Creation Mythology: Norse

Today we are going to begin looking at Creation mythology from around the world, starting with that from Scandinavia.  The mythology of Scandinavia is reflective of their harsh landscape - the ice covered earth and snow-capped mountains which thawed for only a few months a year.  At the same time, there was the immense heat and fire from the numerous volcanoes.  Here the people were faced with dark days and bitterly cold nights, with frosts occurring even during the summer months.  This harsh landscape gave birth to many stories and served as a way for the people to explain the natural phenomena around them.  Many of these stories came from Iceland, including the Norse myth of their creation.

The Norse creation myth as we know it is contained within the Icelandic Younger Edda, or the Prose Edda, which was put together by Snorri Sturluson, an Icelandic historian, in around 1220.  Sturluson's work was based on much older stories from oral tradition and the Elder Edda, or Poetic Edda, sometimes called the Edda of Saemund as it was wrongly attributed with Saemund Sigfusson, a writer of the 12th century, which was first written down between the 9th and 12th centuries. 

The Norse Myth of Creation

The Fall Through Ginnungagap by Skrubhjert

In the beginning there was nothingness.  No land, no ocean, no sky.  There was only a vast emptiness, which they call Ginnungagap.  One day, far in the north of Ginnungagp, cloud and shadow and a freezing mist started to form, swirling in the emptiness like ghosts long forgotten.  In the frigid north the moisture froze, turning into far reaching sheets of snow and ice.  Right in the centre of this endless frozen landscape a spring burst forth, which they call Niflheim or the Land of Ice, and from here flowed twelve rivers.

At the same time, in the great heat of the south, small sparks of fire were kindled into life.  The specks of light danced and flitted through the darkness.  Here the sparks came together to form a vast, smoldering, churning ocean of fire.  This they call Muspell, the Land of Fire.

But still there remained an emptiness between the two lands.  The twelve rivers from Hvergelmir, bitter with poison, flowed into this great void and here they thickened into immense layers of ice.  The rising vapours of these rivers settled and froze into a heavy frost, making northern Ginnungagap a desolate, empty landscape covered in nothing but an icy wasteland, while in southern Ginnungagap blazed and flared with the light and heat of Muspell.

But of course, fire melts ice while ice quells fire so, at the centre of Ginnungagap there was neither the bitter cold of the north, nor the scalding heat of the south.  Instead it was like a gentle summer's day, where the warm breeze blowing in from the south melted the ice of the north.  It was here that the first seeds of life came into being.

Ymir, the first Jotunn by GregStevens

Droplets of water from the melting ice and snow began to collect into a puddle on the ground, which soon swelled and grew into a giant of a man.  The giant surged up, stretching his great arms as if he had awoken from a long, deep slumber.  Placing a great foot on the icy ground, the giant turned his head and surveyed the land around him.  The name of this giant was Ymir.

One day, whilst this great giant lay sleeping, he began to sweat and from the sweat of Ymir's left armpit a man and woman, both giants, were born.  Ymir had become the father of the frost giants. 

As the warm winds of the south continued to thaw the snow and ice of the north, the melt waters took on another form - that of the cow, Audumla.  Audumla fed on the salt found within the ice, while Ymir drank from the four rivers of milk provided by Audumla.

Audumbla and Ymir by Orm-Z-Gor

As Audumla licked at the ice, searching out the salt, the hair of a man began to emerge.  Audumla continued to lick at the ice and soon his whole head appeared, soon followed by his body.  This man was Buri who had a son named Bor.  Bor married Bestla, a daughter of the frost giants, and they had three sons of their own - Odin, later to become the father of the gods, Vili, and Ve.  These were the first gods, half-giant and half-man.

The sons of Bor and Bestla soon developed a hatred for the frost giants, who were rough and unruly.  A war broke out between them and soon Ymir was slaughtered.  So much blood flowed from his body that it flooded Ginnungagap, drowning the frost giants but sparing Bergelmir and his wife, who managed to escape the tidal wave of blood in a small boat.  From this couple a new generation of giants would be born.

Odin, Vili, and Ve carried the great body of Ymir to the centre of Ginnungagap and from it they moulded the world.  From his flesh they made the soil; from his unbroken bones they made the mountains; from his shattered bones they made the rocks and stones; from his skull they made the sky; his brains were fashioned into clouds; and his blood became the ocean which made a huge ring around the world.


