Apple
The apple symbolizes eternal youth. Without
consuming the golden apples of the goddess Idun, the gods would grow
old and wither because their bodies are physically human
(Crossley-Holland, 38).
Blindness
Teutonic mythology portrayed blindness as
simpleness and gullibility, though a trait of the good-willed. In the
myths, the blind god Hod, having been tricked by Loki, accidentally
slays his brother Balder, an event that was said to be the first
signal of the approach of Ragnarok, the end of the world
(Crossley-Holland, 150-161).
Blood
Blood is a symbol of truth and loyalty, as well
as life in Teutonic mythology. Blood oaths were sacred to the
Teutons, and represented the key role of the bond between men. Also,
during times of famine, it was believed royal and sacred blood had to
flow to appease the gods. Like Christian holy water, blood was shed
in sacrifices; it was sprinkled on temple walls and on people; and
hunters often even drank warm blood--all to avert bad luck and to
ensure the fruitfulness of the coming year (Chantepie de la Saussaye,
p.372; Davidson, Myths and Symbols in
Pagan Europe, p.58).
Bridge
Bifrost, a "flaming three-strand rainbow bridge" is guarded
by the god Heimdall and connects the middle world of people, Midgard,
to the upper world of the gods, Asgard (Crossley-Holland,
240).
Cave
Caves and clefts in the earth were seen as a
means of communicating with the underworld. For example, in the myth
that is the source for Wagner's Ring, the dwarf
Andvari lived in a cave where he kept his treasure. However, to pay a
ransom for the death of a giant named Otter, the god Loki managed to
extract the treasure from Andvari by fooling him into thinking the
cave spoke to him, though the voice was only Loki's echo. In
retaliation against the god's theft, Andvari placed a curse upon the
stolen treasure, which included the ring, and said that it would
destroy whomever owned it (Davidson, Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe, 26; Crossley-Holland, 239).
Dog
Garm is the Hound of the Underworld, a
giant-dog, who at the end of the world in Ragnarok will kill the god
Tyr. According to the epic Gylfaginning, Garm
guards the island Lyngvi, where Loki the trickster god and his son
the wolf Fenrir are chained. The "foremost of all dogs," Garm "is to
bark with all its might when the chains of Loke and Fenrer threaten
to burst asunder" (Rydberg, p.384-5).
Dragon
Teutonic myths say that in Niflheim, near the
Spring of Hvergelmir, Nidhogg the dragon and his accomplices gnaw at
the roots of Yggdrasill, the World Ash Tree, trying to loosen its
foundation and thereby put an end to all eternally (Crossley-Holland,
15).
Eagle
Teutonic mythology tells of an eagle who lives
in the top branches of Yggdrasill, the World Ash Tree, and who
watches the goings-on of the worlds below. One myth says that when
this eagle first flapped its wings, the winds of the nine worlds were
born. Since this bird sits in the highest position of observation in
the Teutonic universe, the eagle symbolically came to represent the
sky and the sovereignty, and were both associated with the omnipotent
power of the all-father god, Odin (Davidson, Myths and Symbols,
91, 175).
Eyes
Odin gave up an eye at the Spring of
Mimir in order to gain wisdom. The
eye of Wotan was called "the star of the skull" because in the
Teutonic myth of creation the skull of the giant Ymir became the
world of man. Also, Teutonic culture said that the hero's courage and
glory were exposed through the glory in his eyes (Cord, III:1, 122;
Crossley-Holland, 15).
Fire
Fire symbolizes both fear and renewal. A land
of fire, Muspellheim, is one of the nine worlds within the Teutonic
universe. According to these myths, at Ragnarok, the end of the
world, Black Surt, the guardian of Muspellheim, and his companions,
the sons of Muspell, will savage the gods and cause all nine worlds
to be engulfed in flames (Davidson, Gods and Myths of N. Europe, 37-8).
Fog
Fog symbolizes the vagueness that exists where
the worlds of humans and gods come together, especially in sacred and
mysterious places, like the forest and the cave. Also, fog, as that
which covers the light or good, can represent darkness or evil. In
the original myth of Siegfried and the Nibelungen, which is
essentially a creation myth, Siegfried is first victorious and rises
in splendor as a light hero, but falls into fog and darkness after he
meets the Nibelungen or "children of the mist or fog" (Chantepie de
la Saussaye, 144).
