Things, Signs, and their Meanings:

a Dictionary of Heathen Symbols

by Kveldúlfr Gundarsson
edited by Ben Waggoner

The Troth
First Edition, 2010
© 1993, 2010, The Troth. All rights reserved.

Troth logo designed by KveldúlfR Gundarsson; drawn by 13 Labs,

Chicago, Illinois.

The Troth
24 Dixwell Ave.
Suite 134
New Haven, CT 06511
http://www.thetroth.org/
troth-questions@thetroth.org
Introduction

Wassail!

The material in this booklet was originally a chapter written by Kveldúlfr

Gundarsson, published in the first edition of Our Troth (pp. 655-670) in
1993. When we began preparing the second edition of Our Troth, Kveldúlfr
prepared an updated version, and I expanded it with fuller definitions
and many added illustrations. Unfortunately, the chapter could not be
included in the book for reasons of space. As a service to the Heathen
community, the Troth has decided to publish it separately. We’ve added
another chapter by Kveldúlfr from the original Our Troth, “The Banner of
the Troth”, explaining the meaning and symbolism of our organization’s
own emblem.

This book is not a glossary of every word and concept used by modern
Heathens (see volume 2 of Our Troth) for an extensive glossary. What it
is intended to be is a glossary of the most important symbols, images,
animals, plants, objects, and materials that were significant in the pre-
Christian religions and cultures of the Germanic peoples—and that
are significant in Heathenry today. Some entries are by nature hard to
illustrate, but when possible we have included representative depictions of
the things we have listed. Most of these are drawn from works of art and
design of the various Germanic peoples; others are more modern. Note
that this booklet references the second edition of Our Troth repeatedly; it
may be most effective to use it in conjunction with Our Troth.

Special thanks are due to Dan Campbell, for proofreading and constructive
criticism. We hope that this booklet will be useful to Heathen artists
and crafters, as well as to anyone looking for information on Germanic
religions and cultures.

Ben Waggoner
Shope (Publications Director), The Troth
July 2010
Alcohol - commonly the preferred, though never a necessary, substance
for ritual drinking, in whatever form. Traditional beverages were beer or
ale, cider, mead, wine (common in Germany, rare in Scandinavia), and
various fermented mixtures of fruits, honey, herbs, and malt. Modern
practice has added several sorts of strong liquor to the Teutonic drink-list
as well, although distillation was unknown to our forebears.
For those who do not wish or are unable to use alcohol in their rites,
for whatever reason, there are several alternatives. Non-alcoholic beers
and wines are now available in most large stores, and these are perfectly
acceptable, as is non-alcoholic cider or apple juice. Many of the goddesses,
and all of the house-spirits, can be offered whole milk. Water drawn
from a running stream, especially at sunrise and/or on holy days, is greatly
mighty (but be careful about germs and pollution; it does not damage the
water’s spiritual might to put purifying tablets into it or run it through
a Katadyn filter). The chapter on “Getting it Rite” in Our Troth Vol. 2
offers a recipe for a non-alcoholic mead-type beverage which is suitable
for designated drivers, children, and other non-drinkers.

Drinking scene on Tängelgårda stone, Gotland, Sweden

Ale - strong beer (4-8%). May originally have referred to a rather bitter
malt beverage with herbs in it. The runic inscription alu (“ale”) was one
of the most frequent; it seems to have generally meant “luck, power”,


which went together with having a plentiful supply of the stuff. In Troth
rituals, many folk prefer ales to lighter beers because their strength, dark
colour, and richness are probably more like those of the special “strong
ales” that were brewed for holy feasts, while ordinary drinking was, for
most folk, limited to small beer (closer to the non-alcoholic “near-beers”
or to minimally alcoholic light beers).
Ale is used especially for the Vanir and at the harvest-rites such as
Loaf-Feast and Winternights, but it can be used for almost any Teutonic
religious purpose whatsoever. Renate Doht suggests that in rites related
to fruitfulness, the drink of the gods corresponded, as a powerful flow,
to the seed of the gods—whoever became intoxicated by it strengthened
the power of the god (Ukko, Thor, Odin, or Frey—the theory works with
all of them) and with it the fruitfulness of the natural life that depended
on him (Der Rauschtrank im germanischen Mythos, p. 32). This would be most
fitting with ale or any other grain-brewed drink.

Amber - petrified tree resin. In the old days, amber was cast up on the
Baltic coast by the sea; now most of it is mined. Holy since the Stone Age,
amber is especially associated with Freyja and Thor. Also used as a sign of
one’s riches, both in the old days and now. A great holder of fiery might,
and a very fine amulet against all ill.
Amber can be found around the world, including several U.S. states,
but most ambers are too rare to be worth mining, or else are unattractively
colored, brittle, or otherwise unsuitable for jewelry. The sorts of amber
that are most commonly sold commercially today are Baltic and Dominican
(from the Caribbean island of Hispaniola). African and South American
“amber” is generally not amber, but copal, which is solidified resin that
has not yet completed the chemical changes that make true amber (heat
will melt copal; amber will burn but not melt). Because of its lightness of
weight, plastic amber fakes are also very common: let the buyer beware. A
reputable dealer will be able to tell you the origin of the amber.
Amber comes in a range of colours from deep cherry-red to palest
yellow. “Blue” and “green” amber (which glows with these colours in
sunlight) comes from the Dominican Republic.
Amber can be shaped with relatively simple tools: knife, jewelers’ saw
and small files, and sandpaper of various weights. Attempting to carve it
directly with a knife can be frustrating, as it chips and flakes rather than
cutting: the knife is good only for the very roughest shaping and then


scratching in the finest details with great care. Most shaping should be
done with files and rough sandpaper. To polish it, use the finest sandpaper
possible, then rub it with jeweler’s rouge on a cloth (or a jewelry polishing
cloth).

Apple (Malus domestica) - The Old Norse word

epli, cognate with our “apple”, was used to mean
any round fruit; the specialization of the word
in German and English suggests that the apple
was seen as the fruit par excellence, the greatest of
fruits. The apple is the sign of life through death,
fruitfulness springing forth from the grave.
In Völsunga saga, when the Odin-descended
king Rerir is unable to get a child with his wife,
he sits on a howe in search of counsel, and
Odin sends a “wish-maid” (probably a valkyrie)
Basket of apples on an to him there, with an apple that Rerir and his
altar to the goddess
wife eat to become fruitful. Here, the apple is
Nehalennia (Roman
period, Netherlands) the embodiment of the Völsungs’ kin-soul
springing to life again. This is also borne out by
the name of the apple tree that grows through
Völsi’s hall: Barnstokkr, the “bairn-stock” or “child-trunk”.
Wild apples have been found in Scandinavian graves since the Bronze
Age. Three crab-apples were set in the coffin of the child in Guldhøj,
perhaps “to give the little child a longer life in the next world than the
brief one it had had here on earth” (Gløb, The Mound People, p. 92). There
were many apples set in the Oseberg burial as well; at least one bucket
and one chest were filled with them. Roman-era altars to the Matronae
(goddesses worshipped along the Rhine) often depict them with a basket
of apples. Today, apples (and cider) are used especially at Winternights
(as harvest signs), Yule (as a sign of the oneness of the living and their
dead kin), and at Ostara, when our golden apples mirror the apples of
Iðunn (see “Frigg” in Our Troth, Vol. 1).

Ash (Fraxinus spp.) - the World-Tree is most often thought to be an ash

(though words have been spoken for the yew). Ash was the wood out of
which spear-shafts were made; it is thus tied closely to Odin. The first
human male, Askr (“Ash”) was shaped from this tree. It is particularly


fitting for house-pillars, wooden harrows, and Odin-images. Ash is a
hard wood, but carves beautifully, being supple for its strength and capable
of taking exceedingly fine detail without an undue tendency to chip. Not
to be confused with “Mountain Ash”, which in the United States refers to
a relative of rowan (see entry below).

Ash foliage
and seeds

Axe - thought of as the most typical weapon

of the Vikings, but sources do not really
support this. Battle-axes were used, but
swords and spears seem to have been more
important. The Franks either took their tribal
name from a particular type of throwing-
axe, or gave their name to the axe (rendered
as francisca by Latin writers) but most Norse
sagas that depict the axe describe it being
used for hand-to-hand fighting.
In the eldest days, the axe was a very holy
sign (see “Stone Age” in Volume 1 of Our
Troth). Miniature axes were made of amber
or flint as amulets. The full-sized axe of stone
appears as a warding amulet from the Bronze
Age to modern times, specifically protecting Bronze Age petroglyph from
Fossum, Sweden
against thunder in the latter centuries; it is
often thought that the Hammer of Thor may have developed from the
elder thunder-axe. Gotlandic men were sometimes buried with axe-shaped
amber pendants called breloques (see below).


 The axe is associated with Forseti, as
per the Frisian myth in which he appears
armed with a golden axe. Viktor Rydberg
and a few recent occult writers associate
the axe with Njörðr. The textual evidence
for this is weak, but since axes were used
to shape and trim planks for ships, some
true folk may find it fitting to think of
the god of ships and shipping as bearing
an axe.

Bear - The bear is the mightiest of

animals. Although the bear-cult was not
Head of a francisca as extensive among the Norse as among
the Saami and Finns (Edsman, “The
Hunter, The Game, and the Unseen Powers”), the find at Frösö church
shows that they were sometimes used as sacrificial animals (Gräslund,
“Kultkontinuitet”, p. 132), though the bodies were most likely brought in
after a hunt, rather than slain at the spot. The bear was known not only
for its strength, but for its wisdom; it was seen as having near-human
understanding (discussed further in the “Hunting” section of the “Troth
and Earth” chapter in Our Troth vol. 2). It is most often thought of as a
beast of Thor, though Odin bears the by-name Jalfaðr or Jölfuðr (Yellow-
Brown Rear), which is also a bear-name (Grundy, Miscellaneous Studies, p.
76). Eiríkr inn rauða put great trust in a polar bear which came about the
Greenland settlements until a Christian settler killed it.
The bear was the most common
recorded fetch or “spirit-animal”
(Mundal, Fylgjemotiva, p. 30), and
usually appeared as the fetch of
a particularly noble man; Old
English beorn literally means
“bear” but in practice is an
honorific meaning “nobleman;
warrior; chief; wealthy man”.
When Þórsteinn uxafótr is a
Stone Age petroglyph, Alta, Norway
child, he stumbles coming into
the house where he has been


adopted, and a spae-man (man gifted with second sight) says that is
because of his fetch, a white bear, running in before him. By the nobility
of the fetch, his adoptive guardians learn that he is not the child of small
farmers, but of high birth (Flateyjarbók I, p. 253).

Bee - the bee gives us honey, which is used

both for healing (it is an excellent antiseptic and
preservative, and was utilized for both purposes
in the old days) and mead-brewing, and beeswax,
which is used for candles and often for sealing the
insides of horns and was also used for medical
purposes, chiefly making salves (Jón Steffensen,
“Life in Iceland in the Heathen Period”). Bees
themselves were used in an Anglo-Saxon charm
against baldness (Storms, Anglo-Saxon Magic, p.
86): not only are they furry themselves, but this
usage may also have stemmed from a perception
Golden bee from the
of bees as strong in life-might and luck, of which tomb of Childeric I of
hair is often an embodiment. In the Kalevala (canto the Franks (d. 481 CE)
15), the bee brings Lemminkäinen’s mother the
drop of life-bearing honey she needs to bring her slain son to life again.
The Anglo-Saxon charm to bring down a swarm of bees addresses them
as “sig-wives”. There are also two bees at the Well of Wyrd, according
to Snorri. There is no clear tie between the bees and any goddesses (their
might is obviously womanly), although Beyla, Freyr’s serving-woman in
Lokasenna, has a name that might mean “bee”. However, they are very
holy wights and their gifts among the most blessed and luck-bringing
elements of our rites. Among the Frisians, a child that had had milk and/
or honey on its mouth could not be exposed; the Russians made offerings
of honey to the gods and the dead. See Ransome’s book The Sacred Bee.