Next Odin, Vili, and Ve took the dancing sparks and the hot, burning embers from Muspell and sent them to the sky where they became the sun, moon, and stars.  Odin gifted the dark-skinned, dark-haired, dark-eyed giant, Night, and her son, the fair-skinned, fair-haired giant, Day, with chariots in which they could ride across the sky.  And there were the two wolves, Hati and Skoll, who chased them: Hati runs after the Moon, while Skoll chases the Sun, both in the hope that they will catch and swallow their prize, and one day they will succeed in their wish.

Beneath the four corners of the earth, Odin placed a dwarf which the three gods had fashioned from the maggots which had fed upon the body of Ymir.  They now live beneath the hills and within the hollows of the earth.  Their names were North, South, East, and West.

In the great ocean, which was too wide for any man to cross, floated the mighty world serpent Jormungand, who was so huge he could wrap himself around the world and still put his tail in his mouth.

Ask and Embla by Hrefngast

Then, one day, Odin, Vili, and Ve, as they walked along the shore, stumbled upon two fallen trees: an ash tree and an elm tree.  Odin breathed life into them, Vili gave them hearts, souls, and the ability to think for themselves, and Ve gave them eyes and ears so they could see and hear.  And so the first mortal man and woman came into being, and their names were Ask and Embla.

In order to keep Ask and Embla safe and happy, Odin, Vili, and Ve took the eyebrows of Ymir and fashioned a vast enclosure at the centre of the world.  This they called Midgard or Middle Earth.  Here Ask and Embla made there home and it is here that mankind has stayed ever since. 

The gods also fashioned their own home, high above Midgard, which they called Asgard.  To link the two worlds they made the Bifrost, a bridge of fire which man calls the rainbow, from three colours - gold, red, and blue - which were considered to symbolize the three social divisions of nobles, freemen, and slaves.

When the gods were done with their work, creation had been ordered into nine worlds: three above, three below, and three beneath.

Map of Yggdrasil (Nine Worlds) by solaroid

 Above was Asgard, the home of Odin and the warrior gods, the Aesir; Vanaheim, which was the home of the fertility gods, also known as Vanir; and Alfheim, the 'elf-home' of the light elves.

Below was Midgard, home to mankind; Jotunheim, the home of the giants; Nidavellir, the 'dark home' of the dwarves; and Svartalfheim, the 'black elf home' of the dark elves.

Yggdrasil by sandpaperdaisy.

Beneath was the frozen land of Niflheim and Hel, home to the dead.  There was also Muspellheim, the land of fire, which is sometimes included and sometimes not.

Surrounding, supporting, and passing through these worlds was Yggdrasil, the world tree, which is regarded as the 'axis mundi, meaning the axis or pivot of the world.    Yggdrasil was a great ash tree which stands with one root in Niflheim, beside the spring of Hvergelmir, another root in Jotunheim beside Mimir, the Spring of Wisdom, and one root in Asgard, beside the Well of Fate which is watched over by the Norns - the three ancient sisters of weird.

This is how the world was made according to the Norse men and women from long, long ago.

That's all for today.  Next time we will learn about the Babylonian myth of creation.  Do remember to check out some of the artists featured here.  Just follow the links.


Useful Resources

Hamlyn History Myths Retold by Diana Ferguson
Myths and Legends: Fact and Fiction by Vic Parker
Color and Meaning: Art, Science, and Symbolism by John Gage
Creation Myths of the World: An Encyclopedia by David A. Leeming

The Origin of Santa Claus and the Customs of Christmas: Part Three

Yesterday we looked at some of the other characters who may have led to our modern Santa Claus.  Today we will be examining some of the festivals which may have helped to inspire Christmas and our modern traditions.

Yule

Nativity Scene by dashinvaine

 Yule was once celebrated for a month of every year.  It was called Thor's month and began on the longest night of the year, which was given the name 'Mother Night'.   Here we can find a scene much like that of the Christian Nativity.  A 'Norse Yule tradition has a manger scene depicting a birth of a Sacred Child from a Sacred Mother.'  The similarities between the Norse manger scene and the Christian manger scene make it plain how 'Christian beliefs were superimposed upon the pre-Christian beliefs.'

While 'Mother Day' took place between December 24th and 25th, Yule, or the Winter Solstice, took place around December 21st or 22nd, which was the shortest day and the longest night for those living in the Northern Hemisphere.  The festival was to mark the death and rebirth of the Sun god, Freyr, who was believed to become 'weak and sick' in the winter.  The Yule festival was a celebration which helped him to recover.

