They didn't use parchment to write down their stories but would instead pass them down orally from one generation to another. Historians discovered that the oldest known futhark dates back to the period between the 2nd and 4th century.Īs we have already mentioned, the Vikings used runes only in extraordinary situations.

Norse runic alphabets are named after the first six runes F, U, TH, A, R, K - futharks. Apart from being connected with specific phonetic sounds, runes also held individual meanings, like glyphs within other ancient cultures. Runes are very similar to letters, with one exception. Some Vikings even thought that runes held special powers. The word rune originates from the word for Old English word run (Old Norse runir), meaning 'a mystery or secret.' This is why it comes as no surprise that runes were used to convey only special and extraordinary messages. Today, we are going to cover the following symbols:Īnd now, without further ado, let's begin our story.

This is why Vikings engraved these divine symbols into their jewelry, painted them on their shields, stitched them onto their clothing, and carved them onto their longships.Īll because of the feeling that both fate and their Gods were on their side. They sailed across open seas, fought countless battles, and they needed to believe that destiny and the Gods were on their side. They lived in the heat, cold, wind, and rain. These are the two reasons why Norse symbols have such an important place within Viking culture, and why almost every piece of Viking jewelry was associated with some of the symbols.Īs Norsemen genuinely believed that the symbols held power, it comes as no surprise that they wanted to have them around in the face of danger or uncertainty. Having fate on their side could mean the difference between life and death, and there is no need to waste words to underscore the significance of the Norse mythology Gods during the Viking age. Vikings considered Norse symbols as a connection with destiny and spirituality, the two things that were sacred to any Viking. Even though we know that the highest percentage of people from Iceland have Viking origins, there is still no proof that those symbols were used before the 16th century.Ī Brief Introduction to Norse (Nordic) Mythology Symbols Troll Cross is connected to the modern Swedish folklore, while the other two were discovered within the 16th-century literature originating in Iceland. However, there is no proof they were used by Norsemen. Helm of Awe (Old Norse Œgishjalmr), Viking Compass (Icelandic: Vegvísir), and Troll Cross are among the most famous symbols in the modern culture associated with Norse mythology. Their original meanings are nothing more than the educated guesses of historians and archaeologists. Some Norse mythological symbols were definitely used throughout history, but there is no written evidence that Norsemen used them. However, were all of these symbols indeed used back in the Viking era? We can't say for sure, and here is why: Nowadays, those symbols are known as the Norse mythology symbols, and they still hold immense power for us who believe in them. They also thought that different symbols would help them overcome their problems. Let's dive in! Are all of the Norse (Nordic) Mythology Symbols Really 'Original'? After you finish reading this article, you will be able to choose your Viking gear not only by the looks of items you like, but also by their meaning. They look cool, but not all of you are aware of their meanings. Every true fan of Viking culture enjoys wearing clothing and accessories with tattoos and symbols from Norse mythology. In this article, we will shed some light on the most famous Norse (or Nordic) mythological symbols nowadays and tell you a bit more of their meanings. Hello, fellow Vikings! Many of you have bought some of the Viking items with Norse symbols from our store, but do you know their meaning?

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