Beer - see Ale for the meaning of the modern malt beverage. Christine
Fell (“Drink”) has shown that the “beer” word in Anglo-Saxon (beor) and
Old Norse (bjórr) actually referred to a strong fruit-honey wine; only in
Germany did the “beer” word come to be applied to fermented malt
beverages. The word “beer” was adopted into English from the German
when hops came into Britain in the 1500s, the hopped beverage being
thus distinguished from the older-style “ale”.


 Beech (Fagus sylvatica) - the
name comes from the same
root as “book”, possibly
pointing to a time when
runes or other in-scriptions
were usually carved on
beech wood. The beech is
a womanly tree, thought
in modern times to be tied
closely to the Norns and
Frigg. Particularly suited
for images of these beings,
for blessing-bowls, and for
Beech foliage
rune-carvings or other items
directly tied to Wyrd.

Bells - worn by the priests of Freyr at Uppsala, according to Saxo

Grammaticus.

Birch (Betula spp.) - the birch is a womanly tree,

closely tied to Frigg, Eir, and Hel. It is a tree of
cleansing and birth-blessing, but also of hiding. Its
foliage is used most in sauna and in rites of springing
fruitfulness; the sweet sap can be drunk as a tonic,
boiled into syrup, or fermented into country wine.
In Scandinavia, birches were particularly favoured
for sacrificial trees: the find beneath Frösö church
(Sweden) of bear-bones from at least six animals
was centered around a huge birch-tree. The rune
berkano (B) is named for it. Birch leaves and catkins

Board Games - a popular pastime for the Viking-era Norse and English,
especially for high-ranking men and women. Known as tafl in Norse, tæfl
in Old English. Sets of game pieces are common in male graves, and game
boards or fragments of boards have turned up from Ireland to Sweden.
There is evidence for several games, some of which have survived into
modern times, but the favorite one among the Norse appears to have
been hnefatafl, a game that pitted a set of defending pieces with a king-


 piece against twice as many
attacking pieces, and which
may or may not have
involved dice as well. Three
of the riddles asked by
Odin in Hervarar saga deal
with hnefatafl. Völuspá says
that the gods themselves
played tafl in the early days
of the world, and will find
their game pieces again
after Ragnarök and the
Design from the Ockelbo runestone, Sweden
world’s rebirth. It’s possible
that tafl was thought of
as mythically significant, mirroring the cosmic struggle between order
and chaos. A reconstructed version of hnefatafl is a popular recreation at
modern Heathen gatherings.

Bracteate - a thin sheet of metal (usually

gold) placed over a mold that bears a
design, and then hammered to transfer
the design onto the metal. Bracteates
were made in southern Scandinavia
between the 5th and 7th centuries,
usually with loops added so that they
could be worn as jewelry or amulets.
Interpreting the designs on bracteates
is not always straightforward, but some
bracteate designs were modified from
Roman coins, while others appear to
depict gods, goddesses, heroes, or Bracteate from Hede, Bohuslän,
scenes from myths. About a tenth of Sweden
all known bracteates bear inscriptions
in the Elder Futhark, the oldest form of the rune alphabet; these are
often complete futharks, words of probably magical significance such as
alu (see ale) or laukaz (see leek), occasionally complete sentences, or, in
some cases, gibberish.


Bread - the basic food, a midpoint between raw grain and ale. A source
of life and might in all realms: our word “lord” stems from Anglo-Saxon
hlaford (loaf-warder); “lady” comes from hlafdiga (loaf-kneader). Since most
of us are no longer able to bless a winter-slaughtering to the gods and
goddesses, bread is the best form for our holy gifts to take.

Breloque - a type of amber bead from Gotlandic burials. Men were buried
with axe-shaped breloques; women with tapered rectangles furrowed at
the narrow end and pierced in the middle, perhaps meant to be loom
weights. Perhaps calling Thor and Frigg respectively; perhaps meant to
be sure the dead had what they would need in the Otherworld; perhaps
hung on strings binding the legs of the dead to keep them from walking;
or some combination of the above.

Bow and Arrows - The longbow was widely used in the Viking Age
(crossbows were not introduced into the Northlands until the 12th
century). The god Ullr is called bóga-áss (bow-Ase), and there are a good
many instances of heroes and kings, both legendary and historical, who
are notable bowmen—an art requiring a long time and constant effort to
learn. In Áns saga bogsveigis, the hero Án forces a dwarf to make him a bow
and five arrows that always hit their target; the great strength of this bow
gives him his nickname bogsveigi, “Bow-bender”. The hero Örvar-Oddr
(said to be Án’s cousin) had three arrows which always hit their targets and
always returned to him (Örvar-Odds saga ch. 4). Several texts describe the
Saami (“Lapps”) as especially skilled archers.

Woodcut showing Saami archers on skis, from Olaus Magnus’s Historia de

Gentibus Septentrionalibus (1555)

10
Caraway (Carum carvi) - caraway seeds were used in old days, not only to
flavour bread, but to keep alfs or huldfolk (“hidden folk”) from stealing it,
as they dislike caraway very much. Those who wish to share food with alfs,
landwights, or any other such beings should be careful to avoid bread or
cakes with caraway in them, which includes most commercial rye-breads.
Caraway is also used to flavor brennivín, Icelandic schnapps, a traditional
drink at festivals such as Þórrablót (see chapter in Our Troth vol. 2).

Cat – according to Gylfaginning in Snorri’s Edda, two cats are said to draw
Freyja’s wain or chariot. (The old joke is that Freyja must be a mighty
goddess indeed, if she can get two cats to go in the same direction).
The names of Freyja’s cats are not known, although the names Bygul
and Trégul (“Bee-Gold” and “Tree-Gold”, i.e. honey and amber), which
were invented by a modern-day fantasy novelist, were later picked up by
a certain writer on occult matters and presented as authentic lore. See the
chapter on “Freyja” in Our Troth vol. 1. Cats are further associated with
seiðr (a form of magical practice) and fruitfulness. In folktales, the house-
wight may disguise himself as a cat.

Modern depiction of Freyja and her cats

11
Cattle - cattle are very holy beasts; there are several references to cattle
with gilded horns (as in Þrymskviða and Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar), and
others to magical cattle (as in Ragnars saga loðbrókar). They are generally
associated with the Vanir, but are favoured gifts for all the deities and
wights. Supernatural wights often take the form of bulls: the bull is the
guardian of one of Iceland’s quarters. Draugar (the undead) sometimes
appear as flayed bulls; the Black Death in Icelandic folklore took the form
of a gray bull, and in Eyrbyggja saga the egregrious Þórólfr Twist-Foot
made his last malicious appearance after death embodied in a gray bull. A
lengthy discussion of the ritual and religious uses and meanings of cows
and milks is given by Hilda Ellis Davidson in “Milk and the Northern
Goddess” (The Concept of the Goddess, pp. 91-106).

Cauldron - the cauldron, or kettle, played a very important part in Norse

religion. It is the vessel in which the meat of the holy feast (in the old days,
the beast slain as a gift to the god/esses) is seethed. The name or name-
element Ketill or Katla (kettle) was very common in the Viking Age and
almost certainly first had a ritual meaning. Compounds such as “Þórkell”
(“Þórr’s Kettle­”—a man’s name) were also common.
In Grímnismál, Óðinn mentions that the ways between the worlds are
opened “when kettles are heaved off the fire”. Grønbech argues strongly
for the cauldrons seething the sacrificial feast as embodiments of the
might of the three great Wells of Wyrd, Mímir, and Hvergelmir (II, 290-
97). In Snorri’s description of the brewing of the mead Óðroerir (“Wod-
Stirrer” or “Inspiration-Stirrer”), he says that Kvasir’s blood was put in
two tubs and one kettle, and it was the kettle itself that bore the name
Óðroerir (while the tubs were called Són and Boðn); it was clearly the
chief magical vessel.

Cider - Fermented apple juice. See Apples above. In the United States,
non-fermented apple juice is often sold under the name of “cider”,
although it’s getting easier to find good hard cider for sale, both imported
and domestic. If real cider cannot be gotten, apple juice can either be
fermented as if it were a sparkling wine or beer (most brewer’s supply
stores will have books or instructions for making such things—look in
your Yellow Pages), or, as a last resort, a shot of vodka can be added to
give it some extra might.

12
Clothing - an important way for our
forebears to show their status. Icelanders’
everyday dress was made of undyed wool, but
those who had traveled abroad on successful
raids, trading, or royal service wore litklæði,
“colored clothes”, as signs of their success
and wealth. Fine cloaks and other garments
were precious gifts, as highly prized as gold
or weapons (e.g. Athelstan’s gift of a cloak to
Egil in Egils saga). High-status burials often
contain traces of costly imported fabrics such
as silk, fancy embroidery, and/or imported
dyestuffs. There are a few mentions of special
ritual garb, such as a red “blót-garment” in
Vatnsdæla saga. A few runestones depict what
appear to be sacrifices or rites carried out by
men in especially long, flowing garments. Man in flowing robe,
Tängelgårda stone, Sweden

Color - the basic three are white (birth/bringing forth), red (life/active
being), and black (death/concealment). Gold falls into the class of white
or red (depending on its depth and hue), dark blue and dark green into
the class of black, and so forth. Different colors are associated with the
gods and goddesses—sometimes this is traditional, as with “Red Þórr” or
Odin’s blue-black cape in Völsunga saga; sometimes it is a modern creation.
We have tried very hard to note the difference between the two in the
chapters on deities in Our Troth.

Copper - used for the blessing-bowl in Kjalnesinga saga. One Old Norse
word for it is homonymic with, though likely not related to, the goddess-
name Eir, so that folk-etymology or von List-like magical association may
associate it with her. Not thought of as a precious metal and thus not
fitting for oath-rings.

Crystal - Rock crystal was often used by our forebears as a holy stone.
The Continental Germans of the Migration Age sometimes hung large
hex-shaped crystal beads from the hilts of their swords. The rock-crystal
spheres of late Migration Age/early Vendel Age women are spoken of
under “Frigg” in Our Troth vol. 1. Rock crystal in its raw form is sometimes

13
thought of as a stone of the etins, especially Skaði. It is also associated with
the dwarves in Norwegian folklore (see “Alfs, Dwarves, Land-Wights, and
Huldfolk” in Our Troth, vol. 1). In Old High German, crystal was called
“ice-stone”, and it is well suited to all icy might. The hrímkalkr (literally
“frost-chalice”) spoken of in Svipdagsmál may have been a glass cup, a
crystal cup, or, as befitted the etin-maid who bore it, a cup made of ice.
Crystal was a common stone in Germanic jewelry, both as beads and as
a gem set in silver. An eleventh-century Swedish piece shows a necklace
made of hemispherical rock crystals edged in silver: reproductions of this
piece have been found to act as perfect magnifying glasses.

