Viking mythology and all that goes with it

[Tyra]

Thanks forthe site Tyra, it was very helpful. Now I have another question. Are there any specific websites or books that you could point me to that teach me how to speak Norse (Old Norse preferably).

You know, I can't remember... I have the advantage of speaking Swedish and a few other languages, so I can understand the runestones etc anyhow, so I've never really paid much attention. Anyhow, if there is any place that can give you info about "ON", it's be "the viking answerlady". Google that. She has a really informative and well researched site. Just be ware, though: Swedish is supposed to be one of the more difficult languages to learn, and ON is even worse. I studied all sorts of languages in school, including Latin, German, Swedish, Spanish and a few others, and I still find it difficult to follow all the grammatical twists and turns. Which is not to say that it's not very interesting! You might find it easier to find an tutorial on Icelandic. It's reasonably close to ON, and you really should be able to understand one if you can understand the other as far as reading and writing is concerned. Ty

 

[Necromortis]

Actually, I found an extremely intresting site that has an introduction that is supposed to "prepare me for other courses". It's free and actually quite intresting. I only started today, and I'm getting the hang of the first lesson.

I'm also getting into the runestones, runecasting, and all that stuff. It's so cool. I'm busy making runestones at the moment. Carving his hard work.

 

[Blutaar]

Strange idea to find any common between the Vikings and the Islam. The only thing could be, that both of them were against the christianity.... The two culture is too far from each other and people mentality absoluetly different. Islam was treating Hungary for 150 years and what they left here and what we know about them is not showing even the smalest sign of similarity. I couldn't imagine...

So strange!?!?
There were connections between the vikings and the islam...
It wasn't allowed for christian people to trade with the vikings, so the vikings went to the middle east...
I think it's quite possible that the two groups had an cultural exchange....
But I think it's not true too

 

[Valkyre_28]

So strange!?!?
There were connections between the vikings and the islam...
It wasn't allowed for christian people to trade with the vikings, so the vikings went to the middle east...
I think it's quite possible that the two groups had an cultural exchange....
But if think it's not true too

You are right, they were trading...as the vikings were in "business connection" with the Huns in the Carpatians too, but in the relegeion they kept strict rules. Even Huns has almost the same Runa-letters and the 'not-one' god belief, mythology and the Eternity is different. I don't think that the few people who exchenged with the trade made a new faith....but maybe my knowledge is poor

 

[Blutaar]

I'm listening to Annihilation Of Hammerfest at the moment....
Johan is singing about Hammerfest, the last outpost and I don't know If Hammerfest has an important role in Viking Mythologie.
I know that Hammerfest is a city on an island called Kvaløy ( Norway ).
And that the nazis destroyed it in the WW2.
But what's about mythologie???
I never heard Hammerfest in any viking story....
But the lyrics of the song are very intersting

 

[Sleipnir]

I'm listening to Annihilation Of Hammerfest at the moment....
Johan is singing about Hammerfest, the last outpost and I don't know If Hammerfest has an important role in Viking Mythologie.
I know that Hammerfest is a city on an island called Kvaløy ( Norway ).
And that the nazis destroyed it in the WW2.
But what's about mythologie???
I never heard Hammerfest in any viking story....
But the lyrics of the song are very intersting

Nothing that I am aware of.

 

[The Fate of Norns]

Hello!

I have a question is the Edda a book about viking Mythologie or germanic? Or is it for both? It could be that my english isnt that good so please ask if you dont understand me.

 

[Tyra]

History lesson (to clarify the English and because this is one of my per peeves, since I am analretentive):
All Norse were not vikings, only some were. Kind of like all yanks aren't GI Joes. Some Norse were vikings. All Norse were (save for immigrants and thralls who had been imported, obviously), however, germanic, as the Nordic countries were inhabited by germanic tribes. Germanic is different from German (again, one can be German and be germanic, but not all germanics were German). Germanic means that one came from one of many germanic tribes (sort of like how one can come from one of many Native American tribes and still be Canadian...with a big sort of...bad example).

Hence, litterature lesson (to answer your question):
The Eddas are the stories that tell the stories like how the world was created, how it will perish, the words of Odin, the stories of mythological heroes who are not necissarily deities, and so on. They are a must if you want to learn about Norse mythology, really, even though they were finally put on paper by a Christian monk several centuries after the countries had been christianized (what I am saying is, that some stories have been scewed and misinterpreted through Christian eyes, but it's still some of the best we've got - Heimskringla gives you some of the Norse gods and such, too, though).

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

can anyone answer the hammerfest question?

