The Svalbarðtrú Settlement

Viking

8th Century

9th Century

10th Century

11th Century Raids

Voyages / Exploration

The Vikings

The Vikings were the medieval people of Scandinavians and they were great raiders, traders, explorers, and settlers. They were also farmers who had their bases in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and later on in Iceland and Greenland.

Raids & Exploration

The Vikings were skilled seafarers who were used to rough weather and climates, and managed to complete many raids across Europe. Not all the raids were successful and they did not settle in all the places they attacked or explored.

The Viking Age Settlement, Expansion & Raids

Religion & Beliefs

The Vikings had an unique culture with their own religious beliefs, which is today often referred to as Norse Mythology. They practiced Old Norse Religion until the Christianization of the countries in the 11th Century.

Settlements, Expansion & Raids

Viking Settlement

Viking Seafarers

Norse Mythology is the body of myths belonging to the old pagans of Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, and other Viking settlements mainly located in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages. Norse mythology comes from Old Norse religion and continues after the Christianization of the Vikings, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period. Today we have several different sources of Norse Mythology, which includes medieval manuscripts and archaeological evidence, and the myths tries to make sense of the world through stories of deities, mythical beings, and heroes.

In Norse cosmology, all beings live in nine worlds/ realms around the cosmological Ash tree known as Yggdrasil. The Norse gods inhabit the realm of Asgard whereas humans inhabit the realm of Midgard, and both realms are found in the centre of the cosmos. The Jötnar (commonly referred to as Giants) inhabits the realms of Jotunheim and the Vanir gods inhabit the realm of Vanaheim, whilst the other realms are inhabited by other mythical creatures such as dwarves and elves. There are also creatures living on Yggdrasil, such as the squirrel, Ratatoskr, and the hawk, Veðrfölnir,

The stories of Norse mythology involve several interactions between gods, deities, humans, and mythical beings. The main pantheon of gods are the Aesir, including Odin (the almighty father), Thor (the god of thunder) and Frigg (Odin’s wife and god of motherhood), and the second pantheon of gods are the Vanir, including Njord and Freyja. Another group of deities are the Jötnar who are commonly referred to as Giants. All of these deities are humanoid creatures with different abilities or things associated with them, but there are also other characters who are more animal like such as Sleipnir (Odin’s eightlegged horse) and Fenrir (a wolf who kills Odin during Ragnarök).

Amongst all the myths in Norse Mythology, one of the most important ones is the myth of Ragnarök. Ragnarök is the end of the world myth that consists of several events leading to a total collapse of the universe. The events include several natural disasters, the great battle between the Asir Gods and the Jötnar ending in mass extinction of Norse mythological creatures, and the world being totally submerged in water. After Ragnarok, the world will rise again with the surviving gods and it will be repopulated by two human survivors. There are several theories and discussion to what caused Ragnarök and speculations amongst scholars of the Norse universe being a linear universe or if it moves in cycles.

Norse Mythology Norse Cosmology Norse Gods and Mythical Beings Ragnarok - End of the World Myth

Alfheim

Home of the Light Elves

Alfheim (Old Norse: “Álfheimr or Ljósálfheimr”) is right next to Asgard in heaven. The light elves are beautiful creatures. They are considered the “guardian angels” and the god Freyr is the ruler of Alfheim. The Light elves are minor gods of nature and fertility; they can help or hinder humans with their knowledge of magical powers. The elves are known for inspiring poets in art and music.

Asgard

Home of the Gods

In the middle of the world, high up in the sky is Asgard (Old Norse: “Ásgarðr”). It’s the home of the gods and goddesses. Odin is the ruler of Asgard and the chief of the Aesir. He is married to Frigg; and she is the Queen of the Aesir. Inside the gates of Asgard is Valhall; it’s the place where half who dies in battle will go for the afterlife, the other half goes to Fólkvangr which is ruled over by the goddess Freya.

Muspelheim

The Land of Fire

Muspelheim (Old Norse: “Múspellsheimr”) was created at the same time as Niflheim but it was created far to the south of the world in Norse mythology. Muspelheim is a burning hot place, filled with lava, flames, sparks, and soot. Muspelheim is the home of fire giants, fire demons, and ruled by the giant Surtr.

He is a sworn enemy of the Aesir. Surtr will ride out with his flaming sword in his hand at Ragnarök “the end of the world” Surtr will then attack Asgard, “the home of the gods” and turn it into a flaming inferno.

Vanaheim

Home of the Vanir Vanaheim (Old Norse: “Vanaheimr”) is the home of the Vanir gods. The Vanir gods is an old branch of gods. The Vanir are masters of sorcery and magic. They are also widely acknowledged for their talent to predict the future. Nobody knows where exactly the Vanaheim is located, or even how it looks like. At the end of the Aesir-Vanir war, the three Vanir, Njord, Freyr, and Freya moved to Asgard as a token of peace.

Jotunheim

Home of the Giants

Jotunheim (Old Norse: “Jötunheimr”) is the home of the giants (also called jötnar). They are the sworn enemies of the Aesir. Jotunheim consists mostly of rocks, wilderness, and dense forests, and it lies in the snowy regions on the outermost shores of the ocean. Because of this, the giants live mostly from the fish from the rivers, and the animals from the forest, there is no fertile land in Jotunheim.

Niflheim

The Realm of Fog and Mist

Niflheim (Old Norse: “Niðavellir”) means (“Mist home” or “Mist World”), and it is the darkest and coldest region of all the realms according to Norse mythology. Niflheim is one of the two first realms and it is placed in the northern region of Ginnungagap.

The eldest spring in the world called Hvergelmir “bubbling boiling spring” is located in Niflheim and it is protected by the huge dragon called Nidhug (Old Norse: Níðhöggr).

Yggdrasil

The Norse Universe consist of nine unique world/ realms that are all situated around the world tree called Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil is an Ash tree which is often called ‘the tree of life’ with the different realms being held in its branches and roots. The different realms are inhabited by various creatures and in the myths, characters have the ability to travel between the realms. The tree has three primary roots in three different wells, and there are several creatures that live on the tree.

Midgard

Home of the Humans

Midgard is the home of humans, but has a burning rainbow bridge, called Bifröst, that leads to Asgard, the home of gods. The ocean is occupied by a huge sea serpent, the Midgard Serpent, and it is so huge that it encircles the world entirely. The first two humans, Ash and Embla were sent to Midgard, after Odin and his two brothers Vili and Ve created them from tree logs.

Svartalfheim

Home of the Dwarves

Svartalfheim (Old Norse: “Niðavellir or Svartálfaheimr”) is the home of the dwarves, they live under the rocks, in caves, and underground. Hreidmar was the king of Svartalfheim until he was killed, and Svartalfheim means dark fields. The dwarves are masters of craftsmanship, and the gods of Asgard have received many powerful gifts, for instance, the magical ring Draupnir and Gungnir, Odin’s spear.

Helheim

Home of the Dishonorable Dead

Hel is where all the dishonorable dead, thieves, murderers, and those the gods and goddesses feel are not brave enough to go to Valhall or Folkvangr. Helheim is ruled over by Hel (the daughter of Loki). Helheim is a very grim and cold place, and any person who arrives here will never feel joy or happiness again. Hel will use all the dead in her realm at Ragnarök to attack the gods and goddesses at the plains of Vigrid, this will be the end of the world.

Symbol of Change

The Norns

The Norns in Norse Mythology are deities responsible for shaping the destiny of Humans, Gods, and the Universe. There are several Norns, but the primary ones are Urðr, Verðandi, Skuld.

They are described as maiden Jotuns and they spin the thread of life. They are always present when a child is born to decide its fate. It is also believed that the Norns water the tree of life.

Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór Stags of Yggdrasil

The four stags mentioned in Norse Mythology live within Yggdrasil and eat the leaves on the branches.

It’s also said that the morning dew gather in their horns and creates the rivers of the world.

Speculations exists regarding their potential symbolic value, but early interpretations are connecting them with the four elements, the four seasons or the phases of the moon.

Urdarbrunnr Well of Fate

Urdarburnnr is located in Asgard and is the well of fate. The Norns live by the well, and are believed to shape the destiny of the world. The Norns water Yggrasil with the water from the well, and the water is believed to be the purest and holiest water in the world.

Veðrfölnir and the Eagle Possesses Knowledge of Many Things

At the very top of Yggdrasil there is a unamed eagle residing. It is said that the eagle possess knowlegde of many things.