Dogs - highly prized for hunting,

herding, and guarding. Most of
the Scandinavian native breeds
are spitz-type dogs, with quite
a long history; skeletal remains
from Norway, dated to 5000-
4000 BCE, are virtually identical
with the modern Norwegian
Elkhound. Archaeology
Dog depicted on Tjängvide runestone,
confirms saga accounts of dogs Sweden, 9th century
buried with their masters; for
example, the Oseberg, Gokstad, and Ladby ship burials all contained the
remains of several dogs. The sagas about Óláfr Tryggvason describe his
dog Vígi (“fighter”) as the finest hound in all Norway; Njáls saga mentions
another dog of outstanding intelligence and loyalty, Sámr (“dark”), given
to Gunnarr Hámundarson by Óláfr pái. The Eddas mention Garmr, the
hound that guards the road to
Hel, who is destined to kill the
god Tyr at Ragnarök.

Eagle - the mightiest of all

Design from Hammars III stone, Gotland,
Sweden, possibly depicting Óðinn wearing
his eagle-form.
birds. Its shape is taken by
etins (Hræsvelgr, Þjazi) and by
Óðinn. An eagle sits at the top
of the World-Tree. We do not
know its name; it is possible
that it is the same as Hræsvelgr,

14
who is spoken of in Vafþrúðnismál as sitting
in the east and beating forth the winds of the
worlds with his wings. There is also an eagle
on top of Valhöll. The possible tie between
the eagle and Thor is spoken of in Our Troth
vol. 1, in the chapter on “Thor”.
In early Germanic art, it is difficult to tell
the difference between falcon and eagle, since
both have hooked beaks and the stylization
our forebears used in their animal designs
makes other distinctions of bird-breed more
or less impossible. When drawing these birds
for ritual use, the falcon should be smaller,
lighter, and more delicately wrought.

Elder (Sambucus nigra) - traditionally a very

holy tree; in England and Scandinavia it was
Gothic brooch, 6th century,
considered unlucky or even dangerous to Nuremberg, Germany
cut or burn it, unless one asked the tree’s
permission first. In Denmark, the elder was the home of a mighty female
wight, the hylde-moer, “Elder Mother”. Commonly seen today as a tree
of Freyja. A traditional wine
can be made from its flowers
for her brighter side, from its
berries for her darker side. The
Warder of the Lore [KHG]
recommends that you not
try to make elderberry mead,
as the berries are too acid to
blend with the honey; but other
mead-makers have reported
success with elderberry mead
as long as enough sweetness
remains to balance out the acid
and tannins. (Caution: The raw
berries are mildly poisonous,
Foliage and berries of elder and should be heated or cooked
to destroy the toxin.)

15
Elm (Ulmus spp.) - the first woman, Embla (Elm) was shaped from this
tree. Like the linden, the elm’s inner bark yields fibers (known as bast)
that were twisted into ropes and cords.

Falcon - the falcon is the womanly

match to the eagle. Skáldskaparmál ch.
1 states that Freyja has a “falcon-cloak”
(valshamr), and chs. 18-19 say that Frigg
has one. However, hamr doesn’t actually
mean a piece of clothing as such. It can
mean a bird’s skin, but it also means
one’s physical shape (for example,
shapeshifters are called hamrammr,
“shape-strong”, and eigi einhamr, “not
one-shaped”. So Frigg and Freyja could
have been thought of as owning falcon
Falcon (or eagle) from the Sutton
Hoo purse lid
skins, which they could put on to turn
into falcons—or they could  just have
the innate ability to shapeshift into falcon-form.
On a more mundane note, several texts from Anglo-Saxon England
mention hunting with falcons. Icelandic gyrfalcons for hunting were a
highly prized trade item in Viking times and afterwards.

Fire - divided into “need-fire” kindled by friction (discussed under

“Waluburg’s Night” in Our Troth volume 2) and “struck-fire” sparked
by flint and steel (discussed under “Thor” in Our Troth volume 1). Fire
was carried around land to claim it; need-fire was used in rites to protect
cattle. Muslim travelers who encountered the Viking-era Norse folk
often referred to them as al-majus, the same word they used for the “fire-
worshipping” Zoroastrians of Persia; this could hint at a widespread use
of ritual fires in temples, and in fact a few saga descriptions of temples
(e.g. Kjalnesinga saga ch. 2) mention hallowed fires kept constantly burning
on the altar. See the chapter on “Getting it Rite” in Our Troth volume 2.

Fire-Steel or Þórr-Steel - spoken of at length under “Thor” and “Soul,

Death, and Rebirth” (Our Troth Volume 1) and “Getting it Rite” (Vol. 2).
Fire-steels came in several shapes, but the most common, and the
one typically used as a holy sign, was the bow-shape. The fire-steel and

16
flint were used as protections; in the Sturkö hoard (Blekinge, Sweden, 11th
century), they were buried with a quantity of silver, possibly as a magical
protection for it (Stenberger, Schatzfunde I, pp. 317 ff.). Salo (Ukko) points
out that the similarity between striking sparks and lightning made fire-
steels and flints sacred to the sky-gods and thunder-gods of both Finnish-
speaking and Norse-speaking peoples.

Viking-era firesteel from Kangala, Finland

Garnet - the most favoured gemstone of the Migration and Viking Ages,
used on both jewelry and weapon-fittings. Perhaps the most famous
uses of garnets are on the intricate inlays of the Sutton Hoo hoard from
England. May have been particularly identified with the fiery Brísingamen;
Aarhenius also suggests that the brooch with a large cabochon garnet may
have been another symbol of Freyja (Granatschmuck, pp. 203-204).

Glass - in the old days,

having a glass cup was a
major status symbol; a few
such pieces, imported from
Rome, made their way up
to Scandinavia as early as
the third century. Slightly
later in the Migration
Age, it became common
for glassmakers along the
Rhine to make glass horns 6th century Langobard blue glass drinking horn,
Sutri, Italy (British Museum)
for Germanic folk, who
found the material very fair, but were unwilling to give up the traditional
horn-shape. Colorful glass beads were prized by the Viking-era Norse, as
mentioned by ibn Fadhlan and seen in many archaeological sites. Glass

17
inlays were used on metal ornaments, including some of the precious
items from the Sutton Hoo burials.

Goat - the goat is the beast of Thor, and perhaps also of Skaði. As a
mighty beast, the “Yule-buck” or Julbock, it is seen during the Wih-Nights
or Yule-Nights (see “Yule” in Our Troth vol. 2). Goats of straw are
traditional Scandinavian Yule-decorations.

Modern depiction of Thor and his goats

Gold - always spoken of as “fire” in skaldic kennings (the “fire of the

hawks’ land” is a gold ring on someone’s arm, for instance). Especially
dear to Freya, Sif, and Freyr, though Odin is also spoken of as a giver of
gold in Hyndluljóð.
Gold, like amber, is one of the strongest sources of pure might in
the Middle-Garth. It was used to decorate the roof of the hof at Gamla
Uppsala and as gilding on the roof of a mighty building (though whether
hof or hall is not wholly certain—in any case, a ruler’s hall was also a
site for ritual) at Gudme (“God-Home”) in Migration Age Denmark
(Gräslund, “Adams Uppsala—och Arkeologins”, p. 108). Gräslund also
mentions the house-shaped and gilded Celtic reliquary (ca. 1000 C.E.),
the shape and gilding of which may be related to the tradition of using

18
gold on hallowed buildings, as it closely resembles a Viking building with
the carved gables (pp. 108-09). There are many books available on the
practical craft of gilding; 24-kt. gold leaf is thin enough to be affordable,
and is fitting on nearly all holy items.

Goose - the tame goose

is the special bird of the
lady of the house. Guðrún
is described as gaglbjarta,
‘gosling-bright’, in Atlakviða
in groenlenzca, and in
Guðrúnarkviða in fyrsta, the
geese cry out in answer to
the heroine’s weeping.
The wild goose is the
bringer of storms, and has
also been seen as a very
holy bird and a sign of
fruitfulness since the Stone
Age. The rushing wings
and barking cries of flocks
of migrating geese are
sometimes thought to have Scene on the Franks Casket, 8th c. Anglo-Saxon
strengthened legends of the
Wild Hunt.
In today’s thought, the tame goose is associated with Frigg, the wild
goose sometimes with Odin and the valkyries. In German folklore, Perchta
sometimes has one large flat foot, her “goose-foot”; she and Holle or
Holda are sometimes suspected to be the original “Mother Goose.”
The Alasiagae (see section on Eir in “Frigg”, Our Troth Vol. 1) who are
honoured as the companions to “Mars Thingsus” in the Germanic votive
stones by Hadrian’s Wall (raised by Frisian auxiliaries), have a stone by their
harrow showing a weaponed warrior accompanied by a goose. Owing to
its ferocity and use as a “watchdog”, the goose was also considered a
holy bird of the Roman Mars, and may have played that role at times in
Germanic thought as well: some of the beast-heads on the Vendel Age
helmets of Sweden and England, though often interpreted as “dragons”,
bear a suspicious resemblance to large waterfowl, wide beaks and all.

19
Grain - the source of bread and ale; the very life of our
forebears. Although most of us have no actual fields to
bless, in our rites, we speak of grain and use sheaves as
signs of all that our souls bring forth.

Hair - Hair is a sign of life-might and

holiness, the chief marker of beauty in
Northern thought. The Norse personal
name “Odinkaur” may well mean “the
one with hair hallowed to Óðinn” - that
is to say, someone who grew his hair
long as a sign of his dedication. The
rulership of the Merovingian kings
was all embodied in their hair. It could
Barley
also be the special emblem of a vow:
Bronze figurine
Haraldr inn hárfagri vowed never to
showing woman’s cut nor comb his hair until he had brought all Norway
knotted hairstyle. under his rule. Someone who really wanted to might
Viking age, Öland, be able to make a case for overriding a short-hair dress
Sweden code rule on religious grounds.

Hammer - the Hammer is the symbol of Thor, the weapon with which
he holds back the jötnar or giants, and also the sign of hallowing. Wearing
a small Hammer became popular in the late Viking Age, possibly as a
reaction to Christians wearing the cross.
Hákonar saga inn Góða in Heimskringla
suggests that tracing a hammer was
once used to bless the ale at holy feasts.
Þrymskviða in the Poetic Edda depicts a
hammer used in a wedding ceremony to
bless the bride—although the bride in
the story was actually Thor, this detail
may well have been authentic practice.
Today, the Hammer is the single
most widely used symbol of Heathenry
in all its forms. It is commonly worn by
true folk today to show that they hold
Romersdal hammer, Viking age, to the Elder Troth, even if they are not
Denmark

20
strongly drawn to Thor. Tracing the Hammer in the air, in the shape of
an upside-down T, is often used as a blessing-gesture, and actual hammers
are frequently used as ritual tools.

Harrow - ON hörgr; probably originally a heap of stones. Used by folk

today to mean an altar. Those who have outdoor steads may prefer to
use a heap of stones or a single great boulder; those who do not often
have wooden harrows (often called stalls, from Old Norse stalli). A small
cabinet in which the holy tools can be kept while not in use is very good
for this purpose.

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) - the hawthorn embodies the might that wards
the holy place of woship. Its connection with Hagen (“Hawthorn”) in the
Völsung legend may also hint at a tie with the darker shapes of Odin. It is
appropriate for items involving the guarding of ritual space.

Hawthorn foliage

Hazel (Corylus avellana) - the hazel was seen as a particularly magical tree
by our forebears. Hazelnuts have been used as food since the Stone Age,
and appear in a number of Migration Age graves, notably the collection
of them in the belt-pouch of the Högom find and the two which were laid
individually on the bridle and saddle of the horse in the same grave. Hazel
twigs were found in Bronze Age graves, and in early modern Germany
were carried by soldiers to guard against injury. Hazel is believed to protect
against poisonous snakes and thunderbolts (Ramqvist, Högom I, p. 117),

21
suggesting a connection with Thor. However, it was also used to mark out
holmgang (judicial duel) grounds and judgement-steads, from which it has
been associated with Tyr.