Yule was considered by the Northern races to be the greatest feast of the year.   It was a time for feasting and joy, for it heralded the return of the sun.  This festival was called Yule, meaning 'wheel', because, to the Norse, the sun resembled a wheel which rapidly revolves across the sky.  This belief inspired a custom in England and Germany, where the people assembled on a mountain and set fire to a huge wooden wheel, twined with straw.  Once it was on fire, the wheel was rolled down the hill into water at the base of the hill.

Wheel of fire by Monkeygrip

 'Some others get a rotten Wheele, all worn and cast aside,
Which, covered round with strawe and tow, they closely bide;
And carved to some mountaines top, being all with fire light,
They hurle it down with violence, when darke appears at night;
Resembling much to the sunne, that from the Heavens down should fal,
A strange and monstrous sight it seems, and fearful to them all;
But they suppose their mischiefs are all likewise throwne to hell,
And that, from harmes and dangers now, in saftie here they dwell.'
Naogeogus.

Traditionals Scandinavian Tree

Modern Christmas traditions find us decorating trees and hanging  holly and mistletoe to decorate our houses.  All of these traditions find their roots in the celebrations of Yule from long ago.  Evergreen trees were a reminder of summer, when the sun god was strong and healthy. 

Under the mistletoe by Nakiloe

Holly is the plant of the winter goddess, Frau Holle, and her lover is the winter god, 'green man', who is often linked with Odin.  It is a plant of good luck and it was believed that by placing holly in your  house you would bring luck into the home.  As well as linking the Frau Holle, this plant was also believed to embody the goddess Freia, who is sometimes referred to as 'the Great Mother.

Mistletoe was held in high esteem, apparently because 'it grew upon the Oak, and derived its nourishment from this king of the Forest, which is dedicated to their God Thor.'  It was considered to be a sign of 'human dependence upon Deity' and it was custom to place the mistletoe upon Thor's altar.  It was also custom that 'anyone with a grievance against another could offer the offending party a sprig of Mistletoe.'  If the offender was forgiven they went to they took it to the offender's house and nailed the Mistletoe to the doorjamb.  The offender would then come out of their house and embrace the offended.  This is the origin of kissing beneath the Mistletoe.

Bringing in the Yule Log

The Yule Log is another Norse custom which survived Christianity.  It was a 'celebration of the triumph of light over darkness and the rebirth of the sun.'  Months before Christmas, an oak tree was chosen and cut down.  After being dried, horses and oxen would haul the huge logs back.  The whole family took part in the hauling as it was believed to protect them from witchcraft.  Sometimes the family decorated their Yule Log with evergreen, ribbon, and paper flowers.  The family would sing Yuletide songs as they hauled the logs home.  Sometimes, once the Yule Log was put in the fireplace, wine would be poured over it.  Prayers were siad and each person was given the opportunity to make a wish.  After this the Yule Log would be lit.  Its purpose was to chase away evil spirits and it was to be kept burning for the entire Christmas season, roughly twelve days.  If the Yule Log stopped burning at any point the family would have bad luck for the entire year to come.  The Norse believed that every spark from the Yule Log fire represented a new pig or calf which would be born in the following year.  The ash from the Yule Log was kept and sprinkled on the land to 'ensure the fertility of crops and livestock.'

Boar's Head

 During the Norse celebrations the father of the family would lay his hand on 'the boar of atonement,' which was a sacred dish, and he would swear that to be faithful to his family as well as promising to fulfill all of his obligations.  This was followed by everyone present.  It was believed that the dish could only be carved by a man with an impeccable reputation and courage.  The boar's head was considered a sacred symbol intended to inspire fear, which is why many Northern kings and warrior heroes of unquestionable bravery used them as ornaments for their helmets.  Unlike today, boar was the meat of choice for the feast.  Boar symbolized Freya, the Norse goddess of fertility, the rebirth of life, and the sun.

Mosaic depicting Mithras, 1st Century Roman

Mithraism

In the second century another festival spread to Rome.  This was Mithraism, a celebration of the Persian sun god, Mithra.  The Persians called Mithraism 'the feast of lights', or 'the night of light, and the birth-day of Mithras'.  Mithra was believed to have been born of December 25th and was said to reign 'in the middle zone between heaven and hell.'  He was the god of light and defender of truth, said to help 'the faithful fight [against] the powers of darkness'.  Unlike Yule and Saturnalia, only the king feasted, while the people sacrificed horses 'to assuage their invincible god.' 