Between the eagle’s eye sits the hawk Veðrfölnir. Veðrfölnir is often associated with the wisdom of the eagle. One theory is that the hawks spreads its wings in search of new knowledge, for then to return to the eagle and inform it.

Symbol of Knowledge

Symbol of Stories

Ratatoskr The Message Carrying Squirrel

Ratatoskr is a squirrel who runs up and down Yggdrasil ferrying messages between the eagle at the top and Níðhöggr, living beneath the roots.

These messages are insults to each other and the squirrel itself is annoying and interruptive. The constant hatred between the eagle and the dragon is held alive due to Ratatoskr’s involvement.

Mimisbrunnr Well of Wisdom

It’s unclear what Hvergelmir is a symbol of, but it could be related to evil as its situated in Niflhelm amongst Níðhöggr and many snakes. It is believed that the water of Hverglmir runs out to many rivers of the world.

Symbolisms/Theory

One central theory about Yggdrasil is that whilst its being eaten (leaves, roots, bark) by the creatures that lives on it, the tree has the opportunity to grow further and improve itself.

In order for Yggdrasil to grow and become better/ stronger, it’s crucial that the world tree gets deteriorated by the animals that lives on it.

Níðhöggr

With countless of Snakes

Níðhöggr is a dragon who gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil. The roots are located over Niflheim and it is believed that the roots keeps Níðhöggr trapped.

Níðhöggr lives amongst snakes and chews on the corpses of those guilty murder, adultery, and oathbreaking.

Symbol of Evil

Hvergelmir Well of Chaos

Mimisbrunnr is regarded as the well of wisdom and is located in Jotunheim. The well is protected by Mimir and the water is believed to contain much wisdom. It’s here Odin sacrificed one of his eye in exchange of knowledge of the world.

There is no evidence that Yggdrasil will be destroyed during Ragnarök, which makes many scholars believe that the tree itself is eternal but it will start a new cycle of life after the apocalypse.

Yggdrasil has its three primary roots in three different wells located beneath it. These well are known as Urdarbrunnr (well of fate), Mimisbrunnr (well of wisdom), and Hvergelmir (well of chaos).

Yggdrasil

Symbolism, Creatures and Wells

Aesir

Principal pantheon of Gods and Goddesses

Vanir

Lower/second pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future. The Vanir are one of two groups of gods (the other being the Æsir) and are the namesake of the location Vanaheimr (Old Norse “Home of the Vanir”). After the Æsir–Vanir War, the Vanir became a subgroup of the Æsir. Subsequently, members of the Vanir are sometimes also referred to as members of the Æsir.

Jötnar

The Jötnar (singular Jötunn) are an odd bunch, and difficult to define. Despite generally being translated as ‘Giants’, they are usually the same size as humans.

Often said to be at war with the Gods of the Æsir and Vanir, nevertheless, many of the Norse Gods themselves are borne of one or more Jötunn. It’s perhaps better to consider them as ‘devourers’; chaotic spirits of night and darkness and winter.

Valkyries

Odin’s female helping spirits

Elves

Said to inhabit the realm of Alfheim, under the rule of the God Freyr, the Elves were tall, slim demi-gods with pale skin and hair, who were more beautiful than the sun.

On the whole the Elves kept themselves away from the affairs of humans, appearing only occasionally to either cause or cure illnesses, based on their whims. They were a very fluid race and did not subscribe to the normal gender roles of humans. Elves were often portrayed as morally ambivalent.

Dwarfs

Unlike our modern depictions, there is no evidence that Dwarfs were short, stout beings. Instead, they are considered ‘lesser’ beings and so some may have warped this into ‘short’. Smithing – making things – is what we think of best when it comes to Dwarfs.

Draugr

Draugr are undead beings, with superhuman strength and the stench of decay. They can also increase their size at will and shape-shift into other creatures.

Einherjar

In Norse mythology, the einherjar (singular einheri) literally “army of one”, “those who fight alone”) are those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhall by valkyries.

Jörmungandr

Serpent like creature, also known as the Midgard Serpent, which encircle the Earth keeping everything in place.

Níðhöggr (Nidhog)

A dragon who gnaws at a root of the world tree, Yggdrasil.

Fossegrim

The Fossegrim is a water spirit who plays enchanting music on the violin. Usually depicted as a beautiful, semi-clad or naked male, the Fossegrim is tale of both good and bad.

Lyngbakr

Lyngbakr (Icelandic, lyngi “heather” + bak “back”) is the name of a massive whale-like sea monster reported in the Örvar-Odds saga to have existed in the Greenland Sea.

Kraken

Generally depicted as a giant squid or octopus – though sometimes as more of a crab – the Kraken is folklore’s big beast of the sea.

Hafgufa

Legendary massive sea monster (or whale), purported to inhabit Iceland’s waters (Greenland Sea) and southward towards Helluland.

Fenrir

Wolf creature that kills Odin during Ragnarok, and which will be killed by Odin’s son Víðarr.

Garmr

Garmr or Garm is a wolf or dog associated with both Hel and Ragnarök, and described as a blood-stained guardian of Hel’s gate.

Sköll and Hati

Two wolves who are only mentioned in passing references that have to do with their pursuing Sol and Mani, the sun and moon, through the sky in hopes of devouring them. At Ragnarok, the downfall of the cosmos, they catch their prey as the sky and earth darken and collapse.

Sleipnir Odin’s migthy, 8-legged horse, the best of all horses.

Huginn and Muninn Huginn, from the Old Norse for ‘thought’, and Muninn, from the Old Norse for ‘mind’, are a pair of ravens that fly around Midgard and bring news of the affairs of men to Odin.

Ratatoskr

Ratatoskr, drill-tooth or bore-tooth, is a squirrel who runs up and down Yggdrasil, the world tree, ferrying messages between the eagle Veðrfölnir, who perches atop Yggdrasil, and the serpent Níðhöggr, living beneath one of the three roots of the tree.

Mythical Creatures

Different Types of Mythical Creatures in Norse Mythology

Serpents/Dragons

Gods/Goddesses/Deities Humanoid Creatures

Water Creatures Canine Others

Odin

As the ruler of Asgard – the realm of the Æsir, Odin is considered the All-Father of the Gods. His father was the Borr and his mother was the Jötunn Bestla. He’s famous for riding into battle on his faithful eight-legged steed Sleipnir and wielding his dwarf-forged spear Gungnir which is said never to miss a target.

Baldr and Höðr

The God of Light and Radiance, Baldr, and the God of Darkness, Höðr, are twin brothers, sons of Odin and Frigg.

Thor

Thor, the God of Thunder, is the son of Odin and Jörð and the husband of the Goddess Sif. He is physically the strongest of the Æsir and has fierce eyes, red hair and a full beard.

Frigg

The Goddess of marriage, family and motherhood, Frigg is Odin’s wife and the mother of two of his children – Baldr and Höðr. Ruling Asgard as Queen alongside her husband, she is the only other being allowed to sit on the throne –Hliðskjálf – and look out across the nine realms.

Vidar

The son of Odin and the Jötunn Grid, Vidar is the second strongest of all the Æsir after Thor and lives in a great hall in Asgard called Vidi. Despite his strength, Vidar is a peaceful god and known to enjoy sitting in silence or working on creating a special shoe.

Freyr and Freyja

The children of Njord and Nerthus, Freyr and Freyja are also Vanir who were sent to the Æsir after the war between the two tribes. They’re gods of fertility and Freyr is usually depicted with a large phallus! He’s also the ruler of Alfheim and Lord of the Elves.

Vali

Vali is the youngest son of Odin, and the Jötunn Grid. He is generally considered as an archer and representing the beams of sunshine – like arrows – that grow stronger as winter draws to a close.

Ullr

Ullr (or Ull) is the God of Winter, Hunting. Handto-hand Combat and the Willow Tree. He’s the son of Sif and the stepson of Thor. He is married to Skadi – the Goddess of Winter – and was said to be a great archer and skier, often using his shield like a modern-day snowboard.

Týr

The original God of war, Týr is considered the bravest of all the Gods. Taking a strong interest in justice and fair treaties, he’s often considered the God of War and Peace and the one who decides who will win battles. His parentage is unclear. Bragi

Bragi is the learned and wise bard of Valhall. He may have been one of Odin’s sons – it’s unclear from the original source material – but he is considered by many to be a God of Poetry and Music. His name, in fact, comes from the word Bragr meaning poetry.