Forest
To the ancient Teutons, the forests were
magical places inhabited by gods. Certain sacred groves were linked
with communication with other worlds. Some woods were seen as
especially close to the divine; so it was believed prayers would be
heard more readily there. Forests, like the symbol of the
tree, were fundamental to Teutonic cosmology in
connection to the World Ash Tree, Yggdrasill. Forests were like
temples: there people held ceremonies and offered sacrifices to the
gods. The mysterious silence of the forests was feared and
revered--for, though forests were composed of earthly material, they
were links, even portals, to the supernatural worlds (Davidson,
Myths and Symbols in Pagan
Europe, 16-17, 24-5, 104,
156).
Garden
The etymology of the word "garden" is of
Teutonic origin, though the English usage of it probably derived from
old French. The idea of a garden is linked directly to the Teutonic
imagination through the endings "-yard" or "-jard" or "-gard" that
name the mythological places of Asgard, Utgard and Midgard, the
worlds of gods, giants and humans respectively.
Giant
In the Teutonic story of creation, the first
being in existence was the frost giant Ymir. He was the father of the
race of giants, and the nine worlds were constructed from his body.
Ancient Teutons believed that though the gods created women and men,
the giants preceded even the gods. In early myths, giants were seen
as having great wisdom. However, in later myths, after falling out
with the gods, giants were seen as stupid and slow. The giants in
Teutonic myths were like the gods and dwarves in their human forms,
but were bigger and stronger. Their only skill was as builders. Also,
giants were believed to travel in pairs, to be easily angered and to
be very dangerous, inclined to a wildness and fierceness which later
would associate them with the violence of nature (Davidson,
Myths and Symbols in Pagan
Europe, 173).
Gold
Much of the treasure of the Teutonic gods was
made of gold and was envied by the giants, dwarves and gods. Idun's
apples of gold gave the gods immortal youth; and the
goddess Sif, after being the victim of one of Loki's tricks, was
given HAIR of gold. Teutonic traditional beliefs held that hoards of
gold were hidden in the Rhine, in the mountains, and in waterfalls
(Davidson, 175).
Hair
The goddess Sif was renowned for her
golden-yellow hair. However, the trickster god Loki mischeviously
shaved off Sif's lovely locks. Once caught by the gods, Loki was
forced to approach the dwarves and demand that they forge hair of
real gold for Sif. So, clever and perhaps falsely repetant, Loki
redeems himself in the eyes of the gods by presenting them with a
gift of magical treasure, including Sif's new hair of magical gold
and Mjollnir, Thor's short-handled hammer (Crossley-Holland,
48-9).
Hammer
The hammer is a symbol of power to ward off
cold and chaos. The god Thor owned a short-handled hammer called
Mjollnir which made thunder and lightening, could shatter rocks,
could make dents in mountains and worked to keep all beings under the
control of the gods' laws. Mjollnir is perhaps the most famous
article in all of early Teutonic thought as an instrument of
consecration and resurrection, especially since this hammer will be
the only divine article to survive Ragnarok (Cord, III:1, 31-9;
Davidson, 12, 25).
Hand
The hand symbolizes loyalty, highlighting the
importance of the bond of the oath. According to one myth, to bind
the wolf Fenrir who was ravaging Asgard and also posed a threat to
Odin's life, the god Tyr kept the pledge of the gods by placing his
hand in Fenrir's mouth as a sign of trust, though Tyr's hand
subsequently was bitten off (Crossley-Holland, 192-3).
Hell
It was believed that after death everyone went
to Hel, the realm of the dead, except for certain select warriors who
would be raised up to Valhalla. Thus, Hel was inhabited by women, children and men
who died ignobly. Hel is also the name of the giant-woman who guards
the palace of the dead (Chantepie de la Saussaye, 280, 347).
Horns
One of the four harts who destructively eats
the leaves of Yggdrasill is a goat named EIkdrynir ("the
Oak-thorned"). From one of the horns of this goat comes a stream that
falls into the spring Hvergelmir, out which all rivers flow (Cord, I,
16).