Saturnalia

The Triumph of Saturn

While the Norse played a huge role in the traditions of Yule, the Romans also helped to inspire our modern Christmas customs.  They called this holiday Saturnalia.  Saturnalia was one of the great Roman festivals which took place in December and celebrated, amongst a number of things, the triumph of Saturn over Jupiter.  According to this belief, the reign of Saturn 'heralded the Golden Age in Rome.'  While Saturn did lose to Jupiter, Saturnalia was believed to bring his return and Rome was able, for the duration of Saturnalia, to relive the Golden Age if only for a brief time.  Saturn was associated with the sun, so, much like Norse traditions, this celebration siginified the return of the sun.

The Roman Empire first officially adopted the festival of Saturnalia and the birth of the sun on December 25th in the 3rd century.  Generally the celebrations started on December 17th and lasted through to December 24th.  The Romans decorated their homes with greenery,fruit, and nuts, lit their fires and candles, gave gifts to one another, and played games which imitated a role reversal of the established order.  The Romans also decorated trees to honour their gods.  Evergreen trees were associated with everlasting life and were thought to connect people with nature and life.  Saturnalia was followed by the New Year festival of Kalendae, where the Romans would continue their celebrations during the first few days of January.  This festival took place 12 days after the winter solstice and may be the origin of the twelve days of Christmas.

Romans of the Decadence by Thomas Coutures

Throughout the celebration, no one worked except those that provided food, drink, or entertainment.  It was a time in which masters and slaves became equals and all took part in feasting, dancing and gambling.  Candles were used to chase away the darkness, ward off evil, to celebrate light, and to convince the sun to shine again. 

The Roman Goddess Strenia

Gifts were given in honour of Strenia, the goddess of vegetation.  The people believed that it was of the upmost importance to honour one of the gods who brought about the harvest during winter.  To begin with, gifts consisted of produce and baked goods.  Holly was believed to be a magical plant due to its shiny leaves and its ability to bear fruit even in the darkest winter.  Some believed that it contained a syrup which could cure a cough, while others believed that hanging it above the bed would bring about good dreams.  It was a popular gift among the Romans, who later brought the plant to England.  Other gifts included twigs from a sacred grove, statues of gods, bread, and alcohol.  Over time, inedible gifts became more popular and elaborate.

It is believed by some that a combination of the Roman Saturnalia and the Persian Mithraism were the main inspirations for our modern Christmas.  'The fool's dance, the disguising, the general spirit of feasting, were all adopted from the Romans and Persians.  All our Christmas sports and even the Christmas pantomine is thus connected with the Roman Saturnalia.  The feast and merriment survived the belief in the Saturnian system... Had not the Romans observed this Saturnalia, it may be reasonably doubted if any Christmas festival would have been known among the modern nations.'

So, as you can see, many of our modern Christmas traditions are rooted in ancient characters and old festivals.  Saint Nicholas and Zwarte Piet, Odin, and
Thor all give us the characteristics of Santa Claus.  Santa's sleigh and flying reindeer probably find their origin in Norse traditions: Odin's flying horse, Slepnir, and Thor's chariot pulled by Cracker and Gnasher.  The elves too find their origin with the Norse, as Thor's helpers and the maker's of his hammer.  Stockings hung above the fireplace come from Odin, who would replace the food left by the children with gifts, and Santa going up and down the chimney come from Thor, whose element was fire.  Thor is probably also responsible for Santa's home at the North Pole.  And then we have Old Man Winter, a personification of Odin, as our English Father Christmas.

Waiting for Santa by LindArtz

 The Romans and the Norse are responsible for many of our traditions: decorating with evergreen plants, kissing under the Mistletoe, the Yule log, and the twelve days of Christmas.  And Persian's celebrations of their sun god, Mithra give us the date of one of the most popular festivals in the world.

That's all for today.  Next time I will give you some of my favourite stories and poems of Christmas.




Useful Resources
Hammer of Thor - Norse Mythology and Legends by H. A. Guerber
An enquiry into the origin of Christmas-Day by Israel Worsley
Santa's Book of Knowledge by Santa Al Horton
Odin as Santa and the Norse influence Christmas by Samatha Luccese
Jesus Is Not the Reason for the Season by Cheryl Sanchez
The Fires of Yule: A Keltelven Guide for Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Montague Whitsel
The Christmas Encyclopedia by William D. Crump
The Everything Family Christmas Book by Yvonne Jeffrey
Holidays and Holy Nights: Celebrating Twelve Seasonal Festivals of the Christian Year by Christopher Hill
Teach Us to Number Our Days: A Liturgical Advent Calendar by Barbara Dee Baumgarten
The Christmas Book: Christmas in the Olden Time, Its Customs and Their Origin published by James Pattie