A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - In Norse mythology, the Valkyries were the choosers of the slain. The Valkyries were females riding on horses armed with helmets and spears. They would decide who would die in battle and drift over the battleground to find their prey.
Valkyrior rida till striden (1818) by Johan Gustaf Sandberg (Translation: Valkyries riding to the battle). Credit: Public Domain
Selecting among half of those who die in battle, the Valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the great god Odin.
The other half of the fallen warriors were taken to the goddess Freyja's afterlife field Folkvangr (Fólkvangr).
The goddess Freya had the first pick of the fallen Vikings.
The Valkyries Were Not Allowed To Be Seen By Humans
According to Norse mythology, the Valkyries were female virgins, and when a battle took place, there were usually between six and thirteen Valkyries at one time.
Some of the Valkyries had higher ranks and were treated with great respect. Some received unique gifts, and Odin allowed a few maidens to become swans. It allowed them to venture throughout Midgard and mingle with the humans. But if they were seen by the humans, not in their swan form, they would forever turn mortal and could never return to Valhalla.
These Valkyries were also attributed to ravens, as well as swans. These creatures were significant in battles within Old Norse literature, often choosing who would win and who would lose. They also took lovers, suffered punishments from Odin, and even were credited with changing the course of history throughout Viking mythology.
The Valkyries in ancient texts
The name originates from the Old Norse Valkyrja, "chooser of the slain."
Walkyrien (c. 1905) by Emil Doepler. Credit: Public Domain
Valkyries are attested in the Poetic Edda, a book of poems compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the Prose Edda and Heimskringla (by Snorri Sturluson) Njáls saga, a Saga of Icelanders, all written in the 13th century. They appear throughout the poetry of skalds, in a 14th-century charm, and various runic inscriptions.
Archaeological discoveries reveal the importance of the Valkyries
Several Viking Age stylized silver amulets depicting women with long gowns, their hair pulled back, sometimes bearing drinking horns, have been discovered throughout Scandinavia. According to archaeologists and historians, the amulets were placed in Viking graves because they were thought to have protective powers.
The Tjängvide image stone from the island of Gotland, Sweden, features a rider on an eight-legged horse, which may be Odin's eight-legged horse Sleipnir, being greeted by a female, which may be a Valkyrie at Valhalla. The 11th-century runestone U 1163 features a carving of a female bearing a horn that has been interpreted as the Valkyrie Sigrdrífa handing the hero Sigurd (also depicted on the stone) a drinking horn.
Valkyries in other ancient cultures
Various theories have been proposed regarding the origin and development of the valkyries.
Valkyries are very similar to those that escort the dead to Hades or other forms of the afterlife in various mythologies throughout human history, particularly in Greek legends. It is interesting to note that common themes and figures occur throughout human history and across multiple cultures or societies.
Updated on August 27, 2024
Written by A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com Staff Writer
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