Head - the head was seen as the

embodiment of the whole being, the
seat of the soul. Small staves carved
with heads at one end are often found
in Rus settlements and are thought to
be god-images of the sort described by
ibn Fadlan. The Oseberg sledges and
wagon were decorated with heads at
the four corners (one has human heads,
another has rather stylized cat-heads),
and the burial also included ornate
beast-head posts, which may have been
used in processions. Masks are also very
Face design from Västra Strö II common in Northern art, especially on
runestone, Sweden, ca. 1000 CE Danish runestones of the late tenth/
early eleventh centuries and worked into the bird-shaped (eagles and
ravens) brooches of the late Vendel and early Viking Ages.

Heart - seen in modern times as a symbol of Freyja’s might of love and

lust (see “Freyja” in Our Troth vol. 1). Not common in early Germanic art,
but often found in folk art such as Pennsylvanian Dutch ‘hex signs’ and
Scandinavian painted wood.

Heart of the Home - the point from which

all might springs, where the high-seat pillars
should be set up and all rites should be carried
out. If the house has a fireplace, the heart of
the Home will be the hearth. Otherwise, you
should choose a place, hallow it, and use it
for worship thereafter.

Helm of Awe - Old Norse ægishjálmr. Used

for warding; gives its wearer might and fills Drawing of the ægishjálmr
those who come against its wearer with from a 17th century Icelandic
grimoire

22
terror. A traditional Icelandic sign; variants of it were recorded in the
Icelandic mediæval books of magic for sundry uses. The dragon Fáfnir
was said to have the Helm of Awe between his eyes. This helm was also
used by Sigurðr to allow him to change shapes with Gunnarr; it covers the
wearer with blindingly bright power.

Herbs or Worts - plants, most often used for medicinal, magical, or holy
purposes. Our forebears had a wide range of herb-lore, some of which is
preserved in the Anglo-Saxon charm spells and medical manuscripts (see
Storms, Anglo-Saxon Magic, and Pollington, Leechcraft) and in folklore.

Hex-sign - a sign of hallowing and warding,

traditionally put on the walls of houses or
barns. One of the most common designs
in Germanic folk-art, especially in the art
of the Pennsylvania Dutch. The sixfold
hex-sign is similar to the six-spoked wheel
seen in continental Celtic depictions of the
thunder-god Taranis, and also to a Russian
protective symbol known as the gromovój
znak (“thunder sign”); thus it’s plausible
Simple Pennsylvania Dutch
that the sixfold hex-sign is particularly a hex-sign design
symbol of Thor.

High Seat - the term has two meanings in modern Heathenry. The seat
of honor at a feast was known as the high seat (Old Norse öndvegi). Often
there were two high seats facing each other across the table; the main seat
was for the chieftain or head of the household, while the opposite seat
was offered to honored guests. A son could not sit in his father’s high
seat until after his father had died and he was confirmed as the heir (and
had avenged his father, if necessary). High seats were ornamented with
house-pillars (öndvegissúlur), carved with images of gods. Several travelers
hoping to settle in Iceland are said to have taken their high seat pillars with
them, thrown them overboard, and settled where they washed ashore,
taking this as a sign of the gods’ guidance (e.g. Eyrbyggja saga ch. 4).
Secondly, a form of magical practice known as seiðr, usually but not
always practiced by women, was generally done with the practitioner
seated on a seiðhjallr, an elevated platform or seat (e.g. Eiríks saga rauða ch.

23
4). Several modern groups that have reconstructed the practice of seiðr
make use of a seiðhjallr, which is often referred to as the high seat. In the
Eddas, Odin is said to sit upon the high seat Hliðskjálf, and while seated
on it he can see into all worlds; Hliðskjálf thus joins these two functions
of a high seat, the chieftain’s authority with the seer’s sight. Some metal
amulets from early Viking-era graves were made in the shape of seats
or thrones (Roesdahl and Wilson, From Viking to Crusader, #187); these
may have been meant to call on the authority or the wisdom of Odin or
another deity.

Hof - a word that originally meant “home”; in German it still means

“courtyard” or “farmyard.” In Old Norse, the word came to mean a
heathen temple, and some modern Heathens continue to use the word in
this sense. Hofs in Iceland are described in several sagas (such as Eyrbyggja
saga and Kjalnesinga saga); they generally contained images of gods, an altar,
a bowl and sprinkler for the blood of sacrificed animals, and a silver arm-
ring which the goði (priest) wore on his arm at holy feasts, and on which
solemn oaths were sworn. Hofs were generally built by leading farmers
and chieftains, who had the right to collect a hoftollr (temple tax) from each
household under his authority, for the hof ’s upkeep. The largest hof we
know of was the great temple at Old Uppsala in Sweden; according to
Adam of Bremen (History of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen IV.26-27),
it was decked out in gold, contained statues of Thor, Odin, and Frikko
(Freyr), and hosted periodic mass sacrifices of humans and animals.

Fanciful 16th century concept of the Old Uppsala temple, from Olaus Magnus’s
Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (1555)

24
Holly (Ilex spp.) - traditional as a Yule decoration, and, as the Old English
poem Maxims I implies, once used on funeral pyres. In modern times,
thought to be especially a tree of the Mound-Alfs (dead ancestors living
in their burial mounds).

Honey - see Bee and Mead.

Horn (Drinking) - the best vessel for ritual use.

The image is sometimes used to represent wod
(inspiration/madness), or the might of Odin. A
trefot or triskele of interlocked horns was found
on the Snøldelev runestone, which honored a thul
(inspired speaker and counselor): this sign may show
the three vessels from which Odin got the mead of
poetry (see the entry for cauldron above). Today, Design from the
the horn-triskele within a runic circle is used as the Snøldelev stone (9th
emblem of the Rune-Gild. c. CE, Denmark)

Horn (Blowing) - associated with Heimdall,

who holds the Gjallarhorn (Resounding
Horn) which, according to Snorri, he will blow
at the beginning of Ragnarok. Sometimes
used as a symbol for Heimdallr in modern
times. Viking-era horns (lúðr, becoming
lur in modern languages) were either cow-
horns (shown in the Bayeux Tapestry) or
straight wooden tubes (still used by farmers
to summon livestock); a wooden lur was
found on the Oseberg ship. Large S-shaped
bronze horns, also called lurs today (rather
anachronistically; we don’t know what their
makers called them) date from the Bronze
Age; most have been found deposited in
bogs in Denmark and surrounding countries.
Some heathen groups today use a blast on a
moot-horn to summon people to a blót or
Bronze Age lurhorn, other gathering.
Brudevælte, Denmark

25
 Horned Helmets - not worn by the Vikings.
(And they didn’t wear winged helmets,
either.) Depictions and cheap plastic replicas
of “Viking horned helmets” are sometimes
derisively known as “Loyal Order of the Water
Buffalo helmets” (a reference to The Flintstones
cartoons).
Some Bronze Age ritual helmets have what
appear to be horns, though they resemble the
musical instruments lur-horns rather than
cow-horns, and were apparently terminated
with tufts of feathers. The image of a dancer
in what looks like a horned helmet is found
Bronze Age figurine, on the Torslunda helm-plate matrices (7th-8th
Grevensvænge, Denmark century), but his “horns” end in bird-heads,
and a similar head-amulet from Viking Age
Ribe shows that the “horns” are actually birds—probably Odin’s two
ravens.

Horses - the horse is the

holiest of beasts. In old
days, eating horseflesh
was the specific sign of
a Heathen, which is why
it was made illegal after
the conversion and why
such a strong prejudice
against it still lingers in
English-speaking lands.
Design from a Vendel-age metal plaque, Denmark
Next to human beings,
horses were the best of all gifts that could be given to the gods. Their
sacrifice was not practical, as was that of cattle, since they were usually
worth more as riding and draught animals than as meat.
According to Tacitus (Germania ch. 10), the Germanic folk of the
Roman era thought horses to have prophetic powers. Many bracteates
show the image of a man on a horse, which seems to have been thought
a particular sign of power.
The horse is particularly associated with the Vanir and with Odin. It is a

26
beast of both fruitfulness and death. In the latter aspect, its head was used
on nithing poles. Horse heads were also buried in Alamannic cemeteries
during the Migration Age, probably as protections, and carved on gables
for the same purpose.

House-Pillars - the great pillars (Old Norse öndvegissúlur) that stood on

either side of the high seat, in which the luck of the household lived.
In old days they were sometimes structural supports of the hall’s roof,
but the house-pillars brought to Iceland, such as those of Eiríkr the Red
which started the feud that led him to Greenland, were certainly not
fastened in, since they could be lent and stolen. Today, wooden pillars or
long planks, carved or painted fittingly with images of gods, goddesses,
heroes, and forebears, may be set up in whatever place the heart of the
home is deemed to be.

Howe - the howe, or burial mound, is the meeting point between the
world of the living and the world of the dead. Kings and thuls sat on the
mound to speak with the wisdom of their forebears; spell-workers also
sat out on mounds. Helgi Hjörvarðsson was sitting on a mound when
he saw the valkyrie who gave him his name, wyrd, and reason for being.
In Sweden, offerings were still made to holy howes at Yuletime in this
century. The howe is especially ruled by Freyr and Odin.

Irminsul - “great pillar”, described by the chronicler Rudolf of Fulda as

the “universal column that sustains all” and thus probably symbolic of
the World Tree. The Irminsul was set up by the Saxons near present-day
Paderborn, Germany, and destroyed by Charlemagne in 772 CE. It may
have resembled the “Jupiter columns” erected in northwestern Europe by
Romanized Celts and Germans alike.
A 12th-century carving at the Externsteine in Germany, which depicts
the crucifixion of Jesus, includes a stylized carving of a bent tree, which
is sometimes said to represent the Irminsul being “humiliated”. This
may not have been the artist’s intention; the carving may simply depict a
tree. Stylistically similar trees appear in the Bayeux Tapestry as marginal
decorations, as well as in Byzantine art, with no heathen connotations at all.
Regardless of its origins, that carving is the basis for the modern symbol
of the Irminsul, now drawn as a straight pillar (definitely not bending to
anyone) with two long horizontal curled leaves or branches coming out

27
of its top. In modern Heathenry, the Irminsul symbol is usually associated
with Tyr, although James Hjúka Coulter has argued for its association with
Wodan or Odin (Germanic Heathenry, pp. xiii-xx).

Left: Irminsul (?) as carved on the Externsteine. Right: Modern interpretation.

Iron - the word “iron” originally meant “holy metal” (Proto-Germanic

*isarno, from Proto-Indo-European *eis-, “powerful, holy”), which may
tell us something of why iron nails were hammered into the pillars of
Heathen hofs. Iron is a good ward against evil spells and sundry wights
of ill; iron knives are especially good for this purpose. In Helgakviða
Hjörvarðssonar, the iron binding of the ships is cited as a ward against the
workings of the troll-woman Hrímgerðr.
However, Peter Buchholz (Schamanistische Züge, pp. 73-74) observes
that iron is also often associated with etins (giants) and beings of the
Otherworld in general. He cites Ironwood, where the hag who bore the
wolves that chase Sun and Moon dwell; the dragon Fáfnir’s iron-bound
lair; the iron staffs of etin-men; and the frequent occurence of “Iron”
as a name-element for various etins (e.g. Járnsaxa, “Iron Knife”, Thor’s
etin-concubine). In Brennu-Njáls saga (ch. 133), Flosi has a dream in which
a strange man named Járngrímr (Iron-Grímr, or the “Iron-Masked”),
wearing a goatskin and carrying an iron staff, comes out of a cave and
calls out the names of several men who are soon to die, then announces
his intention of going to the Þing and setting strife between the folk there.
Though his appearance is characteristic for an etin-man, his actions are
not: it is possible that this dream shows Óðinn in one of his oldest and
harshest aspects.

