ven) are the decsendents of the Alfar and there exists a preserved tradition more complete than the one contained in the poetic edda. The Völundarkvitha in the poetic edda undergoes a stylistic shift 1/3 of the way through the poem. The first 50 lines are in the third person and the next 111.5 lines contain 75.5 lines that are direct speech, as if it is the character themself speaking. This is a 67% stylistic change in the content from 0%. The change in style occurs when Volundr awakes imprisoned, so that the account of Volundr‘s history prior to his capture is a lot different than his interaction with Nidud and the revenge sequence. Such a radical shift in narration is usually regarded as a revision to a work. It is likely that this shift is the result of the compiler merging two stories or is missing a significant portion of the story.
There is a broader Indo European motif of Swan Maidens that we can look at. The stoy of VOlund in the Völundarkvitha shares the following in common with this broader tale:
If we examine the tradition preserved in the poetic edda more closely with these broader Indo European traditions we can arrive at a deeper understanding of Volund, the rituals which surround this tale and what his mythological importance is to the Norse and the broader germanic folk. The story depicts the departure of the swan maidens as the migratory pattern of birds (birds are often used to describe souls), and thus if we consider why Volund did not chase after his bride as his two brothers did, it was because he knew she would return in the spring. We find this same motiff in surviving Alfar, Celtic and Slavic traditions. What’s of important note as part of Volund’s story is that after his bride leaves him, he sits on a bear skin.
The associations and characterization of a bear and Volund becomes clearer with a deeper dive into the literary descriptions of him. As the poetic edda describes volund he is sitting on a bear skin, he is making bear steaks consuming the bear at which point he is referred to as brunni, or ‘brown one’, a noa-word for ‘bear’ and later in the story Volund bares his teeth like a wild animal and is called dyr (animal). This is interesting because these descriptions are made after his capture and imprisonment by the King, juxtaopposed to the tranquility and peaceful nature of Volund while he was in the forest. The symbology of this clearly relates to an ancient bear tradition of the germanic folk; one that still lived into the collective memories of the folk long after the conversion era of europe.
The germanic bear cult was unique among Indo European traditions. The only parallel we find to the germanic bear tradition in all of europe are from the Finnic people, known from the lore as the Alfar. There is a parallel between the prince of the alfar i.e. Volund, to these traditions. In the finnic tradition the bear originated from the sky and one of the biggest threats to its spirit is a tempest. The Finn also called bears the “god’s dogs”, which is an interesting concept if we were to consider the “Wolves” of Odin in the norse tradition were actually bears. It was believed that the wolf and the bear were related. Looking at the Berserker (bear shirts) legends in germanic lore we see both the wolf and the bear as animals these warriors would wear the skins of during battle.
The finnic folk conceived of the bear as the spirit of the forest and reffered to him as the god of the forest as this creature was understood to have power over nature, fertility, seasonal cycles (misseri) and its hibernation was seen as a trance or death like state which explains why there was a taboo on killing a sleeping or hibernating bear. We can assume this taboo was prevalent not only among the finnish folk but also the germanic folk as even in modern language we have expressions such as “don’t poke the bear”. This originates from the taboo of not bothering a hibernating bear, as misfortune could befall you. The finnic folk specifically believed that killing a sleeping bear could cause the bears spirit to come back and cause you harm and bad luck as its spirit is free and wandering during its sleep.
Rituals surrounding bear hunts and killing was an essential rite of passage. However, in these ritualized killings the bear’s spirit could be brought back to life by beating the bearskin, which would bring the spirit of the bear back to life so its spirit could return to the sky. This is also why both the finnic and germanic folk would hang the bear’s skull from trees. The beating of the bear with sticks with brass rings was essential to resurrecting the bear from death as the “ring” on the stick would bind or transfer the bear’s power and spirit. It is likely these sticks were used as magical wands or gandr sticks as it is known in the Norse tradition.