Forseti

Forseti’s name means President in modern Icelandic and the God of that name is the God of Justice and a speaker of law. A peaceful man who is often found meditating, he would preside over disputes between the Gods and Goddesses of Asgard.

Heimdallr

Heimdallr, or Heimdall, is the guardian of the Bifröst bridge – the rainbow that connects the land of mortals – Midgard – with the land of the Gods – Asgard.

Loki

In Norse mythology he is the son of Laufey and the Jötunn Fárbauti and is Odin’s blood brother. He is known as the God of Trickery and Mischief and The Father of Monsters.

Iðunn

With a name meaning ‘the rejuvenating one’, the goddess of youth, Iðunn, is the dispenser of the fruit that gives the gods their longevity.

Iðunn is said to have been married to the poet and jester Bragi.

Hermod

Hermod may or may not have been a son of Odin. Known as the Messenger of the Gods, Hermod was the fastest of all Asgard. After the death of Baldr he volunteered to ride to Niflheimr on Odin’s steed Sleipnir.

Njord

God of the Wind, Seafarers, Coasts, Inland Waters and Wealth – though not the God of the sea – Njord is a member of the Vanir rather than the Æsir. After the end of the war between the Vanir and the Æsir, Njord was one of the gods sent to Asgard as a token of truce.

Hel The Goddess of the Underworld, Hel was the daughter of Loki and the Jötunn Angrboda. Hel is greedy, capricious and uninterested in the concerns of both the living and the dead.

Viking Ornamentation Styles

Many artefacts from the Viking Age are decorated with different symbols, pattern, and figures. One can see clear distinction between them, and they are categories into seven different styles and time periods.

Viking Artefacts & Styles

harness mounts, c.750 AD, from Broa, Halla, Gotland.

Detail of the Oseberg Ship, from Oseberg, Tønsberg, Norway

Gilt-silver pendant, from Little Snoring, Norfolk, 10th century

Iron axe with silver decorations, c. 960-970, from Mammen, Jutland, Denmark

Decorated portal and door from the stave church at Urnes, Sogn, Norway, late 11th century

Silver cup, c. 950, from Jelling, Jutland, Denmark Gilt-bronze vane, from Söderala, Hälsingland, Sweden

Animal with Oseberg Characteristics

Animal with Borre Characteristics

Animal with Jelling Characteristics

Animal with Mammen Characteristics

Animal with Ringerike Characteristics

Animal with Urnes Characteristics

Ornamentation of the Viking Age Throughout the Viking Age the people used to put different patterns and ornamentations on objects such as cups, ships, and weapons. The different styles can be organised in different time periods and places, and can be distinguished by different characteristics.

Anatomy of the Styles

Different Styles of Animal Ornamentation of the Viking Age

Oseberg Style c. 800 - 875

Broa Style c. 750 - 825

Borre Style c. 850 - 950

Jelling Style c. 900 - 975

Mammen Style c. 950 - 1025

Ringerike Style c. 1000 - 1075 Urnes Style c. 1050 - 1125

Animal with Broa Characteristics

Turf Houses

From

Longhouses

High concentrations in Denmark

Stave Churches

From the late Viking Age

Birka, Sweden

Trelleborg, Denmark

Ring

Viking Settlements

In the Viking Age, the villages in Scandinavia consisted of only 15-50 farmsteads. There were some trade towns which were bigger than the villages, but only fulltime merchants and craftspeople were living there and made up 1-2% of the population.

There were also smaller hamlets comprised of 2-4 farmsteads, and in more remote regions characterized by fjords, mountains, and forests where farming was more difficult it was common to see isolated farmsteads.

Viking Towns & Architecture

Settlements and Houses in Scandinavia

During the Viking Age

Iceland and Norway

Viking town from c. 900

fortress from c. 980

Ships of the Viking Age

The Vikings were well known seafarers and had mastered the art of ship building during their time. They had four main types of ships that there were used for different purposes, and important people have been found buried with a ship alongside other valuable items.

Ships were also frequently mentioned in myths and stories. The most famous one is Naglfar which is the vessel Loki and his companions used for their travel from Helheim to Midgard during Ragnarök

Different Types of Ships

Physical and Mythical Ships

Faering Small, open row boats

Naglfar Mythical ship made of fingernails and toenails of the dead.

Skíðblaðnir The finest and best mythical ship with magical powers in the Norse universe.

Knarr Ships made for transporting cargo.

Longship Larger navel vessels used for trade, exploration and warfare.

Karve Small type of the Viking longship

Ship Burial Getting buried with a ship and valuable items was a regular ritual for people of great importance.

Asatro / Ásatrú Åsatru

Asatro is a common name for people and communities who practise Old Norse religion today. There are Asatro communities across Scandinavia and Iceland, but there are also communities in Europe, North-America and Australia.

Most communities have seen a growth in recent years, and the Danish Asatro community recently reconstructed a norse temple just outside of Faaborg. The temple is called Valheim hof and was constructed in 2016. The Icelandic community is currently constructing a temple in Reykjavik where the building’s office is currently in operation.

Beliefs

Asatro means “the faith in the Aesir” and they believe in all the gods, deities, and mythical creatures of Norse mythology. They also worship and honour ancestors and land wights.

Asatro builds on Old Norse traditions, beliefs, and rituals, but it not a direct continuation of the Viking’s religion. Their beliefs its more of a revival and a reinterpretation of the old pagan religion found in the limited written sources mostly written by Christians after the Viking Age. Two key sources are the Elder and the younger Edda.

Religious Practices

Different Asatro communities have slightly different religious practices, but most of them have rituals related to specific Gods such as Odin, Thor and Freyja.

The most common ritual of Asatro religion is called blót, a ritual including sacrifice of food and object to gods/deities/spirits/ancestors followed by a communal feast for the participants.

There are also more private and personal rituals in relation to birth and marriage, and individuals might worship specific gods for power, fertility and wisdom.

Goði (male) / Gyðja (female) Asatro chiefs or leaders

Valheim Hof, Denmark Modern Norse temple dedicated to Odin

Blót, Iceland Different religious ceremonies in Iceland

1 The Death of Baldr

The death of Frigg’s son, Baldr, the God of Light and Radiance, is the first sign of the end of their age. Loki tricked Hod, the blind God and brother of Baldr, to throw a poisoned mistletoe dart at him leading to Baldr’s death. Frigg screamed and this was the first sign of Ragnarök.

2 The Long Winters Begins

The second sign of Ragnarök was three long years of winter, known as Fimbulwinter. During these years, the world suffered a constant brutal winter with no summer, filled with wars and chaos. It is during this time Fenrir broke from his chains, the Midgard Serpents awoke and caused havoc and destruction in Midgard, and the Jötnar made their way to Helheim.

1 Fenrir Breaks Free

Fenrir, the giant wolf and son of Loki, breaks free from his chains, Glepnir (made by the dwarves which were supposed to be impossible to break), only to viciously fight Odin. Odin was accompanied by Freya and the Einherjar (human warriors trained in Valhall), but Fenrir still managed to swallow Odin, killing the almighty father of Asgard.

5 Thor and the Midgard Serpent

Thor, the most powerful of the gods the god of thunder, has been age-old foes with the Midgard Serpent, called Jörmungandr. During Ragnarok, Thor kills the great serpent with the blows of his hammer, but his victory is short as he got covered in the serpent’s venom during their fight, which eventually ends of killing Thor.

2 The Killing of Fenrir

Fenrir’s victory was short lived, as Vidar, one of Odin’s sons, slays the wolf in silent fury. Vidar had shoes made of all the leather scraps from human shoes, and with them he managed to hold Fenrir’s mouth wide open, followed by stabbing him in the heart with his spear, thus killing the wolf.

6

Freya’s Protection of Bifröst

The great war had already resulted in the death of multiple beings, but Hel’s forces kept on coming and coming, which was of major concerns for the gods. Freya managed to get hold of Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse, and did her best to slay those who was coming towards Bifröst.

1 The World Rises Again

As the Seeress has told Odin before, a new world will rise from the waters. In her vision and after Ragnarök, the earth reappears from the sea and an eagle is hunting fish from a waterfall on a mountain.

2

The Surviving Aesir

The surviving Aesir meet together at the field of Iðavöllr (located in Asgard), were they discuss Jörmungandr (the Midgard serpent), Fenrir, great events of the past, and the runic alphabet. They will dominate the new world and tell the tales of their forefathers.

3 The World Goes Dark

The third sing of Ragnarök was the disappearance of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Garm, Hel’s wolf, swallowed the Sol (the sun) and Mani (the moon) which plunged the world into great darkness. The only light during this period came from the flames and the disasters of the world.