28
Jet - a variety of lignite (soft coal) that looks glossy black (“jet-black”)
when polished. Jet has been carved into beads and ornaments since the
early Stone Age, but was especially beloved by the Vikings as an ornamental
stone. Most of it came from England, and there were jet workshops in
the Viking settlement at York (which also dealt in amber—Hall, Viking
Dig, p. 76—not surprising, as the two are worked in precisely the same
way and were used for generally the same purposes). Jet was favoured
for the coiled-wyrm amulets which were probably meant to imitate fossil
ammonites (examples have also been found in precious metals and, from
Viking Dublin, in wood): such fossils, called “snake-stones” in recent
Yorkshire, were commonly thought to bring good luck (Roesdahl and
Wilson, From Viking to Crusader, #408-410). Jet, like amber, was also used
for small sculptures such as the gripping beast from northern Norway (9th
century, Roesdahl and Wilson, #75). As far as carving is concerned, jet
is almost identical to amber (see Amber, above) in method, and, unlike
amber, if you can find a rock store that carries raw jet, it is likely to actually
be cheap enough to buy pieces of a sufficient size for easy carving.

Kettle - see Cauldron.

Keys - married Norse women wore bunches of

keys at the belt—keys to the house, outbuildings,
and storage chests. These were very much the sign
of her authority over the household. Keys were also
used in more recent Scandinavian folk practice as
amulets to speed childbirth and “unlock” the womb.
Some of the keys found in Norse and Anglo-Saxon
archaeological sites are plain metal bars, but others
are delicately ornamented and may have been made
as amulets or as badges of rank. Modern heathens Viking-era key,
may wear keys as symbols of Frigg, or as emblems British Museum
of marital and social status.

Leek (Allium spp.) – the word was originally applied to any relative of the
onion, such as garlic (from Old English gár-leác, “spear-leek”). The leek is
the embodiment of new-springing might, particularly manly might. Given
to Helgi Hunding’s-Bane at birth by his father Sigmundr; also, the first
herb to grow after the making of the worlds. The word laukaz, leek, was

29
often used as a luck-bringing word similar to alu, ale,
in runic inscriptions of the Migration Age. Especially
fitting for Ostara, birth-rites, and weddings. Paired
with the womanly linen in a bracteate inscription and
in Völsa þáttr. Used as a symbol and in kennings, with a
strong sexual implication; in Flóamanna saga ch. 24 the
hero Thorgils dreams of leeks growing out of his knee,
symbolizing his future children (and providing symbolic
material for Freudians to ponder!) An excellent ritual
subsitute for such items as the horse-phallus in Völsa
þáttr, or wherever a phallic symbol is needed.

Linden (Tilia spp.) - a womanly tree (etymologically

feminine and appearing in female names such as
Sieglinde—”Victory-Linden”). Used traditionally
for making shields; the bark also yields bast, coarse
fibers that were once made into rope. In Germany,
Wild leek
the linden is a great focal point for folk-ritual; to this
(Allium tricoccum)
very day, there are large linden-trees in the centre of
villages where seasonal celebrations are held. The
linden was best known even in the sixteenth century C.E. as a tree for
dancing around (Bock, Kreuterbuch), and ribbons and small gifts were
tied on them even through the Christian period. Much beloved by bees,
which may have contributed to our forebears’ awareness of its holiness,
it makes a delightful honey. The American species is known as basswood;
in England, linden-trees are called “lime-trees”, though unrelated to the
citrus fruit. Linden is the best of all woods for
decorative carving, being soft, but capable of
taking exceedingly fine detail, though it is too
soft for any item which will be carried around a
great deal or see hard use (such as, for example,
a blessing-bowl). It is not easy to get hold of, but
most specialty wood-shops will carry or be able
to order it.

Linen - cloth spun from flax (Linum usitasissimum),

the finest native cloth available to our forebears
and the best for ritual gear and use in sauna.
Flax plant

30
Embodies womanly might and fruitfulness. Especially holy to Frigg and
her related goddesses or German shapes, Berchta and Holda; Holda is
said to have taught humankind how to use flax. One of Freyja’s by-names
is Hörn, probably from hörr, flax.

Mead - the mightiest traditional drink of the Teutonic folk, both spiritually
and, at an alcoholic level ranging from 13-18%, physically. Technically,
an alcoholic drink made with only honey, water, and yeast. The term is
generally used for any honey-based homebrew, though, including those
made with the addition of fruit (properly “melomel”), with herbs and/or
spices (“metheglin”), or with malt (“braggot” or “bracket”). Among the
deities, mead is especially associated with Odin, the winner of the mead
of poetry.

Milk - traditionally given to house-spirits in Scandinavian folk custom.

Milk can also be offered to Frigga and the other house-goddesses. As
a gift, it should always be whole milk or even half-and-half, never semi-
skimmed or skimmed; there are folk stories of housewights and other
beings playing nasty tricks if they think the giver of their portions has
been stingy. Milk can also be blessed as a special draught of healing or
might for a human; for this purpose, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is
quite acceptable.

Moon - grammatically masculine in the

Germanic languages, and personified as
the god Máni in Norse mythology. While
there is little evidence for direct worship
of the moon, sources from Julius Cæsar
onward mention the Germanic peoples
using lunar phases to determine the
dates for major events such as meetings
and battles. Christian missionaries in
England and Germany attacked the
heathen practices of determining lucky Silver lunnitsa pendant, Black Sea
and unlucky days by the moon, and of coast, Ukraine
making noise to help the moon during
a lunar eclipse. Eyrbyggja saga (ch. 52) mentions an urðarmáni or “moon
of Wyrd” appearing as a sign of an impending epidemic. Relatively few

31
representations of the moon appear in Northern art, but metal pendants
in the shape of a crescent moon, known as lunnitsy in Russian, have been
found from the Viking age in both Slavic and eastern Scandinavian sites.

Necklace - the necklace is the sign of Freya, Nerthus, and perhaps Earth,
going back to the great sacrificial amber necklaces of the Stone Age.
Migration Age finds from Scandinavia include enormous multi-ringed
golden collars, some too large for a human to wear and thus possibly
made to adorn carved goddess-figures. The four-ringed necklace may be
thought of as especially Freyja’s sign; several Viking-era figurines depict
females, probably intended to be Freyja, wearing such necklaces.

Migration Age gold collar, Torslunda, Sweden

Oak (Quercus spp.) - the holiest of trees. Oak is the tree of Thor; a
lightning-struck oak is mightiest of all. Oak is a very good wood to make
a harrow from, ritually speaking; but it is a very hard wood, and is not
easy to carve.

Oaths - there were none mightier than the one who swore a great oath
and kept it, none more loathed and looked down on than the one who
broke an oath, and none thought more foolish than those who swore an
oath beyond their strength to uphold. The oath-swearing itself is an act
by which one steps into the garth of the gods and goddesses, and they all
hear and witness the words spoken. All should hold back from swearing
oaths before they have thought well on them, or before they understand
what oath-making truly is. The oath you speak is your very soul, all your
life and luck and might together.

Rainbow - according to the Prose Edda, the rainbow is the bridge Bifröst
or Bilröst leading to Ásgardr, guarded by the god Heimdallr. In modern

32
times it has been suggested as a symbol for Heimdallr.

Raven - the raven is the bird of Odin,

whose two ravens Huginn (Thoughtful or
Bold) and Muninn (Mindful or Desirous)
bring him tidings of the worlds. It is also
associated with him as gallows-god and
claimer of the battle-dead, for obvious
reasons. Raven brooches with masks
on the back, such as the Besjebakken
brooch, were common during the late
Vendel and early Viking Ages; the mask
may represent Odin himself.
Several Viking Age pendants or
amulets showing a man with a stylized
bird on either side of his head (sometimes
Design from a coin of Anlaf Guth-
reduced to a mere projection) have been frithsson, York, England, 939-941
found. The birds are clearest in the CE
“Óðinn from Ribe” pendant; the Birka
version shows a man in a long robe holding a stave of some sort (wand,
broken staff, or broken spear) in his hand.
Ravens tend to be larger and more deep-voiced than crows. That
being said, there’s no firm biological dividing line between all species we
call “ravens” and all those we call “crows”, and ravens and crows may
overlap in size. In North America, Corvus brachyrhynchos (American crow),
C. ossifragus (fish crow), and C. cryptoleucus (Chihuahuan raven) all belong
in the same genus with C. corax (common raven), which is also found in
Europe and is presumably the bird that the skalds had in mind. As far as
we can tell, in Old Norse the word hrafn (plural hrafnar) is a corvid catch-
all. As such, it should be considered good form to wave at large black
birds on general principles.

Recels – incense. May have been used in elder times, though we are not
sure. Smoke from herbs, or steam infused with herbs, is mentioned in
Anglo-Saxon medical manuscripts as a healing treatment. Some like to
use it, some do not. It can be used as a means of cleansing the gathered
folk by carrying the burner about and fanning smoke over them, or of
hallowing a stead and filling it with a might that is fitting to the work being

33
done. To be strictly traditional, Northern herbs should be used rather
than any of the Southern gums (such as frankincense). In modern times,
essential oil burners are also sometimes used.

Rings – Both finger-rings and arm-

rings were worn by our forebears. The
holy oaths were sworn on an unbroken
arm-ring weighing at least two ounces
and made of precious metal. Grønbech
mentions that “This treasure was as
far beyond ordinary possession as the
great holiness was beyond the ordinary
blessing of everyday” (II, p. 140). The
very might of the gods and goddesses
was embodied in the holy ring used in
Figurine from Viking-era burial at the hof.
Daugmale, Latvia
Armrings are also given as a sign of
friendship or oaths. One kenning for a ruler was “ring-breaker”, for as a
sign of favour the ruler would break coils from the gold or silver wires
that he wore spiraled about his arms. Rings were used on the hilts of
swords in the Migration and Vendel ages, possibly for oath-swearing or
as the sign of the troth between sword-bearer and sword-giver.
Images of the gods are often seen with holy rings, as on the “three-
god bracteates” (see “Balder” in Our Troth vol. 1) and the Gotlandic
picture-stones. Small figurines of Scandinavian origin which show the
ring or wreath have been found in an Eastern Baltic fortress (From Viking
to Crusader, #248) and a grave on the upper Dnepr: a bearded man with a
sword at his side holds a huge twisted ring or wreath in his right hand and
stretches his left out. This may represent a god as holy ring-giver.
Odin holds the great gold ring Draupnir (dripper), which gives birth to
eight rings matching its weight every ninth night.

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) - Snorri Sturluson quotes a proverb that “the

rowan is Thor’s salvation”, because he once pulled himself out of a
rushing stream by holding onto a rowan’s branches (Skáldskaparmál 18).
The belief that lightning will not strike a rowan is widespread in northern
Europe; in England, Sweden and Finland, amulets and tools made of its
wood were used to protect homes and livestock against ill-willing beings.

34
The Finnish thunder-god Ukko was said to have a female counterpart
named Raudna or Rauni, a loan-word derived from the Old Norse name
raun for this tree. For all these reasons, the tree is associated today with Sif.
The berries can be made into jam, wine, and liqueur.