The actual hunt itself was a process that involved at least three people. The shaman that located the lair earlier in the year would come with a drum, the “rod man” that carried the stick with the brass ring and finally the hunter. The rod man would arouse the spirit of the bear with the rod and brass ring though the cave and the shaman would beat his drums to effect the trance like sounds that help guide spirits. When the bear was aroused and came out of the lair, the hunter would kill the bear with one stroke as the bear exited the cave. The rod man would then beat the bear with the rod with the brass ring on it. As the hunters returned to the village they would have been effected by the power of the bear’s spirit and upon returning to the village women could only look upon the men and the bear through a brass ring, perhaps to filter their view. Using holes to look towards the sun through clouds was a navigational method used for centuries among captains before the advent of viewing glasses or crystals. Something interesting to this concept is that in saami graves in finland, 80% of the graves contained brass rings. This almost certainly had to do with the bear or its spirit as being the guardian between worlds and was associated with the land of the dead.
Bears have the ability to understand human speech. This is what led to a name taboo on the animal not just in germanic tongues but also the finnic languages. In fact the finns have more than 200 identified words for a bear. Ethnographers often considered this to be a secret language among these hunters.
Just like the story of Bjarti from Hrolfs saga whose parents are said to be bears, the finns also shared a common tradition of marriage and romances between bears and women and this is where the origin of the bear hunt is said to come from. There were three reasons for the Finnic folk to do ritualized killing of a bear; 1) To trick the bears spirit into thinking it had not actually been killed and placate it so the hunters would not be harmed or haunted by the bear spirit, 2) Return the bear’s spirit to the sky from which it comes and 3) To facilitate “luck” for hunting in the future. The ritualized return to the viallage with the bear would also be a representation played out symbolically during finnish wedding ceremonies.
The finnish tradition may appear more totemic than the norse or germanic stories or lore at first glance but there is a deeper level to this sacred animal i.e. bear and its place within germanic spirituality than most .people realize. For the germanic folk the bear was seen as a fylgjar, however, outside of a few marauding stories where real world hunting and killing of the bear was seen as a heroic act, to that of slaying a “dragon”. The lack of information on this may in fact be attributable to the icelandic migration where bears did not exist. So the excitement of going on the “bear hunt” was even more heroic as such a journey would require dangerous adventures across the sea. Yet the significance of the hunt was still captured, though in sparse detail in a few literary places.
In Viga-Glums saga, Glumr cuts off the snout of a bear to hold as evidence of him killing a bear, which we see as a similar act in Grettis saga wherein Grettir produces the paw of the bear to prove he has killed it. These acts are ritualized actions which in the finnic tradition finalized the ritual. We can assume that a similar process played out during these bear hunts for the norse and germanic folk albeit, time and separation of the icelanders from the homeland from which they came probably changed the bear’s role and significance for our folk.
What do we know from germanic sources about the bear?
There is no doubt that the germanic and norse folk had a bear tradition that played an essential role in their faith and religion. The bear clearly held special significance in regard to its “powers” and is clearly tied to magical acts and a means or mode of regeneration or rebirth. Because of the lack of bears in Iceland and Denmark, the two places where most of the surviving lore was preserved, the emphasis and knowledge about the bear tradition was sparsely mentioned when it was written or mentioned by authors that wrote these tales and stories hundreds of years after the conversion of the germanic folk to christianity. However, from what has survived it is possible to reconstruct the bear tradition to some extent.
To our germanic ancestors the bear held powers which could be transferred upon others by a ritualized process that bound the bears spirit. This binding was the means by which the power of the bear could be harnessed and controlled. This is why the bear hunt was an essential rite of passage. Clan cheiftains would acquire their authority through this rite and warriors would be initiated by either reenactment of this ritual or by participating in a bear hunt, possibly being the one required to kill the bear during the hunt. Warriors would then drink the blood of the bear to receive its qualities, strength and magical abilities. The bears skin would only be worn by the Chieftain and clan Elders that had participated in the binding of a bear; while young warriors and elders that had not participated in the bear hunt would wear wolf skins, which was viewed as related to the bear as its little brother, this is why we see some descriptions of Berserkers as wearing wolfskins. In some instances, the clan cheiftain would pass their bear skin to their successor as a means of transfering its authority and power to the person receiving this magical item.
