Viking Tattoos

Well, the spelling is because we can't accurately spell runic font with the letters we have in our alphabet. The Futhark has a separate letter for "th" for example, which we often replace with a "d". And you also have to take into account that not only us Scandihoovians were into the Aesir and Vanir, but the Germanic tribes and some others, too. Each God and Goddess exists with his and her own name in that language, too, and then as the Brittish Isles were over run with norsemen, the already existing tribes in those countries had to come up with names that they could actually pronounce, and so the names changed somewhat. This is why you see the same diety under various names.
As for the "wanting to die right now" issue, Odin is known as a fickle god, and what you want really does not come into play. It is what he wants that matters once you make a statement, such as tattooing the valknot on your skin, that you are one of his troops now and will be available for him at Ragnarok. He will call you to Valhall when he decides it's time, not when it's convenient for you.
As for where I got it from, I can't really tell you because I've been at this Asatru thing since I was a kid and I've read too many damn books and been to too many blots etc to know who said what when, but basically good pages like the one Sleipnir quoted (yes, you really have to figure out how to weed out a lot of idiotic crap both in book form and web form!! Don't believe everything you see!) explain this best.
 
well the reason i asked is that i read in one of the books on the subject used at the swedish universities said that there was no known meaning of the valknot. you seem pretty knowledgeable but what you said about the valknot seems to be nothing but speculaion, but i'm not certain of course :p
a friend of mine studies archeology, i'll try asking him about it or make him ask some professor or similar, it's all quite interesting.
 
Sleipnir: Yeah, sure, hang on a second...
Spaffe: Yes, I know how that goes, I am in the process of getting the same degree as your friend. It is more difficult to find info on the valknot as a symbol than, say, the hammer or the arrows that were worn as amulets. The valknots are, however, readily available to see on picture stones and rune stones. The Christinas back in the day used to mark their stones with a cross or kind of like and X thingy (very technical term, that...), whereas some (note: some) who were true to Odin or the old ways would mark theirs with the valknot. I don't think the valknot was worn like an amulet, like a hammer, though, but I do remember reading about the Rus that Ibn Fahdlan encountered. He was the ambassador from Baghdad to the Bulgars in 922, and while he was there, encountered the Rus, whom he describes as being covered with tattoos from fingertip to neck. He describes the tattos, some of which are trees and just designs (i.e. knotwork and valknots). But you are very right, there is not much at all written about this particular design and it's use. Maybe more to the point is that it has come to take on a certain meaning today, just the same as the swastika has and the Ottala rune, and you might want to remember that if you are planning a tattoo....
 
Tyra said:
Spaffe: Yes, I know how that goes, I am in the process of getting the same degree as your friend. It is more difficult to find info on the valknot as a symbol than, say, the hammer or the arrows that were worn as amulets. The valknots are, however, readily available to see on picture stones and rune stones. The Christinas back in the day used to mark their stones with a cross or kind of like and X thingy (very technical term, that...), whereas some (note: some) who were true to Odin or the old ways would mark theirs with the valknot. I don't think the valknot was worn like an amulet, like a hammer, though, but I do remember reading about the Rus that Ibn Fahdlan encountered. He was the ambassador from Baghdad to the Bulgars in 922, and while he was there, encountered the Rus, whom he describes as being covered with tattoos from fingertip to neck. He describes the tattos, some of which are trees and just designs (i.e. knotwork and valknots). But you are very right, there is not much at all written about this particular design and it's use. Maybe more to the point is that it has come to take on a certain meaning today, just the same as the swastika has and the Ottala rune, and you might want to remember that if you are planning a tattoo....
Click to expand...

well it's pretty easy (for me at least) to go with the interpretation (or perhaps i made it up, i cant recall :)) that the three intersecting triangeles represent the worlds within the mythology and the tips as the realms of each, knoted together. thus making a symbol for the entire belief system and supporting what you said about it as a symbol similar to the christian cross.

well it wasn't me who where going to make a tattoo of it, that was some other guy :p
 
Yeah, I know it wasn't you, but I was just thinking aloud. I tend to think of the three triangles as the three Gods that were (supposedly) in the temple at Uppsala (Thor, Oden and Frej), but in modern Asatru, all sorts of people have come up with all sorts of other explanations for it, too. I don't know if there is any sort of documented reason behind the symbol from back in the actual viking era, so I suppose in that sense anyone can be right.
 
Every time you look up the valknut (the triangle one,because some equate it with the Triquetra and use it two describe both forms) it almost always shows the same two Runestones,but there are more artifacts that show the valknut,its on at least two more Runestones that i know of,its on a coin,a bedpost and even on a ring. And if you see any connection to the Triquetra form that also appears on runes stones and coins and art,and even on a Thors hammer. SO seeing how it is used and what these things may have in common we can try and make some guesses on what this symbol could mean,but it sucks that we don't have more sources to shed light on its meaning some people think its Hrungnir's heart
 
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