The Nordic Creation Myth

When the modern person ponders the formation of human beings, our mind automatically goes to Adam and Eve, whom were the first man and woman created by God according to the Book of Genesis. Before there was Adam and Eve, diverse cultures came up with myths about the construction of humans. These myths included: “The Song of Creation” from the Rig Veda, An African Creation Tale, From the Popol Vuh, and A Native American Creation Tale “How Man Was Created” Each one of these legends gives a diverse perspective on the creation of human beings.

The next comparison between two stories is that of Norse mythology and Greek mythology. Both stories have very similar ideas and ways of telling their stories of how their world came into being. Norse has their giants, who gave birth to the original three gods that created Midgard. The Greeks have the Titans who bore the Greek gods who overthrew them as well to control the Earth. Both myths contain the presence of creatures in their stories, beasts who helped shape their respective worlds to move the culture’s creation stories further along. Creatures within these worlds would be the dwarves, the serpent Nidhogg, and demons of Norse myth and the Cyclopes, the furies, and Typhon of Greek origin Furthermore, the children of some of these creatures were divines, who ended up overthrowing their elders to lead the creation of their own worlds, to rule over their own creations as well. And speaking of the world, both myths have multiple layers to their

The Vikings were Norse seafarers, who mainly spoke the Old Norse language. They raided and traded from their Northern European homelands across wide areas of northern, central and eastern Europe, during the 9th to 11th century. The Vikings originated from Scandinavia, and the beginning of the Vikings expansion often originates from the raid of the Lindisfarne Monetary on 8 June 793. The Vikings were the first Westerners to sail to Iceland, Greenland, and over to the New World. However, the story of the Vikings is also an important story for the development of the Christian world in the West. Throughout this essay, I will explain the importance of Viking religion, Viking trade, and how the Viking age had an impact on the way Western and

“The World on the Turtle’s Back” is a story about how the earth was created by a woman. Later that woman gave birth to two twins. The right-handed twin was the honest one who always did everything he was supposed to do. The left-handed twin was the bad twin who always lied and was dishonest. The left-handed twin was the reason their mother died because he was born out of their mom’s armpit. In ‘Odin and Ymir’, Ymir was slain by the youngest son Odin. Odin was the most powerful of the gods. Ymir’s body after he was slain became the world. Ymir was the biggest and oldest of the frost giants and his size could not be matched.

Norse Mythology’s creation started with a giant named Ymir. He emerged from the ground and grew very large from cow’s milk. In time, the god Buri and his wife appeared and gave birth to Bor and Bor’s son was named Odin. Ymir, was evil, and the gods didn’t like it, so they killed him, making his huge body form the earth. His blood became the sea, his flesh became land, his bones became mountains, his hair became the trees, and his

There was a misleading image of the Vikings that made them be known as pagans with a hatred of the Christian Church. What some people failed to realize was that the Vikings had many gods and found it to be no problem accepting Christian god alongside their own. The Vikings encountered with Christianity through their raids, and as they began to settle in lands with a Christian population, they also could adapt to Christianity much quicker. The Vikings had 14 major Gods. Their appreciation is the cosmos is divided into three main levels which are, Asgard, Aesir, which is also the upper level where the major gods such as Odin, along with the fertility gods, and the light levels lived. Midgard was known to be the middle level where dwarves, giants, men, and even the dark elves lived. Niflheim was known to be the lower level, and well known as the underworld. They called Niflheim the world of the evil dead because this was where the evil dead died the second death in the fortress city of Hel. Yggdrasil was known to be above

Scandinavian Paganism, more commonly known as Norse Mythology, was a popular polytheistic religion during the Anglo-Saxon time period. It is believed to have been derived from the culture of Germanic Paganism. According to Norse Mythology, at the center of the universe lies the greatest ash tree, known as Yggdrasil, whose roots and branches spread across the universe connecting each of the nine realms of Aesir, giants, and Niflheim. The world was believed to have been created by the body of Ymir, a giant that was killed and dismembered by the first gods. His flesh created the earth, his bones formed the mountains, and his blood filled the seas.

The Hindu culture resonates well in Norse mythology. The creation story of the Brahma is a great example because it is close to the Norse creation myth of Ymir, a giant who was dismembered by Odin, Vili, and Ve to use his body parts to create the earth. Although no one was killed, the man uses his body parts to create earth. The Babylonian culture also has a similar story line with the gory creation myth of Ymir. In the story there is a sky god named Marduk, and to create earth he kills a goddess named Tiamat. He splits her body in half and uses one half to create earth and the other half to create the sky.