 

[Blutaar]

can anyone answer the hammerfest question?

That's not easy...
I only found an Interview from ancientspirit.de where Johan says that the song is only a story which is telling about thor and his mighty hammer.
And how the christian people went her way through scandia...
Tomorrow, I will tell you that in a better way because I am very drunk at the moment
If you can understand the german language:

Annihilation of Hammerfest: Der erste von drei Songs eines kleinen Konzeptes auf diesem Album. Das ist eventuell sogar der epischste Song auf diesem Album, vergleichbar mit Songs wie " Victorious March" und "Avenger". Textlich kann man es lediglich als Geschichte, wie der Hammer von Thor zurück gewonnen wird, betrachten, aber metaphorisch erzählt es wie die alten Götter in Vergessenheit gestoßen wurden, als das Christentum sich seinen Weg innerhalb Skandinavien ebnete. Was uns zum nächsten Song des Konzeptes bringt...

Link: http://www.ancientspirit.de/specials/amonama1.htm


en francais ( I will never understand this language )

Annihilation of Hammerfest
. Premier morceau d'une trilogie. C'est sûrement le morceau le plus épique de l'album, un peu comme sur Victorious March et Avenger. Il s'agit de l'histoire du marteau de Thor. C'est la méthaphore qui raconte comment les Dieux anciens ont été repoussés par les Chrétiens quand ils sont arrivés en Scandinavie, ce qui nous amène au deuxième morceau du concept...

Link: http://www.metalblade.de/amonsongsf.html

English:

Annihilation of Hammerfest
. The first song of three in a small concept on this album. This is perhaps the most epic song of the album, comparable to songs like Victorious March and Avenger. Lyrically it can be seen as just a story of how the Hammer of Thor is reclaimed, but metaphorically it tells of how the ancient Gods was pushed aside into oblivion when christianity made it’s way into Scandinavia. Which brings us to the next song in the concept...

Link: http://www.metalblade.de/amonsongs.html

 

[Finktron]

Question: If Thor can't walk the bifrost, and asgard and midgard are like two seperate worlds, then how does Thor get from one to the next? In the edda's it says he has to wade through rivers or something. What rivers, the elivagar(sp)?

 

[Sleipnir]

Question: If Thor can't walk the bifrost, and asgard and midgard are like two seperate worlds, then how does Thor get from one to the next? In the edda's it says he has to wade through rivers or something. What rivers, the elivagar(sp)?

When he wanted to join the Gods in council at the well he crossed Kormt, Ormt and the 2 streams Kerlaug.

 

[Finktron]

Many thanks.

 

[Celtik Militia]

as Tyra said, its time to resurrect this thread.

i have a question.
i'm currently reading Beowulf, and there are constantly referances to the almighty lord God and all that. i mean to the christian God.
is this cause the guy who wrote down the story was a pastor so he adapted it to follow christianity? i mean like how most things from the mythology were adapted in christian mentality? or was this story really supposed to take place after the christianisation?

cause this seems weird considering there are referances to giants, trolls and all which are clearly mythological creatures.

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

It doe'snt take place after christianity, but its a story of a gothic heo which seems to have only been remebered in England, because when vikings raided England and settled there they probably broght with them the story. And because the English were christia and the norsemen sonn became christian too, and after a couple of generations maybe forgot about Woeden, they replaced him with Jahve.

 

[Celtik Militia]

ok thanks, thats what i thought, it was christianised.

but that sucks, i hate how there are always referances to God. "and the Lord in his greatness gave Beowulf the strength..", "for the Lord is righteous.."..etc...
there should be a remake with pagan gods referances instead

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

I remember when I visited Rome the first time at age maye 12. I was so fucking enraged at the christians for replacing the old gods in this round building with a hole in the roof, what's it called again? with crosses and other christian shit.

 

[Tyra]

Ähum, also there is a HUGE dispute among the scholars as to when Beowulf was written and by whom. One that has actually lead to actual threats and bullying tactics and such. When you have read the book, watch 13th warrior and see if yo recognize any of the storyline!

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

Well that's my theory and it makes sense to me. I never thought about the 13th warrior similarity, but you're right!

 

[Celtik Militia]

i've almost finished Beowulf, i'm at the part just before he'll enter the dragon's lair to slay it once he's an old king.
and i saw 13th warrior, but i dont see the similarity..
???
in what sense are they comparable?
you mean that these monster things attack the vikings, and they eventually gotta go kill the mother beast? also they were 14 warriors and beowulf went there by himself eventually ^^