![]() Their own deaths and those of their enemies would please their god. In this way, Norse warriors used their spears to give blood sacrifices to their god. Dedicating the battle to him meant that any blood spilled would be in his name. This recreated his own action and served as a dedication to him.īy throwing the spear, Norse warriors consecrated the battleground and made it a place holy to Odin. When Viking Age warriors entered the battle, they often threw a spear ahead and called out a prayer to Odin. His worshippers would re-enact that moment in their own battles in honor of their god. Odin officially started the battle by throwing his spear in this way, but the action also served a symbolic purpose. The image of Odin throwing his spear at the start of the battle became one of the most iconic in Germanic culture. The two groups fought for supremacy early in their history, although they eventually came to a truce that gave them nearly equal status.Īs the battle began, the Poetic Edda says that Odin threw his spear in an arc above the opposing forces. In the Poetic Edda, an account is given of the first battle between the Aesir and Vanir gods. While many of the gods had magical weapons that were associated with them, Gungnir was particularly important. Fenrir would kill Odin and all the Einherjar before finally falling to Odin’s son Vidarr. At the head of the great host, he will be wearing a golden helmet, an impressive cloak of mail, and he will carry Gungnir.Īlthough Odin would carry his favored weapon into battle, Gungnir would not be enough to stop the dread wolf. The Prose Edda describes Odin riding out to the battle with the Einherjar, the warriors of Valhalla. In the gods’ last battle, Odin was destined to face Fenrir, Loki’s monstrous wolf offspring. In addition to relating the story of its creation, Snorri Sturluson’s work detailed how the spear would be used at Ragnarok. The Prose Edda also talks about Odin’s spear. One of the Valkyries tells the hero Sigurd that the tip of Gungnir is inscribed with powerful magical runes. Later in the Poetic Edda, the great spear is mentioned again. Gungnir, the spear that had inspired Loki to collect the items, was given to Odin. Thor, Odin, and Freyr each received items from Loki’s trip. The gods were so pleased with their gifts that they all but forgot that Loki had only gotten them because he had committed an offense against Thor’s wife. Loki returned to Asgard with these and other gifts that he had wagered with the dwarves to create. He asked about it and the Sons of Ivaldi happily gave it to him as a gift for the gods. While Loki was there, he noticed an amazing spear in the dwarves’ workshop. He met with workmen called the Sons of Ivaldi to have magical golden hair created. When Loki mischievously cut off Sif’s golden hair, he went to the dwarves to have a replacement made of real gold. This further enhanced Odin’s ability to hit any target.Īccording to the Poetic Edda, Gungnir was one of the valuable items Loki brought back from his journey to Svartalfheim. In addition to its magical properties, Gungnir was also said to be perfectly balanced. ![]() No matter how it was thrown, Gungnir would turn itself so that it hit whatever, or whomever, Odin aimed for. This was because it always found its target. While ordinary spears flew in a relatively straight line, Gungnir moved and twisted. It was named “The Swaying One” for the way it moved in battle. Many images of Odin show him holding his spear and, in some cases, it is used to identify the chief god in otherwise ambiguous images. While, like many aspects of Norse mythology, there are relatively few written records concerning Gungnir, there is a wealth of archaeological evidence. One of the most prominent of these important weapons was Gungnir, Odin’s spear. These magical items had names and origin stories that are sometimes more well-known than those of many of the gods themselves. Gungnir: Odin’s SpearĪmong the most important and iconic items in Norse mythology were the weapons of the gods. While Odin’s weapon may have looked like an ordinary spear, it was actually a powerful item that symbolized both his magical powers and his role as a warrior god. Some of the most important items were the gods’ weapons, the ultimate symbols of their powers. They amplified the gods’ powers, symbolized their roles, and identified them in art. The items carried by the gods, however, were obviously very important in the Norse world. That’s why it might be surprising that we have relatively ample information about an item. It is not uncommon in Norse mythology to have very few sources that describe any person or place. ![]()
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