Drinking horns--To many societies, drinking horns are significant in
festivals and sacred rites. In Teutonic cultures, wine and mead was
drunk out of common large horns rather than smaller individual
vessels, a practice which encouraged community and loyalty amongst
family and neighbors. Also, the blood from animals was imbibed from
horns after sacrifice as a silent closing to the ritual (Davidson,
43-4, 50-2).
Musical horns--Long associated with the hunt, horns are important
for proclamations and festivals. However, the horn is also used as
the signal of an omen, whether good or bad. In Teutonic mythology,
the god Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge, owns
"Gjallarhorn ('Shrieking Horn'), whose sound could be heard around
the world. This horn lay buried under the World Ash Tree and would be
dug up and sounded by Heimdall to awaken the gods" before Ragnarok
(Cord, I, 25-6).
Horse
The most important animal in early Teutonic
culture was the horse, especially as a symbol of fertility and
warrior virtue. The name of the World Ash Tree, "Yggdrasill," means
"the horse of Yggr" (Yggr is another name for Odin). Horses were the
gods' main means of support, since divinities had to ride across
Bifrost in order to get to the lower worlds. In some cases, a sacred
horse was held to understand the will of the gods more clearly than
the priests. Odin owned an eight-legged steed, Sleipnir; Night had a
horse, Hrimfaxi, who rode with her around the world every two and a
half days; and Day's horse, Skinfaxi, lights up the sky and earth
every day with his bright mane (Davidson, 53; Rydberg, 164).
Ice
Ice symbolizes birth and creation. At the
beginning of everything, life supposedly first quickened in frozen
water droplets, and from them the frost giant Ymir, the first being
of the nine worlds, came into existence. According to one myth, not
long after Ymir's birth, the liquid of melting ice "took the form of
a cow...called Audumla" who subsequently created a man by licking him
out of the ice. This man became known as Buri; Buri's son was Bor;
and Bor's sons were Odin, Vili and Ve, the fathers of all gods,
humans and the builders of the worlds on which they live
(Crossley-Holland, 3-4).
Kiss
Ancient Teutons believed a kiss had great
powers. At times it could place the recipient in a state of complete
forgetfulness or could revive memories. A kiss could put one into a
stupor, "intensify the emotional state" and "cause one to sense a
personal satisfaction in all things, a state in which no evil would
be perceived" (Cord, III:1, 260-2).
Leaf
Along with the image of the World Ash
tree, Yggdrasill, in Teutonic mythology, leaves are
closely linked to the cycles of death and renewal. Yggdrasill is
tortured by goats and deer who tear off new shoots and eat the
leaves. Yet, two humans, Lif and Lifthrasir, whose names mean "life"
but also may be cognates with the word "leaf", hide within Yggdrasill
and survive Ragnarok to re-begin the human race in the next cycle of
worlds.
Lightning
Teutonic mythology attributes lightning to the
god Thor. Though lightning is most often associated with Thor's
hammer, Mjollnir, several myths describe the sparks of light that
flash across the sky as originating from fragments of whetstone
lodged in Thor's head. After the rise of a new world, natural
phenomena like lightning and thunder were seen as a good omen by many
in Teutonic cultures. They associated these happenings with the
growth of crops and thus may have perceived lightning as a positive
prophetic sign, especially if seen before planting or harvest (Cord,
35-9; Crossley-Holland, xxvii).
Necklace
The necklace is associated with fertility.
According to one of these myths, the goddess Freyja lusted after the
Necklace of the Brisings and slept with two dwarves in order to
obtain it. Through this myth, the necklace also comes to symbolize
desire, especially sexual passion and material avarice
(Crossley-Holland, 65-9).
Oak
The oak was the most sacred tree
to the ancient Teutons. Despite their mythology which elevated the
ash tree to the World Tree, the Teutons revered oak for its healing
and magical properties. The bark of the oak cured illness; its acorns
were used in a drink of forgetfulness; and its twigs and brances were
used in fertility ceremonies (Cord, I, 11; Davidson, 37).
Rainbow
For Rainbow in Teutonic mythology, see
bridge.