4

Naglfar is Freed

The fourth sign of Ragnarök was the Jötnar reaching Helheim’s gates and Naglfar being freed from its moorings. Hel, the ruler of Helmheim, Loki, freed from his chains, and the Jötnar, alongside the dishonourable dead, finally set sail towards Midgard and Asgard. Their roaring and thundering as they sail, is marked as the start of Ragnarök.

3 The Death of Garm, Tyr, and Loki

After Garm ate the sun and the moon, he fought a brutal battle with Tyr, and they became the end of each other. Another brutal fight happening at the same time was the fight between Heimdall (the guard of Bifrost) and Loki. Heimdall managed to put an end to Loki, but in the process, he was weakened by Loki’s blade.

7

The Collapse of Bifröst

Heimdall came staggering to the entrance of Bifröst, whilst Freya and Sleipnir, humans, gods, einherjar, and some of Hel’s forces was fleeing across the bridge. Heimdall, weakened from his battle against Loki, had a final look at the bridge, before he completely cut it off.

4 The Stopping of Surtr

During the great battle between the Jötnar and the Aesir, Frey fought the fire giant called Surtr. In their battle, both of them died, but Frey managed to stop Surtr reaching Midgard where he planned to burn the entire world.

8

The End of the World

After the bridge got closed off, flame, smoke, and steam shot up to the sky, and it got even darker than it was before. After the collapse of the bridge, Ragnarök ends with the entire world sinking deeply into the engulfing sea.

3 The Return from Helheim and the New Sun

The gods Höðr and Baldr return from Helheim after they fell during Ragnarok, and they will proceed to live happily together. Sol, the sun, will also have begotten a daughter just before being swallowed by the Garm, and the daughter shines as bright as her mother.

4

Repopulating the World

Líf and Lífþrasir survived Ragnarök by hiding in the woods called Hoddmímis holt. These two human survivors consume the morning dew for sustenance in a new and fertile world, and from their descendants, the world will be repopulated.

Evergreen Ash: Ecology in Old Norse Myth and Literature (2019)

In Evergreen Ash: Ecology and Catastrophe in Old Norse Myth and Literature (2019) by Chirstopher Abram, he investigates the ecology in Norse mythology and the myth of Ragnarök and draws parallels to the current global ecological crisis in the Anthropocene. The Aesir Gods in Norse mythology thought they could master nature in their universe, which eventually ended up in an ecological collapse of the universe – similar to what we are now experiencing in our current time after exploiting the planet’s resources. Abram looks at what the Aesir could have done different in order to prevent their apocalypse, and how we can learn from it before it is too late.

What Ragnarök tells us about the Anthropocene and vice versa:

The goal of this chapter and the one that preceded it has been to read the Ragnarök myths as myths of an anthropogenic apocalypse analogous to the environmental catastrophe that attends theAnthropocene and that is accelerating exponentially in the era of global warming, the by-products of nuclear technology, overpopulation, and mass extinctions. identify six key factors that link Ragnarök to our own experience of the Anthropocene and its slow apocalypse.

“1. The Ragnarök myths attempt to make sense of and impose order on a massively complex set of phenomena.” P. 159

The destruction of the physical world at Ragnarök is not a “natural disaster.” Ragnarök shows, rather, that cultural causes produce effects in and upon the nonhuman world that feed back into further cultural responses to what become perceived or figured as natural phenomena. It is the quality of these responses that determines whether environmental conditions improve or worsen and whether the progress toward disaster is hastened or retarded.

“2. There is no tipping point: we do not know when Ragnarök begins.” P. 160

Ragnarök is conventionally imagined as a sudden and singular cataclysm — and of course on one level it is: the land does indeed collapse into the sea; the gods are all killed in a climactic battle with their enemies. But an ecocritical reading of these myths suggests that the fast apocalypse of the very final moments of the universe is only part of a much longer, slower history — one that we only identify as an apocalypse when it is far too late. It is always already far too late, for the Norse gods and for us. Ragnarök is the totality of the gods’ past, present, and future, as the Anthropocene is ours.

“3. We do not know where we stand in relation to the chronology of Ragnarök/the Anthropocene.” P. 161

Odin’s predicament calls to mind Morton’s claim that one of the main disorienting effects of consciously living in the Anthropocene is a “deep shuddering of temporality,” the necessity of questioning of “whether the end of the world is already happening, or whether perhaps it might already have taken place.” This is precisely the question for which Odin seeks an answer in his interview with the volva. It is probably the wrong question. If the Anthropocene (or Ragnarök) has always been immanent, its imminence becomes a moot point. We should be asking since the world has ended—is ending—will end, what shall we do? How do we live under these conditions? What is the best life still available to us?

“4. The modern constitution is implicated in both Ragnarök and the Anthropocene.” P. 162

The gods’ reliance on Loki—a profoundly hybrid figure—to enforce their standards of purity, or to put things right when they go wrong, is also problematic: they end up attempting to deal with the negative aspects of Loki’s hybridity by segregating him and his monstrous children from their world of culture, to sequester him and thus neutralize his malignant powers. Loki, Fenrir, and Jormungandr cannot be “made safe” by confining them to geographically remote areas or by enacting technologically advanced security measures. In this way, they resemble nuclear waste, that quintessential output of modernity: the byproducts of atomic fission are the products of human ingenuity whose being far exceeds their original point of manufacture or intended use.

How to Prevent Ragnarök:

“5. We do not know whom to blame, but we want someone to blame.” P. 164

It is convenient for the gods to blame Loki for Ragnarök, just as it is convenient for some to blame nineteenth-century industrialists, or car drivers, or meat eaters for global warming. It serves their purpose, but like climate change, Ragnarök is too complicated and ambiguous a system to be reduced to a singular point of origin or blamed on any one of the many individuals or groups who are implicated in it. As Roy Scranton writes of the Anthropocene, placing blame on any one entity or group is merely an exercise in buck-passing: “The enemy isn’t out there somewhere—the enemy is ourselves. Not as individuals, but as a collective. A system. A hive.”

“6. Ragnarök and the Anthropocene are both gendered phenomena.”

P.165

The goddesses are nowhere to be found in either the first or second golden age of the Æsir. Ragnarök is a process that is attributable solely to the actions of male figures. (…) The Æsir’s constitution assigns the feminine to the sphere of the Other; Loki’s ability to transgress gender boundaries is yet another sign of the hybridity that the gods both fear and need in him. It seems intuitively accurate and politically important to regard the Anthropos of Anthropocene as gendered male beyond its neutral designation as “human being.” The Anthropocene has not been an age of people in general; it is an age of men. (…) Certainly, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, the rise of the corporation, and the advent of the atomic bomb are all developments in which men are implicated to a surpassing degree and from which women have been largely marginalized. We might adopt another new coinage, the Androcene, as yet another variant on the concept of Anthropocene, one that confidently asserts that the end of the world is the work of men and signals our rejection.

The Anthropocene and Ragnarok

The Aesir Gods’ actions and attempts to control and rule over nature and non-Gods led to a series of issues which resulted in Ragnarok - the end of their world, but also the birth of a new world.

Similarly, our attempts to control the environment and exploiting the earth’s resources have led to global warming, which further have led to political issues between nations.

Is global warming our time’s Ragnarok?

Christopher Abram

The Relevance of Ragnarök in the Anthropocene

Abram examines ecologies, the cultural positions, and the Gods behaviour in Norse mythology, which are similar (or even identical) to the human condition in the Anthropocene, to come up with solutions on how the Gods could have prevented Ragnarök. Throughout chapter 7, “Reading Ragnarök at the End of the World”, he makes some main points on how to prevent Ragnarök in the Anthropocene, or in the world after the Anthropocene, based on lessons from the Norse universe.

• Reject the position and separation of objects and subject, humans and nonhumans, Gods and the Others.

• Embrace hybridity, diversity, and belonging, rather than suppressing and destroying them like the Æsir did.

• Reconfigure society on more genderequitable lines.

• Reject the maintenance of our delusions of the possibility to master the nature of the world, as this will keep the cycle of worlds ending going.

• Look for innovative new modes of life, rather than building on traditional modes of life which lead to destruction of previous worlds.

Temperatures

The polar caps act as the world refrigerators since they are covered with white ice and snow, which reflect heat back into space rather than absorbing it (albedo effect). The absorption of heat leads to higher global temperatures, but also colder winters due to disturbance to polar jet streams.