Myth still remains one of the major links that merges the different cultures and religions from various ethnicities. “The Creation of the Titans and the Gods”, as well as “The Creation, Death, and Rebirth of the Universe”, are among the many creation myths that highlight these combinations. Throughout history, myths have created various similarities and differences between the cultures and religions of the world.

The Norse people were a very complex group who were portrayed as savages and killers, but instead were an advanced group, skilled workers and very democratic and this can be seen through their gods, goddesses, and rituals. Could it be that the way that people describe a civilization for so long change the way that people see them? Throughout history the Norse people have been portrayed poorly while in reality they are not completely the way that they are described to be. Not only are they polytheism, believing in multiple gods, but they act very much like their gods.

All throughout this epic, the most prominent element of religion boiled down to Christianity, followed by a few Pagan beliefs. Christianity is first introduced in Chapter 1, where the narrator speaks of Hrothgar and his men building a hall that would reach toward heaven. References of biblical verses, and praises toward God, were emphasized in order for the characters to believe and invest in a supernatural being, that would look after their safety throughout their time on earth. Others, saw God as a being to worship, in order to receive riches in return for their loyal behavior. Heaven was also seen as a place for the characters to strive for in the afterlife. Therefore, building a hall closer to the heavens in the sky was seen as impressive and created a sense of nobility for the Danes who built the hall, Herot. A biblical reference was also included, “Almighty making the Earth, shaping these beautiful planes marked off by the oceans then proudly setting the sun and moon…” This discusses the time of creation followed by the setting of the sun and moon to glow over the land God created. This piece exemplifies and recounts a time of joyfulness and appreciation for Danish lands.

Quite regularly, Vikings are thought to have been savage warriors that possessed no respect for religion, however, the Vikings had a very rich belief system which is most evident when taking a close look at their burial rituals and view of the afterlife. Most often, Vikings buried their dead in boats and would either cast them off into the ocean, bury them in underground chambers or cremate them. Like the Egyptians, Vikings were usually buried with items that were thought to be of use during the afterlife, such as daily clothes, personal belongings, food, drink, and weapons. It seems that the most respectable way to depart life was by dying in battle, which guaranteed them a place in Odin's grand hall, Valhalla, where they would partake in

In the beginning there was no time or gods, only land and sea. Where the sea meet the land a white mare burst forth from the sea foam, her name was Eiocha. Eiocha soon found some sea-foam seeds and ate them, soon they grew into a child in her, she gave birth to the god named Cernunnos. While she was giving birth her pain was so great that she ripped off a piece of bark that she catapulted into the sea, as it fell to the watery deeps of the sea it grew to deep-sea giants. As for poor lonely Cernunnos he felt that he was outnumbered for the great number of sea giants, he along with his horse-mother they created more gods, their names were Maponos, the God of Youth, Tauranis, the God of Thunder, Teutates, the Protector, and the fertility goddess, Epona. After Eiocha’s children grew into adults she became sad and depressed, while she longed for the sea she finally returned to her life as a sea-mare, and became known as Tethra, goddess of the deep. Soon the gods and goddesses created a paradise like land, while the deep-sea giants looked upon the gods with hatred they declared war upon the gods. After a great war and successfully making the giants return to the sea, the gods turned to the place they once called paradise. It was in ruin, as well as almost all humans were killed, all except for two that Epona had saved and they were charged with recreating the human

There were two beings, Ymir the giant, who was nourished by his cow, Auðhumla his cow, born from the venoms from the river Élivágar in the empty void of the Ginnungagap. As he drank the milk of Auðhumla, the sweat that dripped from him gave birth to into giants. From his armpits a male and female were born. From between his legs, a six-headed dog was born. Eventually, three gods, whether born from the insane manner of all the other creatures, from some other, or already existing, it is not known. They were Odin, Vili, and Vé. When Ymir died, or perhaps the three gods killed Ymir, they used his flesh to fashion the earth, his blood to fill the oceans, his blood to raise hills, his hair to grow trees, his brains

Asgard is sometimes known as Asgarth. It is the realm of the gods and the home of both the Aesir and Vanir. Is is ruled by Odin, the leader of the Norse deities. It is located in the heavens, but is connected to earth by a bridge, known as Bifrost, sometimes referred to as a rainbow. There is also a route from Asgard to the underworld, the domain of Hel. Valhalla, a hall within Asgard, was the palace for fallen kings, warriors who had died in battle and heroes.