Runes - the writing system

of the early Germanic folk,
first documented from
around the year 50 CE, and
used in various forms well
into the medieval period and
in some regions even later.
The shapes of the letters
are probably derived from
a variant of the Latin or
Etruscan alphabet, modified
for ease of carving in wood.
A rune “alphabet” is known
as a futhark, from the sounds
of the first six letters: f, u,
th, a, r, k. Each rune has a
name that (usually) begins
with the phonetic sound of
that rune. The names and Stentoften runestone, Sweden; 500-700 CE
number of runes varied
somewhat from one futhark to the next, but the most commonly heard
names are the reconstructed and inferred Proto-Germanic names of the
Elder Futhark.
Rune letters could be used as abbreviations to stand for their name-
words; to give one example, the inscription on the Stentoften stone
reads in part: haþuwolafR gaf j, “Hathuwolf gave *jera”—*jera, the
reconstructed name of the rune, meaning “harvest; [good] seasons”. The
majority of inscriptions throughout history are fairly mundane, but many
instances of rune inscriptions used for apparently magical purposes are
known, and others are described in the Icelandic sagas and other texts.
Still used by Heathens today, most often for symbolic, magical, divinatory
and religious purposes, though sometimes for ordinary communication
as well.

35
 Sax - a single-edged knife or short sword,
used as a tool and/or a weapon as needed;
a favored weapon of the saga hero Grettir
the Strong. Also known as a seax (in Old
English) or scramasax. Carvings show that
the sax was worn horizontally at the belt,
with the sharp edge facing upwards to
avoid cutting through the sheath. The tribe
of Saxons may have taken their name from
this weapon; at their forced baptism, the
Saxons were forced to renounce their gods,
including Saxnote (Old English Seaxneat),
whose name means “sax-companion.”
Used by some modern Heathens as a ritual
tool.

Shield – the Vikings and earlier Anglo-

Saxons always used round shields made
of wooden planks, sometimes covered
Warrior with a sax at his belt, with leather or cloth, with a central metal
surrounded by his other weap- boss covering a handgrip. Shields might
ons and shield. Middleton stone
be colored; the shields buried with the
cross, Yorkshire, England
Gokstad ship were painted yellow and
black. Eiríks saga rauða (chs.
10, 11) mentions carrying
a red shield as a gesture of
hostile intent and a white
shield as a sign of peace.
Shields were also made for
ritual, symbolic, or decorative
purposes instead of battle.
The shield from the Sutton
Hoo burial, which had been
imported from Sweden, bore
finely worked golden emblems
of an eagle and a dragon.
At least two skaldic poems,
Haustlöng and Ragnarsdrápa, Reconstructed shield from the Sutton Hoo
burial, British Museum

36
were made in thanks for gifts of shields that were elaborately decorated
with scenes from myths (Skáldskaparmál 17, 22, 42, 50, etc.).

Shield-Knot - a sign of warding,

used on a bracteate, a picture-
stone, a sword-hilt from Hedeby,
and on modern Scandinavian signs
which designate historical or natural
monuments. Though no godly
attribution has survived for it from the
elder days, it is thought now that this
sign could perhaps be tied to the Vanir,
to Thor, and/or to Ullr (who is called
Shield-knot on the Havors picture
the “shield-god” in the Prose Edda). stone, Gotland, Sweden, 5th-7th c.

Ship - sign of death and fruitfulness

since at least the Bronze Age, most
closely tied to the Vanic processions
and to Odin. Often used on picture
stones to show the faring from the land
of the living to the land of the dead, a
meaning which is also apparent in both
Norse and Anglo-Saxon burials in
ships (such as Sutton Hoo), or within
Ship on a coin struck at Hedeby, ship-shaped enclosures of stones. Of
Denmark, ca. 825 CE.
course, ships were also extensively
used in the Viking age for both trading and warfare, from Greenland and
Canada to the Black Sea. In the myths, Freyr’s ship Skíðblaðnir (“thin-
planked”) could carry all the gods, but could be pocketed when not in use.
Another ship, Naglfar (“nail-journeyer”), made of the nails of dead men,
will one day carry the gods’ enemies to the last battle at Ragnarök.

Bronze Age petroglyph, Hornnes, Østfold, Norway

37
 Silver - referred to as “ice” in kennings
(poetic figures of speech). A more everyday
metal than gold; used for most commerce,
though large silver jewelry was obviously a
sign of considerable prestige as well (Hårdh,
Silver in the Viking Age, p. 134). Hoards of
silver coins from the Islamic Caliphate have
been found in Scandinavia, attesting to the
extent of Viking-era trade routes. Other
Arabic coin from Viking-era hoards have been found that are rich in hack-
hoard, Sweden silver—old coins and jewelry that could be
broken up to give exact weight. In modern
times, considered fitting for Skaði and Frigg, the latter due to its use with
rock crystal spheres (see the entry on Crystal above).

Spear - the weapon of Odin, used to hallow

something that is given to him, soon to be
destroyed in the Middle-Garth (the world
of mankind). The Germanic peoples used
both throwing-spears and thrusting-spears;
Tacitus says that the Germans used their
spears, called frameae, for both purposes.
Spears were the most common Viking-era
weapons, swords being used only by the
wealthy. In addition to standard thrusting-
spears (spjót; geirr) and throwing spears
(gaflak; usually translated as “javelin”),
the Icelandic sagas mention long, bladed
polearms that could be used for both
thrusting and cutting, variously called kesja, Design from the Franks Casket,
atgeirr or höggspjót (“hewing-spear”) and Anglo-Saxon, 8th c. CE
usually translated as “halberd”.

Spiral - suggested in modern times as a hallowing sign for Frigga, showing

the turning of her spindle.

Spindle - used by virtually every woman in old times to spin thread for
weaving. A bundle of loose fibers was held on one end of a staff, the

38
distaff; fibers were pulled from this bundle and wound onto the spindle
as it was allowed to fall twirling. In modern times, commonly seen as an
emblem of Frigg and her maidens. The spindle is the sign of Wyrd, and
of the womanly might that knows and shapes Wyrd. Frigg is said to know
all fates, and the Norns appear as spinners at the birth of the hero Helgi
Hunding’s-Bane.

Stag - the stag was thought of as

the noblest of beasts. Both Sigurðr
and Helgi Hunding’s-Bane are
compared to high-antlered stags
by their grieving widows. Because
Freyr fights with a stag’s antler at
Ragnarök, it is usually thought to Design from the Ire picture stone,
be his beast. Gotland, Sweden, 7th-9th c.

Stars - Little is known of our forebears’ star-lore, although the historian

Jordanes claimed that the Goths were taught the names of 346 stars by
their wise king Dicineus. Yet the Nebra Disc, an artifact found in 1999 in
central Germany that seems to be the oldest known star-map, suggests
that our forebears had fairly sophisticated astronomical knowledge at least
as early as the Bronze Age.
A few old names for
constellations that link
them with deities have
survived in manuscripts
and folklore. Ursa Major
or the “Big Dipper” is
widely known in Europe
as the Wain or Wagon,
and a Dutch folk name
for it is Woenswaghen,
Woden’s Wagon. The
three stars of Orion’s
Belt were remembered
in Sweden as Friggerock,
“Frigg’s Distaff ”; the
Old English Rune Nebra Disc, Bronze Age, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

39
Poem’s stanza for the t-rune is often interpreted as linking Tiw/Tyr with
the North Star; and the Icelandic name for the star Sirius was Lokabrenna,
“Loki’s Torch”. The Eddas record the myth of either Odin or Thor setting
the eyes of the giant Thjazi in the sky (we don’t know which stars these
are, but a reasonable modern guess is that Thjazi’s Eyes are Castor and
Pollux in the constellation Gemini). The Prose Edda also tells how Thor set
Aurvandil’s toe in the sky (possibly the star Rigel in the constellation of
Orion, or possibly the constellation now called Corona Borealis).

Stones - Grimm thought that stone-lore was not typical of the Teutonic
folk, but since then archaeology has found that our forebears often used
various stones as amulets. Garnet was frequently used for decoration,
although rarely for magical amulets. Amber, jet, and crystal were
widely used; carnelian was frequently imported. Anglo-Saxon folklore
mentions the use of agate and bloodstone against thunder and witchcraft
(Pollington, Leechcraft, pp. 422-423). Amethyst beads have been found in
both Anglo-Saxon and Viking-era Norse female burials sites. Icelandic
laws also mention the use of magical stones, and legendary sagas mention
magic stones that could control the weather, show distant places, or make
the holder invisible, although many of these sagas are rather fanciful and
probably do not reflect heathen belief.
Stones are holy in and of themselves, and fit for blessing or using
as focal points of a rite, either as the body of an outdoor harrow or as
something set on an indoor one. Vésteinn, “sacred stone”, was a common
Old Norse name, as was Þórsteinn, “Thor-stone.” From Old English we
know Athelstan (“noble stone”) and Weohstan (“sacred stone”).

Bautasteinar or memorial stones in Sweden, from Olaus Magnus’s

Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (1555).

40
Sun-Wheel - circle containing an equal-
armed cross. This sign was used most often
in the Bronze Age rock carvings. Today,
it is clearly seen as the emblem of Sunna,
but it is also generally used as a hallowing
sign for the Vanir, often in a triad with
Thor’s Hammer and Odin’s valknot.
The sun-wheel is most fitting for Freyr,
who seems
to have
Bronze Age petroglyph,
kept many Denmark
aspects
of the Bronze Age male solar deity.
Unfortunately, this symbol has been adopted
by some white supremacist groups.
The term “sun-wheel” is also sometimes
applied to pinwheel-like designs from the
picture-stones of Gotland, particularly
Design from Havor I stone, those from the 5th-7th centuries. It’s not
Gotland, Sweden certain that they represent the sun, but they
do seem to have cosmological significance.

Swan - always a womanly bird (and used as a first element in women’s

names); sometimes becomes a swan-maiden, who may speak spae-words.
Snorri tells of two swans at the Well of Urðr (see Wyrd).
In the Kalevala (canto 14), there is a black swan that swims in the river
of Tuonela (the realm of death). There is no evidence for this in the
Norse sources, but one might perhaps think that Hel could have just such
a black swan to match the white ones of the Norns, or possibly that one
of the swans in Wyrd’s Well could be white and one black.
The valkyrie Kára became a swan to defend her Helgi in battle: as the
embodiment of the soul’s shining bride, the swan is often seen as the sign
of the soul’s striving towards the god/esses and of blessing from them.
Because of the prose of Völundarkviða and the Helgi materials, the swan-
maiden has sometimes been confused with the valkyrie (see “Dísir and
Valkyries” in Our Troth vol. 1 for discussion), but this seems doubtful.
One small child from the Stone Age in Denmark, buried beside its
mother, was laid on the wing of a swan. Pendants with dangling webbed

41
birds’ feet on chains were popular in the Viking era in areas of Finnish
influence (From Viking to Crusader #218, #239)

Swastika - also known as the fylfot. Often

thought to be associated with Thor (see chapter
in Our Troth vol. 1), or else a sun-symbol. It was
used, among other things, on English burial
urns, East Germanic inlaid/inscribed runic
spear-heads, continental German brooches, and
Scandinavian bracteates, probably as a general
sign of holiness and perhaps related to Thor’s
Design from the Ølst-C role as Hallower. There is disagreement among
bracteate, Jutland, Heathens as to whether the swastika should be,
Denmark or ever can be, reclaimed from its vile association
with the Nazis. While it was a holy symbol in
the past, and many feel that it still is, its modern negative connotations
may be too strong for many to overcome. Despite the awe our forebears
gave to this sign, the Troth strongly
recommends that it not be shown in
public, to avoid causing unnecessary
distress to those who are only aware of
its modern misuses and might thus be
led to misunderstand our principles.
A “kinder, gentler” swirling form
was also used by our forebears, and may
be used by those who prefer not to use
the straight-armed form. Clockwise
and counterclockwise forms were used
Design from a picture-stone,
indiscriminately by our forebears: both
Hemse, Gotland, Sweden
were equally holy and mighty.