Sea Level Rise

Higher temperatures have led to melting of sea ice, land ice, and glaciers which is one of the key factors of rising sea levels, along with thermal expansion. The global average sea level has risen by 18-21 cm since 1900, and has already caused damage to many coastal communities, and it is only getting worse.

Global Food Systems

The ice loss has already led to unpredictability of weather, increased heat waves, and polar vortexes which have caused significant damage to crops on which global food systems depends on. This has, and will continue, to lead to higher prices of food along with many other issues.

Shipping

The loss of sea ice has opened new shipping routes through the Arctic, which will disturb and damage wildlife and ecosystems, as well as break up the remaining ice causing it to melt quicker.

Global Impacts of the Arctic Melting Global warming has led to the melting of the polar ice caps, and over the past 30 years the loss of Arctic Sea ice has decreased by 13% per decade. Even worse, the oldest and the thickest ice in the Arctic has declined by 95%. Loss of sea ice has a huge impact on the rest of the world’s environment and climate, and if emission continues with the current rates, the Arctic could be free of ice in the summer of 2040.

Above are 6 ways the melting of the Arctic is affecting the global environment.

Global Warming in the Arctic

Permafrost

Both Arctic ice and permafrost, stores large amounts of methane and other greenhouse gasses that will be released due to melting and thawing. This will further contribute to climate change as well as further melting of the polar caps.

Wildlife

A large part of the Arctic wildlife depends on ice/snow for their survival, such as polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, owls, reindeer, seals and many more. If they can’t adapt to the changing climate, they will go extinct, which will lead to further survival issues for other species that depend on them.

Svalbard, Norway

Svalbard is an archipelago situated between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The largest islands are Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. Longyearbyen is the largest settlement and acts as the administrative centre, and the archipelago has around 2 900 permanent residents. The total area of Svalbard is 61 022 km2 with the highest elevation being 1 717m.

Svalbard is a free economic zone and a demilitarized zone, and the main industry contain of coal mining, with research and tourism being important secondary industries. The Norwegian Store Norske and the Russian Arktikugol are the two remaining mining companies, whilst the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault plays important roles in the research sector.

Administratively, Svalbard is not a part any Norwegian county, but forms an unincorporated area directly administered by the Norwegian government through the appointment of a governor. Svalbard is also a special jurisdiction subject to the Svalbard Treaty which is not a par of the Schengen Area, the Nordic Passport Union, and the European Economic Area.

Svalbard, Norway

Archipelago close to the North Pole

Name, Imports & Coal Mining

The archipelago’s name, Svalbard, is composed by two Old Norse words; svalr (meaning ‘cold’) and barð (meaning ‘edge’, ‘ridge’, ‘turf’, or ‘beard’).

Svalbard highly depends on imports of goods such as groceries, utensils, fresh food, cosmetics, and alcohol as there is little that is locally produced. These imports either come through by ships at Longyearbyen Harbour (mostly during summer months) or by planes at Svalbard Airport close to Longyearbyen.

As the Norwegian governments aims to make Svalbard completely climate neutral within 10 years, there is not much coal mining left there. Coal mining at Sveagruva and Luckerfjellet were suspended in 2017 before being permanently closed in 2020. Longyearbyen Energy Plant is the only operative coal power plant, which provides power for the areas around, but the plant is scheduled to be shut down in 2023. Diesel will be used instead of coal (which cuts CO2 emission by around 50%) to provide power for settlements, whilst the local council works out a plan for a new and renewable energy solution.

The Icelandic manuscripts called Landnámabók (9th-10th century) and Hauksbók (14th century), both mention that the Vikings reached a place they called Svalbarði (meaning ‘cold shores’ in Old Norse) after sailing for a four days from Iceland in 1194.

Therefore, there has been speculated that the Vikings were the first people to discover Svalbard, but there is no archaeological evidence that supports this theory.

Dutch Explorers

The Dutch mariner, Willem Barentsz, made the first undisputed discovery of Svalbard in 1596 and the archipelago was included in the accounts and maps made by the expedition. After the discovery, the Dutch started regular hunting of Walrus and later starting whaling in the area. Other nations, such as France, Spain, Britain, Russia, Denmark, and Norway, started doing the same in the decades after the discovery, which lead to political conflicts amongst the nations.

The Svalbard Treaty

The Svalbard Treaty was signed at the Paris Peace Conference in 1920, granting Norway sovereignty of the archipelago, after it had been a terra nullius (land without a government) since its discovery. The treaty made sure that the involving nations had equal rights to economic resources and that the archipelago would not be used for war purposes.

Further Exploration

Further exploration of the archipelago started in the 1610s to find new areas for whaling, and around 1900, Svalbard was used as the starting point for multiple expeditions by air to reach and explore the North Pole.

Between 1925 and 1928, Ny-Ålesund was the starting point for four different attempts to reach the North Pole by air. Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, was the first to reach the North Pole in the airship called ‘Norge’ in 1928.

History of Svalbard

Reduced Russian Activity

Russia had two coal mining settlements at Svalbard, Barentsburg and Pyramiden, but in the 1990s they started to reduce their activity in the area. In 1994 they closed down schools in both settlements, and the children and mothers were sent to the mainland. This reduced the population of Barentsburg to 800 and Pyramiden to 600, and Pyramiden was later abandoned in 1998.

Establishment of Research Institutes

In the 1970s, plans were made to transform Longyearbyen from a company town to a regular community, which lead to the establishment for private enterprises. Several research and technological institutes were established in the 1990s, which shifted the main industry over to research and tourism rather than coal mining. The University Centre in Svalbard, the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association, and the Global Seed Vault are amongst the institutes that got established, and hotels were established from 1995.

Hauksbók, from the 14th century Dutch Whalers by Abraham Storck (1690) F. Wedel-Jarlsberg Signs the Svalbard Treaty The Airship ’Norge’ at Ny-Ålesund, 1926 Pyramiden, Russian Abandoned Settlement Two Antennas of the EISCAT Svalbard Radar Svalbarði

Midnight Sun

April 19th - August 23rd

Midnight sun is a natural phenomenon which occurs north of the northern polar circle and south of the southern polar circle. During midnight sun, the sun stays above the horizon for the whole day.

At Svalbard, this occurs for about 4 months.

Polar Nights

October 1st - February 28th

Polar Night is a natural phenomenon which occurs north of the northern polar circle and south of the southern polar circle. During polar nights, the sun stays under the horizon for the whole day.

At Svalbard, this occurs for about 4 months.

Sun Conditions

Midnight sun and polar nights are two natural phenomena which occurs at Svalbard. They last for about 4 months each where the sun never sets or the sun never rise throughout the day.

Summer & Winter Conditions

Midnight Sun & Polar Nights

Day length diagram 2022

Melting of Glaciers

About 60% of Svalbard is covered in glaciers, but because of rising temperatures, the glaciers have decreased rapidly. This threatens the structural integrity of the glaciers, leads to quicker melting, unexpected collapses, glacial surges, and making them much more unstable for animals and adventurers.

Another issue in recent years has been that the Arctic Sea ice sheet has not been able to reach Svalbard during the summer months, which causes issues for several species that inhabit the marina around the archipelago, including seals and polar bear.

Thawing Permafrost

At Svalbard, most buildings are constructed on top of wooden piles anchored in the permafrost to better regulate the temperature of the permafrost and the building itself, but the increasing temperatures has lead to a series of issues. The wooden piles are at a higher risk of rotting due to the increasing temperatures which allows more water to flow in and around the building. The ground also becomes more unstable, and in several areas, the permafrost has thawed, damaging buildings, roads, and other structures.

Coastal Erosion & Rising Sea Levels

The coast of Svalbard has also been changing due to increasing temperatures. As the permafrost along the coast melts, the shoreline is more prone to thawing. The rising sea level also speed up the process of coastal erosion, and the lack of sea ice makes the shoreline more prone to damage from waves as the sea ice can’t absorb most of the force from them anymore. The airport in Longyearbyen is located by the shore and it has experienced more frequent problems relating to the ground conditions in recent years.

Svalbard is one of the fastest-warming areas in the world

Svalbard is one of the fastest warming regions in the world and the Arctic, and in July 2020, the temperature at Longyearbyen was 21.7 degrees, breaking a 41-year old record. Over the last 50 years, the temperature have risen by 4 degrees which has severe effects on the landscape, the sea, and the air of Svalbard.