Any mention of a bear tradition in germanic lore automatically conjures images of crazed warriors on battlefields. These warriors were known as Beserkers and it is from these brave fighters that we get the modern word “to go beserk”. Beserk actually translates as “Bear-shirt”. These warriors were known to be closely tied to the worship of Odin, the god that grants victory in battle. But what has odin to do with the bear, whom thor has been definitively associated with? It is known in lore that both Odin and Thor have taken the forms of a bear, and while the power over nature that the bear has is clearly linked to the powers of Thor, the bear tradition has profound parallels to other aspects of the norse lore with regenerating rings similar in quality to Odins ring Draupnir which produces new rings every 9 nights. Interestingly, there is another connection to these rings in the story of Nanna (Baldr’s wife) another woman “taken away for a period” and whose name means “Maiden Woman”, wherein she returns from hell every so often (Spring) to give Frigga and Fulla gifts. The gift she provides to Fulla is a golden ring. In norse lore these golden rings have usually been associated with nature and rebirth and this is certainly the case in regard to Odins regenerating rings. When Odin receives Draupnir as a gift, this golden ring certainly symbolized the transference of power to Odin over its magical qualities. When Thor received his “magical golden belt”, megingjörð, this could also be a ring of sorts that transferred authority to Thor and gave him the powers over nature. The symbology is profound.
Saxo retells of a story where Hotherus must travel on a journey to find the only weapon that can Kill Balderus (Baldr), Hotherus travels long and far to the wilderness wherein he sets up a camp in the shadow of a cave. He is there so long that he is hunting other animals for food while he awaits the “Satyr of the woods”, after sometime the shadow of the ‘satyr of the woods’ (Possibly a noa term for bear) lands on his tent. Hotherus brings this creature down with a single thrust of a spear. He then ties and bounds it and demands the creature to give him the weapon that will kill Balderus (a sword) and ring similar to draupnir. This account is describing a ritualized bear hunt. It is also interesting that Hotherus also waits for this creature to appear from the cave, alluding to the taboo against killing a hibernating bear.
There can be no doubt from these traditions that these rings and the power that the bear had over nature had everything to do with life, death and rebirth. This is why we find germanic burials with warriors wrapped in bear skins; and the same reason the Berserkers wore these same skins during battle, for those slain in these magical hides would be reborn, as the bear (a form of Fylgja) would guide the soul to its rebirth to one day fight in Ragnarok by the side of Odin. While the rings found in burial sites would indicate a more general charm for rebirth for the dead.
This cycle of life, death and rebirth was conveyed by the “Hamingja” of the bears power to the soul of the germanic folk and was seen as a potent aspect of fertility. It is no wonder that the ritualized bear hunt was also an important function of the ancient germanic marriage ceremony. Draupnir, the ring that drops 8 rings every ninth night is also a kenning used for women, but as we know from norse literature the ring never falls into the posession of women. Odin is the holder of Draupnir and he is known as the progenitor of geneologies and family lines. This is important because the ring represents identity. During the germanic marriage ceremony the transfer of a sword and a ring represented the transfer of ones identity to the other. The husband would provide a sword (possibly any pointed weapon) to his wife or possibly his wife’s family, this would represent his protection over her and the wife would give the husband a ring (which developed in later traditions to be a maidens cup-a ringed vessel), which represented her giving the husband power over her identity or soul/spirit. In germanic theology it is understood that a child receives their soul qualities from their father, and that a woman assumes the soul qualities of her husband. This is the ritual process by which this spiritual transfer happens and by which the soul of the woman is bound to that of the husband. This ceremony ties directly to the bear tradition.
In the context of ritual bear hunts, the ancient wedding ceremony would involve a reenactment of a bear hunt where a bride would be offered as food for the bear. The husband would wear the skin of the bear and the wife or family of the wife would symbolically slay and beat the bear; this was a ritual act of fertility done as part of the marriage ceremony. In Saxo’s danish history he tells an account of a wedding ceremony where the husband is named Bjorn (Bear) and the wife is called Bera (she bear) and although he does not directly tie his word usage to the bear tradtion, it does show that this tradition certainly existed and lived on in the minds of men hundreds of years after the christian conversion period of europe.
The bear has always played an important part of the world for our folk. Its skins were used to show authority and rank, used for magical acts of traveling and controlling certain aspects of nature. It was seen as a mode of migrating the soul to different places and reincarnating dead warriors to join Odin at the Battle of Ragnarok. And although we may lack a lot of information about rituals surrounding the bear, it still holds a great power over the world, as its sinews are used as part of Gleipnir to restrain the destruction of Fenrir, the spawn of Loki. The bear offers protection to the folk and in this wolf age that we now live in, calling back the spirit of the bear in our traditions can give us strength, fertility and power against the forces of destruction.
Hail The Brown One!