Ring
The ring was treasure, a symbol of wealth,
omnipotence and magic. Two rings feature prominently in Teutonic
mythology: the ring of Odin, called Draupnir, from which eight rings
of equal weight will drop every ninth night; and Andvari's ring,
Andvaranaut, which was supposedly cursed by its creator, the dwarf
Andvari, to bring doom upon whomever owns it (Chantepie de la
Saussaye, 326; Crossley-Holland, 106).
River
All rivers flowed from the third root of
Yggdrasill, the World Ash Tree. Throughout stories of this culture,
rivers, especially the Rhine, are connected with magic, fertility and
baptism. The water of some sacred rivers was believed to give
warriors strength and luck in battle (Cord, III:2, 361-6).
Serpent
Serpents were prominent throughout Teutonic
culture, especially as decoration on artwork and materials like
swords, shields and the prows of ships. These signs were thought to
frighten away enemies; but the serpent's shape was also seen as
beautiful, though its bite was terrible. The serpents in Teutonic
mythology commanded respect and reverence. Jormungand, the Midgard
serpent, who is also the son of Loki by a giantess, was thrown into
the ocean by the gods due to his enormous size. He is said to be so
long that he encircles the world and thus bites his own tail. In
another myth which explains why Odin is the god of poetry, this
All-Father turned himself into a serpent to make his way through a
small hole in a mountain to steal the Mead of Inspiration
(Crossley-Holland, xxi; Cord, III:2, 393).
Sword
The sword was of great "cultural
importance...in ancient Teutonic life. This single weapon became the
means for physical survival...but it also became something more than
a mere weapon. As the sword assumed its elevated, almost divine,
position in the cultural mind, it also became the principal requisite
by which the warrior could achieve a noble or heroic status." The
sword was also "an instrument of truth. (It) became the witness...to
the most hallowed and sacrosanct of all Germanic acts, the giving of
an oath...." In Teutonic cultures, the sword was the only "item that
was formed...by the people" that could "boast its own deity." This
god of the sword was Tyr, the god of war (Cord, 83-4).
Three
Many elements in the Teutonic universe
reflected the sacredness of the number three. The World Tree,
Yggdrasill, had three roots one of which delved into each of the
three levels of the world; the destiny of mortals was controlled by
the three Norns, Fate, Being and Necessity. Moreover, multiples of
the number three figure greatly into the mythology of the Teutons,
especially the number nine, which thought to be the holiest and most
magical number.
Thunder
Teutonic mythology associates thunder with the
god Thor, whose name is the basis for the word. It was believed that
the loud blasting roll of thunder was caused by Thor hitting the
skies with his hammer, Mjollnir.
Tree
The backbone of the cosmos was believed to be
an ash tree called Yggdrasill. This World Tree was the only living inanimate
object associated with creation; it was believed that Yggdrasill will
outlast both the gods and humans. As a forest culture, Teutonic
society created stories that revolved around trees. A tree is
permanent, eternal, and earthly but ethereal because it is both part
of the Earth and of the heavens.
Water
"The worship of water occupied a prominent
place in the Teutonic religion; it was regarded as a purifying,
rejuvenating, as well as a soothsaying element, and was accordingly
conceived of as inhabited by various beings. Sea and waterfall were
usually thought to be the abode of giants, although...the dwarf
Andvari (was also to be found) dwelling in a waterfall. Lakes and
springs were regarded as the home of elves" (Chantepie de la
Saussaye, 323).
Wolf
"The wolf is one of the more significant
animals in the myths of the early Teutonic people. It was an animal
that had certain modes and manners of life that made it both to be
feared and to be honored, worshipped, perhaps, somewhat as an ominous
specter, and always held in awe as well as respect. The wolf was also
an animal that was mythically associated primarily with the gods, but
one that had a special relationship with the King of the Gods, Odin"
(Cord, III:2, 527). In the myths, the wolf Fenrir is said to be
"bound with the fetter Gleipnir, made out of the sound caused by the
footfall of cats, the beards of women, the roots of mountains, the
sinews of bears, the breath of fish, and the spittle of birds. When
this chain breaks, the wolf will be released and this is the sign of
the end to come" at Ragnarok (Chantepie de la Saussaye, 246).