Previously, the High Arctic including Svalbard has been described as a cold dessert as most of the water comes

in the form of snow or ice. The higher temperatures have started to melt the existing snow, ice, and permafrost, which has led to more frequent avalanches and landslide, including making the environment much more wet. This damages both human settlements and the unique wildlife, and in 2015, Longyearbyen experienced its most devastating avalanche and flood; displacing eleven houses from their foundations and killing two people.

Struggling Wildlife

The wildlife at Svalbard has seen a change in recent years because the climate gets warmer which they can’t adapt to fast enough. The ecosystem is all connected and depending on the different species of fauna and flora that exists within it to thrive and survive, and damage or a rapid change to one species has a negative effect the rest of the network. Lately, reports of polar bear interfering with human settlements have increased as they desperately look for food. Reindeers is another struggling species, and in 2018, about 200 reindeer died of starvation due to the wetter climate making grazing in the tundra very poor.

How Svalbard is Affected by Climate Change

The most important action in terms of fighting global warming is reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases. Particularly to Svalbard, producing electricity from wave energy can be done rather than reliving on coal power plants which release significant amount of CO2. There are also two other key factors which can be introduced or focused more on to reduce carbon emissions at Svalbard:

Local Goods and Farming

Svalbard is heavily depending on imports from mainland Norway for food, clothes, supplies and other goods. Switching over to local production and farming (both land and sea) can ease the emission of greenhouse gasses related to the transportation of the goods. Farming of grains, fruit, and vegetables is challenging at Svalbard because of the cold climate and the lack of light in winter, but it is still possible and can be further improved and upscaled.

Recycling/Repurposing

Several coal mines are no longer in use at Svalbard, and rather than leaving them abandoned, the structures can be repurposed for other functions or the materials can be recycled to new building materials for new buildings. This would reduce the need of importing new materials from the mainland, and/ or other places, which again reduces emissions as the materials doesn’t need to be transported across the ocean.

In recent years, Svalbard has faced many changes to its natural environment. This includes buildings becoming more fragile and unstable as the climate has gotten wetter and the permafrost which most buildings are built upon has started to thaw. Adapting to the changing environment must be done in order to ensure we can still live there safely.

Building Foundations

Most buildings at Svalbard are currently built on foundations of wooden piles driven down into the permafrost. The rising temperatures makes the permafrost subject to melting, which can cause buildings to move and in some cases collapse. Developing or using a different type of building foundations are therefore key to increase security for the inhabitants.

Infrastructures to Ease the Effects Climate Change

There are a series of different types of infrastructures and systems that can be used in order to reduce further climate change, or to slow down the effects of the changes. Water collection systems (both from rain and meltwater from glaciers and snow) can be developed to better control surface water in settled areas. Different types of landslide and avalanche mitigation systems can also be introduced to settled areas to prevent devastating changes to the landscape.

Amongst the issues related to climate change at Svalbard the melting and thawing of the permafrost is of the most concern. Not only does it negatively affect human settlements, but also the habitat for reindeers, arctic foxes, and birds. Rewilding of Svalbard, can potentially better regulate the temperatures of permafrost and prevent further thawing. There are currently two main methods of rewilding of the arctic:

Using Herds of HoofedHerbivores

A recent study published by Beer et al. 2020 in the Scientific Reports, a Nature journal reveals the possibility of using hoofed herbivores such as herds of horses, bison, and reindeer, to prevent the thawing of permafrost. According to the authors, “increasing the population density of large herbivores in the Northern high-latitude will increase snow density and therefore minimize the insulation strength of snow during the wintertime”. The grazing animals tramples the snow in search of food, which allows cold air to reach the ground.

Using Plants

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh are developing novel research into the potential application of plants in preventing permafrost from thawing. Plant habitats play an important role in regulating the soil temperature. They provide shade for permafrost soil from direct heat of the sun, and their roots eliminate water making them better insulators.

Local Actions to Prevent Climate Change

The Vessel & The Journey

The vessel for the Sea Voyage is Draken Harald Hårfagre, the largest Viking ship in modern times. The journey will start at the ship’s home port, Haugesund on the western coast of Norway, and their destination is Svalbard, the place their ancestor might have discovered in the 12th century.

Along the way, they will also visit important Viking sites and pick up Asatru members in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Shetland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland.

The Asatro Community

The Asatro community of Norway have organised an extended sea voyage to significant Viking sites across the Nordic. They want to build a stronger international community for like-minded people who all share the belief in Old Norse religion.

Not only is the sea voyage planned to build a stronger international community, but also a spiritual journey to strengthen their faith in the Norse Gods and to connect with their ancestors by tracing and following their footsteps.

Project Narrative: The Great Sea Voyage to Svalbard An Asatro Expedition & Spiritual Journey

The Icelandic manuscripts called Landnámabók (9th-10th century) and Hauksbók (14th century), both mention that the Vikings reached a place they called Svalbarði after sailing for a few days from the Iceland in the 10th century.

Because of this, and ‘Svalbarði’ being marked on certain maps from the same time, some historians have speculated that the Vikings discovered Svalbard much earlier than the Dutch in the 16th century. However, there have been no physical evidence found at Svalbard to support this theory.

Svalbarði

Creation of Svalbarðtrú Attempting to Prevent Ragnarök Ragnarök

Upon arrival to Svalbard, the sea voyage discovered an Ash tree growing at Nordaustlandet alongside sacrificed Viking artefacts. They concluded with that the tree must be Yggdrasil and the theory of the Vikings reaching Svalbard in 1194 must be the reality.

The Discovery of Yggdrasil

On the voyage to the mainland, they established a new branch of Asatro, named Svalbarðtrú. Svalbarðtrú is the belief in Norse religion and that Svalbard is the new site for Yggdrasil, and that the people must do everything they can to worship and protect it.

The first wave of settlers set their sails to Svalbard with their fleet of different structures to protect Yggdrasil. The journey was slow and brutal, but the community was committed to protect Yggdrasil at all costs.

The finalisation of the Temple of Yggdrasil marked their accomplishment of a successful settlement, and this historical moment was marked by a community wide blot. This moment would be celebrated annually for the years to come, celebrating the discovery and the settlement of Yggdrasil.

As the settlement were thriving, more Asatro believers from across the world started to move to Svalbard. The new settlers came by boat and brought with them additional resources for the community to expand and benefit of.

The community continued to face issues relating to the warming climate, and more of the sacrificial temples started to take damage of the changing environment. The community kept on performing their rituals in the hope and the belief that they could save Yggdrasil.

The Protection of Yggdrasil Incoming Waves of Settlers Facing Continuing Issues

The Asatro community have organised an international sea voyage through the Nordic countries, with the final destination being Svalbard. It is a spiritual journey following the seaways of their ancestors, whilst building a stronger international Asatro community.

After the discovery of Yggdrasil and the artefacts, the community decided they must settle around in the area and built an initial protective structure around the tree. Later, they returned to their home countries to prepare for the future settlement.

The community started to prepare for the settlement in the years after the discovery of Yggdrasil. All the participating countries started to build different structures they would bring to Svalbard by boat and made everything in the way that they could be easily transformed upon arrival.

After arrival, the community started to transform the fleet and to build and prepare their new world. They set up all the structures they brought with them, transformed the boats to homes and other buildings, and planted plants and trees for future utilisation and consumption.

In the years after the settlement, the Svalbarðtrú community performs a series of rituals to the protect Yggdrasil from the harsh environment and climate change. The rituals are carefully coordinated and performed and uses the different architectures the community have built.

Narrative: The Events of the New World

From

the Creation to Ragnarök

Throughout the settlement, sacrificial temples dedicated to Valkyries had been set up as indicators of climate change and Ragnarök. A couple of years after the initial settlement, the first temple had collapsed –marking the coming of Ragnarök.