Swine - holy to Freyr and Freyja; see chapters in Our Troth. Boars on
crests of helmets are both depicted in literary works such as Beowulf and
documented by archaeologists, such as the crest of the Anglo-Saxon
helmet from Benty Grange. Such boars were probably seen as warders,
either as a sign of the god Ing or as the embodiment of a totem animal.
Both Freyr and Freyja ride golden boars. Syr, “Sow” is one of Freyja’s
by-names, while the Old Norse jófurr, “boar”, was no longer used for the

42
natural animal, but became a complimentary term for a prince, especially
a great warrior-prince. Mighty oaths were sworn on the Yule-boar.

Design showing two

“interlocking” boars, on
the shoulder clasp from
Sutton Hoo, England

Sword - the basic weapon of the well-born Germanic warrior. Most

magical of weapons, most frequently named (by a very high factor indeed),
most often seen as the embodiment of the family soul and the warrior’s
troth and honor. Original weapon of Freyr, but used by followers of all
the gods and goddesses, with the exception of Anglo-Saxon heathen
priests, who were not allowed to bear weapons (as described in Bede’s
Ecclesiastical History). Interestingly, the gods themselves are seen to use
swords relatively seldom: Odin has his spear, Thor his Hammer, and
the weapons of the rest are not often described, though their heroes and
children often receive good swords from their deity-friends.

Typical Viking-era swords from Denmark

Thul - a counsellor and spokesman for a king. In Beowulf, Unferð is

described as Hroðgar’s þyle; his role seems to be to challenge Beowulf in
order to test whether he has the might and worth to do what he promises.
The word is related to a root meaning “to speak” (Old Norse þylja, “to

43
speak; to chant; to mutter”; Old English þyle was used to translate the
Latin orator). The inscription on the Snøldelev runestone from Denmark
refers to a man who was “thul on the Sal-howes”, suggesting that the
thul had ritual responsibilities as well, sitting out on grave-mounds to seek
wisdom from the dead. In modern times, the person in the rite of sumbel
who challenges and rules on the swearing and fulfillment of oaths is
often given the title of thul.

Trefot or Triskele - similar to the

swastika but with three instead of four
arms. Interpreted as might whirling from
the three great realms of being. The
emblem of the Isle of Man (once Viking
territory) and the Celtic Manannán mac
Lir; also suggested as a possible sign for
Heimdallr in modern usage, although
there is no hint that this was a traditional
association. The trefot must be worn
“Bird-headed” trefot on 7th cen-
tury brooch, Faversham, England
with some care, as at the present time
there are some
racist groups using it as an emblem. The trefot is
common in Celtic art and design but also appears
in some Germanic designs.
A related design, the triquetra, is a version
of the trefoil knot (as is the unicursal valknot).
The triquetra appears on Viking-era coins, a few
picture stones, the famous axe from Mammen, Triquetra design from a
Denmark, and elsewhere. Its significance is coin of Ragnald Guth-
unknown, although it might have carried the frithsson, York, England,
943-944 CE
same symbolism as the valknot.

Third-century spearhead, Dahmsdorf-Müncheberg, near Brandenburg,

Germany. with both a swastika and a curved trefot.

44
Valknot or Walknot - “knot of the slain”.
Appears on a number of picture-stones,
almost always in depictions of battle or
sacrifice. Used both in a triple form (three
interlocking triangles) and a unicursal form
(a single angled curve). While there is no
direct textual evidence for its association
with Odin, its association with death in battle
or sacrifice is strong indirect evidence for
Unicursal valknot, Tängelgårda
an Odinnic association. In modern times, stone, Gotland, Sweden
wearing it is often considered a sign that the
bearer has offered her/his life to Odin to take whenever the god chooses;
it’s sometimes called the “Insert Spear Here” sign, and not jokingly.

Völva - a seeress. The word comes from

ON völr (staff) and seems to mean “womanly
staff-bearer” (cf. the valkyrie-name Göndull/
Odin-name Göndlir, and also the early
German seeress “Waluburg”, whose name
stems from the same root as völr). Odin
himself calls völvur up to tell him of what
shall become in Völuspá (the Völva’s spae)
and Baldrs draumar; in both cases, they seem
to be etin-wives, and the völva of the latter
has lain dead in her howe for some while.
There is likely some relationship between
the völva and the thul; the titles might even
have originally been womanly and manly
descriptions of the same sort of gifted seer
Cloaked, bird-headed female on the mound, though the title of “thul”
figure with staff; probably a seems, at least among the English, to have
völva or goddess. Stone cross developed into the more earthly role of hall-
fragment, Kirk Michael, Isle speaker or word-champion, while the völvur
of Man
of Eddic poetry speak (in Baldrs draumar,
unwillingly) at Óðinn’s behest.

Wain - the wain, or wagon, together with the ship, was the chief vehicle
of the Vanic holy processions. Tacitus reports the wagon-procession of

45
the goddess Nerthus, while later Norse sources depict images of Freyr
carried in wagons, and the “Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem” associates the
god Ing (probably equivalent to Freyr) and the rune of that name with
a wagon. Among the names for the stars of the Big Dipper was “the
Wain”; in Holland, it was known as “Woenswaghen” (Woden’s Wagon) as
late as 1470 (Grimm, Teutonic Mythology I, p. 151). Thor also fares in a wain
drawn by two goats, and Freyja in one drawn by two cats.

Design from the Levide

Kyrka picture stone,
Gotland, Sweden, 11th c.

Water - Landnamabók (Hauksbók 146) mentions places in Iceland called

both “Helgavatn” (Holy Water) and “Urðarvatn” (Wyrd’s Water). In
Teutonic Mythology, Grimm cites a number of customs having to do with
the use of hallowed water—that is, water drawn from a running spring or
holy well, usually done just before sunrise in total silence. Water embodies
life-force; a deep body of water can also embody the Well of Wyrd. Gifts
to the gods and goddesses were often sunk into water in the old days.

Wight - any conscious being, whether a human, a deity, or another being

such as a dwarf, alf, giant, troll, or spirit of a home (housewight) or a
natural place (landwight, or landvættr in Old Norse). See the chapter on
“Alfs, Dwarves, Wights and Huldfolk” in Our Troth vol. 1.

Wolf - seen as a dangerous and uncanny animal. Together with the raven,
the wolf was a “beast of battle” and a scavenger of corpses; “to feed the
wolf ” was a kenning for slaying men. Odin is said to have two wolves,
Freki and Geri (both names meaning “greedy”). The word vargr in Old
Norse could denote the wolf, but also meant “outlaw”; Sigmund and his

46
 son Sinfjotli spend time living as
outlaws in the forest, and in fact do
transform into wolves by the might
of a pair of magic wolfskins. In the
skaldic poem Haustlöng, the term
ulfheðnar, “wolf-skins”, refers to
berserkers, who presumably wore
wolfskins into battle. Giantesses
and trolls were said to ride on the
backs of wolves, who are thus called
“steeds of trollwives” and similar
kennings in skaldic poetry.

Giantess riding wolf, using snakes as Wreath - the wreath is the living
reins; Hunnestad monument, Skåne, form of the ring. It is a sign of both
Sweden, probably 11th century
troth and hallowing. Holy wreaths
can be made to be hung up in your house or hall, or used as garlands to
bless folk with. Wreaths of evergreen, nuts, and apples are most fitting at
Yule-time, birch and pussy willow at Ostara, spring flowers and rowan on
Waluburg’s Night and May Day, elder at Midsummer’s, grain and rowan
berries at Loaf-Feast, and grain, nuts, and straw at Winternights.

Wyrd - web of causes and effects, through

which past actions manifest themselves
in the present and shape every present
moment. The word derives from a root
that originally meant “to turn” and came
to mean “to come about”. It’s often
translated as “fate” or “destiny”, but
neither one is quite right; on the other
hand, the concept has some similarities
to the Indian concept of karma.
Wyrd (Old Norse Urðr) is sometimes
symbolized by spinning and weaving; in
Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, the Norns, the
personifications of wyrd itself, are said
to have spun and woven the threads of
the hero’s wyrd and attached them to Modern depiction of the Norns at
the Well of Wyrd

47
the sky. Wyrd is also represented by a great spring or well, the Well of
Wyrd (Old Norse Urðarbrunnr), which may be thought of as containing all
that has ever happened. Several other wells or springs mentioned in the
myths, such as Mimir’s Well and Hvergelmir, are sometimes thought of as
“levels”, aspects, or forms of the Well of Wyrd itself. In Völuspá, the Well
of Wyrd is said to lie at the base of Yggdrasil, the World-Tree; the Prose
Edda adds that the Norns nourish the tree with clay and water from the
Well, and that the gods hold council by the Well every day.

Wyrm - snake or dragon; sign of

hidden might. Runes were carved
inside wyrm-ribbons in the last part of
the Viking Age; wyrm-prows were used
on ships, and “Ormr” was a ship-name
as well as a personal name. Very often
used in Northern art, often interlaced
in complex patterns.
Wyrms were considered highly
Wyrm design from a Viking-era magical. The coiled wyrm-image was
brooch
a favourite shape for amulets (see Jet),
and one Viking Age grave included a “medicine-pouch” with the skeleton
of a snake in it. The wyrm appears frequently in Bronze Age religious art,
as with the wyrms drawing the ship of the little bronze goddess-image
from Denmark. de Vries also comments on a connection between wyrm,
horse, and sun-cult at that time, noting the wyrm-shapes with horse-heads
(Religionsgeschichte, I, p. 362). The Trajan pillar shows a Germanic tribesman
bearing a snake-standard on a staff; Stilicho’s army used a purple snake as
a battle-flag (Religionsgeschichte, p. 371).

Wyrm from a carved boulder from Ed, Uppland, Sweden, mid-11th century

48
Yew (Taxus baccata) - an
evergreen tree of life and death,
still planted in burial grounds.
Known by the Old Norse
kenning barraskr, “needle-ash”;
sometimes identified with the
World-Tree (see chapter on “The
Nine Worlds” in Our Troth vol.
1) and the rune eiwaz (4). The
finest wooden bows are made
of yew; thus it is closely tied to
Ullr, who dwells in “Yew-Dales”
(Ýdalir), and to Odin. It is also
identified with the Yule-time.
Yew is a very poisonous tree. Yew foliage
Do not eat any part of it, do
not burn any part of it and breathe the smoke or vapours, and do not
bring it into a house with small children or plant-eating pets. One British
occultist in recent times deliberately killed himself by eating yew-berries;
an American member of the Rune-Gild almost killed himself accidentally
by burning the berries and inhaling their smoke.
Yew wood has a soft creamy-white outer layer around a very hard
red inner layer, a combination which can be used in carving to striking
effect.

