Yggdrasil, otherwise known as the cosmic ash, is the tree of life that carries the nine worlds. It represents a very important symbol for the Vikings. It is indeed the tree that, in other words, corresponds to the universe in our current culture.
The Nordic mythology is divided into nine worlds, each having its specificity:
- Asgard, where the Aesir gods live, led by Odin
- Vanaheim, where the Vanes lived for centuries
- Alfheim, where the light elves lived
- Muspellheim, a world of fire where the giant Surt reigns
- Niflheim, which on the contrary is a world of ice where flows Hvergelmir, the water source that feeds Yggdrasil
- Helheim, the equivalent of hell in Christian culture, where Hel, the sister of Thor and Loki, reigns
- Svartalfheim, the world of the dwarves, the forge of magical weapons
- Jotunheim, the world of the giants who will come to attack the gods during the Ragnarök
- Midgard, the world of humans
YGGDRASIL, A POWERFUL SYMBOL
In our current culture, the universe is not venerated and does not represent a symbol, at least not as powerful as theYggdrasil for the Vikings. So how could a giant tree fascinate them so much?
To begin with, the gods did not age, they kept an eternal youth until their death. This youth was due to the fruits of the cosmic ash.
Moreover, according to the legends, it is the Yggdrasil that will save part of the world after the Ragnarök. A little-known story even tells that a couple hid under its roots and managed to resist the final battle which caused a lot of damage and death.
To sum up, the Yggdrasil was for the Vikings a symbol of harmony and represented the cycle of life, the cosmos and destiny. 3
Moreover, always in our quest to make discover the Nordic mythology to the greatest number, we decided to create our own collection around the Yggdrasil symbol.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE ROOTS OF THE MAGIC TREE
The three roots of Yggdrasil also represent something strong to the Vikings. As you may see, the meaning of the roots reminds us of the meaning of another important symbol for the Vikings.
The first root goes deep into Asgard to the wells of Urd which is guarded by the Norns.
The second root comes from the fountain of Mimir and also houses his head, cut off by the Vanes following a disagreement with the Aesir. It can be found in Jotunheim
The third one is in Niflheim and comes from the Hvergelmir spring. It is also protected by the dragon Nidhogg, a dragon or snake according to the legends.
The three roots represent respectively the past, the present and the future. This symbol can also be associated with the Valknut, whose three triangles represent respectively what was, what is and what will be.