The community do not know the exact moment Ragnarok will happen, but they know they will face that time one day in the future. All they can do is to continue to perform their rituals to protect Yggdrasil and come up with new rituals for upcoming problems and conditions…

The Great Sea Voyage Building the New World

The Great Fleet of Viking Ships

The Creation of Svalbarðtrú

The Return to the Mainland Performing the Series of Rituals Preparing for Settlement The Collapse of the First Temple Ragnarök - The End of the World

Direction

UTANGARD

The Utangard area of the Svalbarðtrú settlement consist of the structures related to slowing down the process of climate change and necessary facilities to keep the settlement running. This is also were Noatun is located: the main port and entrance to the entire settlement

1. Light Reflectors & Solar Power Devices

1. Gas Collectors

2. Wave Energy & Power Plant

3. Rewilding Institute

4. Sea Ice Builders

5. Meltwater Collection & Distribution Centre

6. Local Food Production

7. Sacrificial Temples

8. Noatun - The Main Port

9. Floating Breakwater

Programmatic Diagram on Site

Setting up the Settlement

INNANGARD

The Innangard area of the Svalbarðtrú settlement houses the Temple of Yggdrasil, alongside other temples and town/community facilities that protect Yggdrasil from the changing climate. This area is the main part of the settlement

A. Temple of Odin

B. Temple of Thor

C. Barri the Sacred Grove

D. Temple of Yggdrasil

E. Town Facilities

F. Temple of Frigg

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

*Grazing Area

UTANGARD

INNANGARD

*Grazing Area

Protective Wall

Grazing Area

*Glacial Rebuilding

*Glacial Strengthening

Protecting Yggdrasil

The Temple of Yggdrasil is a protective structure able to fold/unfold according to the season to protect and support Yggdrasil, and the three Norns have their dwellings here and water the tree from the Well of Urd. Within the temple, there is a large ceremony space for community wide rituals.

Summer Ritual

After the winter, the protective structure surrounding the tree will unfold and reveal Yggdrasil. This marks of the beginning of summer season.

Research Institute

Research institute monitoring and researching everything that is changing within the settlement area and stores data and sacrificed objects for the post-Ragnarök world.

Winter Ritual

After the summer, the protective structure surrounding the tree will fold and cover Yggdrasil. This marks the beginning of the winter season.

Protecting the Settlement

Protecting Yggdrasil and the settlement from avalanches, landslides, glacial surges, and thawing permafrost.

Houses and Town Square

Innangard houses other town facilities as well, such as offices, workshops, shops, restaurants, and it is in this part of the masterplan most of the settlers have their homes.

Community Spaces

Community facilities including a school, library, theatre, and social clubs. The temple also has public squares for ceremonies and rituals and is heavily connected to the landscape.

Innangard

The Innangard area of the Svalbarðtrú settlement houses the Temple of Yggdrasil, alongside other temples and town/community facilities that protect Yggdrasil from the changing climate. This area is the main part of the settlement

Holy and Magical Tree Grove

Barri the Sacred Tree Grove is a magical tree grove which acts as a public park. It is closely linked to the Temple of Yggdrasil and people come here for peace, worship of land spirits and spiritual guidance.

Programme Diagram of Svalbarðtrú (Innangard)

Listing the Different Architectures and Main Rituals

Temple of Odin

Temple of Yggdrasil

Temple of Thor

Town Facilities Temple of Frigg Barri the Sacred Grove

The Svalbarðtrú Settlement

1 - Temple of Yggdrasil

Protecting Yggdrasil, the Ash tree that the community discovered during their journey to Svalbard and are now worshipping.

2 - Ceremony Space

Used for wider community Blóts (sacrifice to gods) marking the summer and winter seasons.

3 - Town Square

Including a market and space for different events and occasions.

4 - Temple of Frigg

Creating harmonies between humans, animals, gods, mythical creatures and the landscape.

5 - Innangard Entrance

Main entry point of the Innangard area (inner circle) of the Svalbarðtrú Settlement.

6 - Walkways

Walkways connecting different parts of the masterplan.

7 - Barri the Sacred Tree Grove

Holy forest that consists of Yggdrasil’s offspring and that are used for building material by the community.

8 - Neighbourhoods

The neighbourhoods around Yggdrasil consists of rows of houses that are made of Viking longships from the community’s settlement fleet.

9 - Temple of Thor

Protecting Yggdrasil and the settlement from avalanches, landslides, glacial surges, and thawing permafrost.

10 - Cable Cars to The Temple of Odin

The cable cars connects the Temple of Thor with the Temple of Odin at the top of the mountain.

11 - Temple of Odin

Research institute monitoring and researching everything that is changing within the settlement area and stores data and sacrificed objects for the postRagnarök world.

12 - Temple of Baldr & Höðr

Reflecting light down to Yggdrasil during the winter and absorbing light during the summer to produce electricity.

The Svalbarðtrú Settlement Masterplan (Innangard)

Northern Hemisphere

Snøtoppen

SVALBARDIBREEN (GLACIER)

YGGDRALAND (VALLEY) YGGDRALAND (VALLEY)

THOR’S

FRIGG’S LAND (VALLEY)

Protecting and Praising Yggdrasil

The Temple of Yggdrasil is the centre of the Svalbarðtrú Settlement and it is the holiest site within the scheme. All the pathways lead to this temple and its purpose is to protect the Ash tree the community discovered and that they believe is Yggdrasil. The temple also have several spaces where people can worship the tree from different angles.

Temple of Yggdrasil

Architectural Language

Yggdrasil

The World Tree Keeping the Universe in Balance

1 - Yggdrasil

The Ash tree the community discovered alongside sacrificed artefacts during their sea voyage to Svalbard.

2 - Ice Dome

The dome of the temple freezes over during the winter to protect Yggdrasil from the harsh Arctic winter, and melts again during the summer to allow light to be absorbed by the mighty tree.

3 - Internal Walkways

For circulation around the Yggdrasil and to reach different spiritual areas.

4 - Ceremony Space

Used for wider community Blóts (sacrifice to gods) marking the summer and winter seasons. The space is also used for other events by the community.

5 - Well of Urd Magical spring that never freeze and has the purest water known to humans.

6 - Strings of Fate

Marking significant events of the past, present, and the future and are placed in and around Yggdrasil by the Norns (female shamans).

7 - Fountain

The ceremony includes a fountain with water from the Well of Urd.

8 - External Walkways

For circulation around the temple.

Veðrfölnir and the Eagle

At the top of the temple, there is a bird representing Veðrfölnir and the Eagle - the two birds that lives on top of Yggdrasil.

Large Number of Snakes

The structure of the dome is made up of a large number of snakes to represent the snakes that lives with Níðhöggr below Yggdrasil.

Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór

The four animals supporting the temple represent the four stags that lives on Yggdrasil - Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór.

Níðhöggr

Níðhöggr is believed to live below Yggdrasil, which is represented by a dragon’s tail in the fountain at the bottom of the ceromony space.

Yggdrasil

The temple focuses on Yggdrasil - the Ash tree that the community discovered. It is a mighty and magical tree that the community believe is Yggdrasil.

Mask of Protection

The mask of protection is the backdrop of the stage part of the ceremony space, to symbolise that the rituals performed by the community is protecting Yggdrasil.

Viking Style Patterns

The ceremony space and the walkways around it takes reference from the countless of patterns the Vikings decorated their belongings, objects, architecture, and ships with.

Ice Dome

The dome of the temple freezes over during the winter to protect Yggdrasil from the harsh Arctic winter. During the spring, the dome melts and the structure becomes open so the tree can thrive and bloom.

Winter Ritual

Unfolding the Netting

Preventing Ragnarök

The myths of Norse mythology tells us that if Yggdrasil fall and crumble, the entire universe will collapse and Ragnarök will play out. Therefore, the Svalbarðtrú community has designed the dome of the temple to protect the tree from the harsh Arctic winter, but allow the tree to gain light during the summer. This works by placing a fibreglass netting around the structure that will collect water that will freeze in the low temperatures. During the spring the dome will melt and the netting will be removed.

Freezing

Summer Ritual

Allowing the Tree to bloom

Removal of the Netting

Melting

Water Collection and Spraying

Boats

Three types of Viking longships the Svalbarðtrú fleet consists of and that will be converted to houses upon arrival to the site.

Walkways

The walkways are arranged in a patterns inspired by Viking style patterns and follows the site’s topography.

Placement

The houses are arranged around the Temple of Yggdrasil with the tallest houses being closest to the tree.

Converting the Fleet to Houses

The houses of the Svalbarðtrú Settlement are created by converting the different Viking longboats of their fleet to three types of houses. Upon arrival to the site, the boats are flipped upside-down and timber frames and columns are placed underneath to create the structure. These houses are arrange in a Viking style pattern around the Temple of Yggdrasil.

Houses & Walkways

Architectural Language

House Type 1

House Type 2

House Type 3

Monitoring the Signs of Ragnarök

Odin is the all-mighty farther of the gods of Norse mythology, and he is known to be the wisest of the gods, and therefore his temple is a research institute all about monitoring and researching the signs of Ragnarök (climate change) within and around the site. The temple is located at the top of the mountain and stores a great amount of data and sacrificed objects to tell the story of the settlement to future generations after Ragnarök.