49
 The Banner of the Troth

The Banner of the Troth is a ring of four golden apples (at the
cardinal points) and four raven-heads (at the cross-points) linked by a ring
of twisted gold wire with three twists between each apple/raven pair. In
the middle of the ring is a golden-white Hammer with the Troth bind-
rune in red upon the haft. The background is deep blue.
The eight elements of the ring show the ætt (the clan) of the winds; they
also show the eight worlds ringed around the Middle-Garth (Miðgarðr)—
four shining, four dark. In this reading, the Hammer shows the might of
their holiness brought forth into the Middle-Garth.
The apples are the golden apples of Iðunn, which give new life to the
god/esses. In a larger sense, they are that life-might embodied by all the
goddesses (Iðunn, Freyja, Sif) whom the etins keep trying to steal from

50
the Ases’ Garth (Ásgarðr). They are also the apples placed in the howe (as
with the Oseberg ship-burial) as a sign of rebirth.
The ravens are Odin’s birds, Huginn (Thoughtful) and Muninn (Mindful);
they are the sign of the wisdom and memory which shape the Troth. They
are also the sign of the faring between the worlds which brings lore, life,
and might into the Middle-Garth from the hidden realms—the faring of
the thul and the völva, and the folk-leader who sits on the mound to speak
rede.
The Troth of our folk is grounded on this matching of brightness and
darkness: we, the living, draw all that we are from our dead kin—from
the hidden roots of the World-Tree—and in turn, strengthen them with
our life, the blessings that we pour to them and the toasts that we drink
to their memory. Among the Northern peoples, there is no sundering
between those who still dwell alive in the Middle-Garth and their kin who
have fared to the halls of the gods and goddesses before them
Together, the apples and the ravens also refer to the key scene from
Völsunga saga, chapter I, in which Óðinn’s grandson Rerir and his wife,
who have had no children, pray to become fruitful. “That is now said,
that Frigg heard their prayer and told Óðinn what they asked for. He was
not confounded, and took his wish-maid...and put an apple (or “fruit” -
KHG) in her hand and bade her go to the king with it. She took the apple
and drew her crow-hide (the birds kráka and hrafn are not distinguished in
Icelandic - a big black corvid is a big black corvid - KHG) upon herself
and flew until she came there where the king sat upon a howe. She let the
apple fall onto the king’s knee. He took that apple and it seemed to him
that he knew what must be done. He now went home from the howe
and to his men and found the queen, and they ate that apple together”,
whereupon the queen became pregnant with the son who became the
hero Völsi, the father of Sigmundr and Signy, after whom the Völsung
line was named. For the Troth, this stands as a sign that, though the ways
of our folk seemed to be barren and our gods and goddesses gone from
the earth, they heeded us when we raised our call to them again, and the
heroes and heroines of our folk shall be born again, mightier for the many
years of hiding and the need that has called the souls of the North to life
once more.
The ring of wound gold that binds the apples and the ravens is the
holy oath-ring, which is also the sign of the ring of our fellowship—truly
the Ring of Troth. Three windings show between each apple/raven pair;

51
three are hidden behind each apple and raven, so that there are twenty-
four shining coils and twenty-four mirky coils. These show forth the might
of the runes, both bright and dark—of that wisdom which was brought
up from Yggdrasill’s roots in elder days. The pattern of the thrice-wound
oath-ring also calls on those three great oath-gods, Ullr, Tyr, and Thor,
or, as another reading may show it, the triad of “Freyr, Njörðr, and the
almighty Ase”. In either case, these holy ones keep the words and deeds
of the Troth true to the ways of our forebears and our own honour.
The Hammer itself was the sign of the elder Troth among the
Norsemen, when our folk strove to keep their own ways whole. It is the
sigil of all who follow the gods and goddesses of the North, marked for
us by the Troth’s bind-rune.
The bind-rune of the Troth is formed of eihwaz (4), the yew-tree which
has kept the fire of our folk ever-green through the long winter; nauthiz
(n), the need-rune which has kindled that fire forth again; wunjo (W), which
binds us all as a single clan in joy and love; and raidho (R), the rune of
right measure, by which we are held true and following which we keep the
round of the seasons and the blessings of the Troth.
The deep blue background is both the night sky and the sea—the
might both of the Æsir and of the Vanir, who stand matched in strength,
in wisdom, and in the love we bear them.

52
53
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aarhenius, Birgit. Granatschmuck und Gemmen aus Nordischen Funden des

Frühen Mittelalters (Stockholm: Holmqvist, 1971).

Adam of Bremen (Francis J. Tschan, transl.) History of the Archbishops of

Hamburg-Bremen (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002).

Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People (London: Penguin, 1990).

­
Bock, Hieronymus. Kreuterbuch (Strassburg: Wendel Rihel, 1552).

Buchholz, Peter. Schamanistische Züge in der altisländischen Überlieferung

(dissertation: Münster, 1968).

Coulter, James Hjuka. Germanic Heathenry: A Practical Guide (Bloomington,

Ind.: 1stBooks, 2003).

de Vries, Jan. Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte, 2 vols. Berlin: Walter

deGruyter.

Doht, Renate. Der Rauschtrank im germanischen Mythos. Wiener Arbeiten zur

germanischen Altertumskunde und Philologie 3 (Wien: Karl M. Halosar,
1974).

Edsman, Karl. “The Hunter, the Game, and The Unseen Powers: Lappish
and Finnish Bear-Rites”. In Hvarfner, Harald, ed. Hunting and Fishing:
Nordic Symposium on Life in a Traditional Hunting and Fishing Milieu in
Prehistoric Times and up to the Present Day (Luleå: I-Tryck, 1965), pp.

54
 159-188.

Ellis Davidson “Milk and the Northern Goddess”, in Sandra Billington

and Miranda Green, eds. The Concept of the Goddess (London: Routledge,
1996), pp. 91-106.

Fell, Christine E. ”Drink”, Skalk, vol. 6 (1974), pp. 3-9.

Gløb, P. V. The Mound People: Danish Bronze-Age Man Preserved, tr. Joan
Bulman (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1974).

Gräslund, Anna-Sofie. “Adams Uppsala—och Arkeologins”. In Anders

Hultgård (ed.), Uppsalakulten och Adam av Bremen (Nora: Nya Doxa,
1997), pp. 101-116.

—. “Kultkontinuitet - myt eller verklighet? Om arkeologins möjligheter at

belysa problemet”. In Kontinuitet i kult och tro frän vikingatid til mideltid,
ed. Bertil Nilsson. Projektet Sveriges kristnande, I (Uppsala: 1992),
pp. 129-150.

Grieves, M. A Modern Herbal, 2 vols. (New York: Cover, 1971).

Grimm, Jakob. Teutonic Mythology, 4 vols. (1883-88) (New York: Dover,

1966).

Grimm, Jakob, and Grimm, Wilhelm. The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
New York: Pantheon Books, 1972.

Grundy, Stephan. Miscellaneous Studies towards the Cult of Óðinn (Seattle:

Vikar, 1994).

Grønbech, Vilhelm. Culture of the Teutons (London: Oxford University

Press, 1931).

Guðbrandur Vigfússon and C. R. Unger (eds.) Flateyjarbók. 3 vols.

(Christiania: P. T. Malling, 1860-1868).

Hall, Richard. The Viking Dig: The Excavations at York (London: The Bodley

55
 Head, 1984).

Hårdh, Birgitta. Silver in the Viking Age: A Regional-Economic Study. Acta

Archaeologica Lundensia, series in 8, 25 (Stockholm: Almqvist &
Wiksell, 1996).

Jón Steffensen. “Life in Iceland in the Heathen Period”, Saga-Book XVII

(1967-68), pp. 177-205.

Kongelige Nordiske Odskrift-Selskab. Hauksbók. Copenhagen: Thieles,

1892-6.

Kveldulf Gundarsson. Our Troth. Volume 1: History and Lore. The Troth,
2006.

—. Our Troth. Volume 2: Living the Troth. The Troth, 2007.

Lönnrot, Elias (ed.), Keith Bosley (tr.). The Kalevala (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1991).

Mundal, Else. Fylgjemotiva i norrøn Literatur (Oslo: Universitetsforlaget,

1974).

Pollington, Stephen. Leechcraft: Early English Charms, Plantlore and Healing

(Hockwold-cum-Wilton: Anglo-Saxon Books, 2001).

Ramqvist, Per H. Högom, Part I: The Excavations 1949-1984 (Neumünster:

Karl Wachholtz Verlag, 1992).

Ransome, Hilda M. The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore (Bee Books
New & Old: orig. 1937, rep. 1986).

Roesdahl, Else and David M. Wilson. From Viking to Crusader (New York:
Rizzoli, 1992).

Salo, Unto. Ukko: The God of Thunder of the Ancient Finns and his indo-
European Family. Monograph no. 51, Journal of Indo-European Studies.
Washington DC: Institute for the Study of Man, 2006.

56
Snorri Sturluson (Anthony Faulkes, transl.) Edda (London: J. M. Dent,
1987).

Stenberger, M. Die Schatzfunde Gotlands der Wikingerzeit, I (Stockholm:

1958).

Storms, G. Anglo-Saxon Magic (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1948).

Tacitus, Cornelius (H. Mattingly, transl.) Germania (Harmondsworth:

Penguin, 1970).

Viðar Hreinsson, ed. Complete Sagas of Icelanders (Reykjavik: Leifur Eriksson

Press, 2000).

57
IMAGE CREDITS

All images were redrawn by Ben Waggoner, except for the following illustrations taken
from public-domain or Troth sources:

Ash: Newhall, Charles S. The Trees of North-Eastern America (New York: The Knickerbocker
Press, 1900)

Axe (Francisca): Whitney, William Dwight. The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon
of the English Language (New York: The Century Co., 1911)

Beech: Bergen, Joseph Y. Elements of Botany (Boston: Ginn & Company, 1896).

Bees: Michel, André. Histoire de l’Art depuis les Premiers temps Chrétiens jusqu’a Nos Jours. Vol.
1 (Paris: Armand Colin, 1905).

Birch, Yew: Lindley, John. The Vegetable Kingdom (London: Bradbury & Evans, 1853).

Bow and Arrows, Hof, Stones: Olaus Magnus, Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus
(Rome, 1555).

Bracteate: Ekhoff, E. “Bohuslänska Fornsaker från Hednatiden. 5.” Bidrag til Kännendom
om Göteborgs och Bohusläns Fornminnen och Historia, vol. 2 (1879-1883).

Cats, Goats: Bulfinch, Thomas. The Age of Fable (Philadelphia: Henry Altemus, 1897).

Elder: Chambers’s Encyclopedia (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1875).

Glass, Shield: photographs by Amanda Waggoner, 2008.

Grain, Linen: Schäk, Joseph. Drittes Lesebuch (New York: Fr. Pustet, 1874).

Hawthorn: Eyles, Don E. A Guide and Key to the Aquatic Plants of the Southeastern United
States (Wahington D.C.:U.S. Government Printing Office, 1944).

Horns (Blowing): Hammerich, Angul. “Studier over Bronzelurerne i Nationalmusæet i

Kjøbenhavn.” Aardbøger for Nordisk Oldkyndighen og Historie, vol. 8 (1893).

Leek: Mathews, F. Schuyler. Field Book of American Wild Flowers (New York: G. P.
Putnam’s Sons, 1902).

Necklace: Du Chaillu, Paul B. The Land of the Midnight Sun, vol. 1 (London: John Murray,
1882).

Runes, Trefot (brooch): unknown artist, Idunna no. 14, March 1992.

58
Swastika (Spearhead): Wilson, Thomas. The Swastika: The Earliest Known Symbol, and its
Migrations; with Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Pre-Historic Times.
Report of the U.S. National Museum for 1894, pp. 757-1011 (Washington DC:
Government Printing Office, 1896).

Sword: Demin, Auguste. An Illustrated History of Arms and Armour. Transl. C. C. Black
(London: George Bell & Sons, 1894).

Wyrd: Foster, Mary H. and Mabel H. Cummings. Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology
(New York: Silver, Burdett and Co., 1901).

59