Temple of Odin

Architectural Language

Odin

The All-Mighty Father and the Wisest of the Gods

1 - Hliðskjálf

Hliðskjálf is Odin’s magical throne where he can see into the nine worlds. A magical throne hence placed at the upper parts of the building where the people can look at the entire settlement.

2 - Public Part

Public part of the building where community can learn about Ragnarök and climate change.

3 - Research and Monitoring Labs

The research and monitoring labs are where the scientists can conduct their research and analysis.

4 - Underground Storage Facility

The storage facility store data and sacrificed object for future generations in a post-Ragnarök world. The storage area is located within the mountain.

5 - Cable Cars

Main mode of transportation to and from the temple as the temple sits at the top of the mountain. The cable cars are converted longboats from the fleet.

6 - Tension Cables

For added strength and security.

Odin’s Throne: Hliðskjálf

From the myth, Hliðskjálf is Odin’s magical throne where he can see into the nine different realms of Norse mythology. This as been incorporated into the design of the building.

The Nine Worlds

As Odin has the ability to look into the nine worlds, the orbs around the temple represents this magical power.

Odin’s Spear: Gungir Odin’s spear, called Gungir, has been referenced in the temple due to its significance. They are load bearing columns arranged throughout the building.

Odin’s Eight-Legged Horse: Sleipnir

Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse is referenced by making the main structural columns shaped as legs. Slepnir’s head is also located below the helmet to represent Odin riding his powerful horse.

Odin’s Ravens: Hugin & Munin

Hugin and Munin are Odin’s two ravens that fly out to the worlds every day to collect new wisdom. They are referenced by making the roofs of the research labs look like wings.

Odin’s Wolves: Geri & Freki

Odin has two wolves, Geri & Freki, and these they have been included as statues on the hill to symbolise their loyalty to Odin

Odin’s Only Eye

From the myths, Odin is said to only have one eye as he sacrificed the other one for the exchange of knowledge of the runic alphabet.

Odin’s Association with war

The top of the building is shaped like a Viking helmet to symbolise Odin’s association with war. The helmet also include a mask to reference multiple myths were Odin is travelling to different worlds - in disguise.

Temple of Odin

Design Elements

Hliðskjálf - Viewing Space

Research Labs

Public Zone

Underground Storage Facility

Preserving information for the Future

The placement of the temple is considered one of the safest areas of the settlement in cases of catastrophes. The research and data that are studied and analysed will hence be stored within the mountain below the building, so future generations can still access them after Ragnarök. Sacrificed objects will also be stored here.

Emergency Shelter

In the myth of Ragnarök, the final event is that all land will be submerged in water. Therefore the Temple of Odin is placed at the top of the mountain in an attempt to avoid getting taken by the great flood. The temple will also act as a emergency shelter during natural disasters and the final events of Ragnarök.

Long Section of the Svalbarðtrú Settlement

Diagrammatic Section

Building Harmonies

The Temple of Frigg is all about strengthening the community including humans, animals, gods, ancestors and the landscape. It as several cultural spaces, such as a school and a theatre located in the main buildings, but also specific spaces for several personal events. Like the other buildings within the settlement, the temple is elevated above the landscape to provide grazing areas for hoofed herbivores, that will help keeping the permafrost ventilated and cool. The undersides of the buildings also creates shelters for animals during rough weather.

Temple of Frigg

Architectural Language

The God of Motherhood and Symbol of Community

1 - School and Library Wing

The school and the library wing has spaces where the community can access to formal education.

2 - Theatre Wing

The theatre wing includes as theatre and other social spaces where the community can build stronger bonds between each other.

3 - Public Square

The temple connects to the town square of the settlement where the community can hosts different events.

4 - Oath Swearing Chamber

The Oath Swearing Chamber is the local town council of the Svalbarðtrú Settlement.

5 - Marriage Chamber

The Marriage Chamber is the town’s wedding venue, a significant ritual from the Viking Age.

6 - Seiðr Chamber

The Seiðr Chamber has spaces to perfom Seiðr, a magical ritual to see and shape the future or to connect with ancestors or mythical beings.

7 - Poetry Chamber

The Poetry Chamber includes spaces to teach, write and perform Eddic poetry.

8 - Grazing Area

The landscape underneath the building is a grazing area for the hoofed herbivores of the settlement.

9 - Walkways Connecting to the Landscape

Some of the walkways around the buildings connect down to the landscape to allow for a better connection between animals, humans, and the landscape.

Frigg

Feather Cloak

Weeping Tears

From the myths, Frigg is said to be crying on several occasions, which the windows and the gutter represent.

Friggs Helpers

Viking Style Pattern

Temple of Frigg

Design Elements

Blue Cape

The blue flags arrayed along the building and the main entrance are representing Frigg’s blue cape.

The layered timber roofs of the building represents Frigg’s magical feather cloak that gives the user the ability to fly.

The smaller buildings around the main building represents Frigg’s female helpers.

The walkways around the building takes reference from the countless of patterns from the Viking Age.

Rewilding the Arctic

As the soil of the site consist of permafrost, all the building are elevated above ground to prevent heat exchange between the ground and the structures. The settlement also use rewilding as a solution to keep the permafrost cool as the hoofed herbivores help ventilate the active layers of the ground to release any trapped heat. Therefore, the building are elevated high enough to allow for animals to graze underneath them.

Temple of Frigg

Keeping the Permafrost Cool

Elevated Buildings

Elevated Walkways Walkways down to the landscape

Animal Shelter

Grazing Area (Landscape)

Musk Ox Introduced species through the rewilding programme.

Svalbard Reindeer Native species of Svalbard.

Icelandic Horse Introduced species through the rewilding programme.

The Strongest of the Gods and the God of Thunder

1 - Temple

The temple includes spaces for sacrifices to Thor for the exchange of protection.

2 - Wall

The wall is the main protective structure.

3 - Meltwater Lake

Currently there are two smaller lakes at the site of the settlement - formed by meltwater from the snow and the glacier to the north.

4 - Walkways

The walkways leading to the building connects the Temple of Thor and the Temple of Yggdrasil.

5 - Barri the Sacred Tree Grove

This area is dedicated to Yggdrasil’s offspring, and the trees will be used for different purposes such as building materials and shamanistic rituals.

6 - Snow Net Fence

To protect the Yggdrasil and the settlement from avalanches, a snow net fence is places on top of the wall.

7 - Buttresses

The buttresses along the wall provide extra strength to be able to withstand the different types of collapses.

8 - Wall Openings

Along the wall, there are several opening to allow for people and animals to pass through during times where there is no danger of the collapses. In periods where collapses are at higher risk, the openings will be closed with shutters.

Protecting the Settlement from Collapses

The Temple of Thor is a protective wall that runs around the northern part of the main settlement area. Its purpose is to protect Yggdrasil and the settlement from several types of collapses from the surrounding valley. These include avalanches, landslides, glacial surges, and thawing permafrost. The wall has opening within it (with shutters) to allow for animals and people to pass through when there is no danger in sight. The temple is also connected to the Temple of Odin via cable cars.

Temple of Thor

Architectural Language

Viking Style Pattern

Similar to the other temples, the pathways leading up to the temple is designed from different Viking Age patterns.

Belt

Goats + Chariot

Thor has two goats, called Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, who are represented by two goats at the ends of the wall. They are dragging Thor’s chariot below his head.

Fierce Eyes

Thor is described to have fierce eyes which are represented in the temple’s windows.

Hair and Beard

Thor’s full beard and hair are represented through the decorative element of the southern facade and the canopies over the walkways.

Hammer Thor’s prominent hammer acts as buttresses along the wall to provide extra support in the case of avalanches and landslides.

The protective wall of the temple takes references in Thor’s belt that is enhancing his powers.

Glacial Surges

SVALBARDIBREEN (GLACIER)

SVALBARDIBREEN (GLACIER)

Avalanches

Landslides/Thawing Permafrost

Yggdrasil

Temple of Thor, Protective Wall

Safe Zone

Temple of Thor

Posing Threats due to Climate Change

Posing Threats

Due the warming climate, the site is at higher risk of experiencing different types of collapses from the surrounding landscape. The Temple of Thor must therefore be able to protect the settlement and Yggdrasil from avalanches from the mountain, thawing permafrost and landslides from the valley, and glacial surges from the glacier to the north.

Reflecting and Absorbing Light

The Temple of Baldr and Höðr are individual light reflectors/absorbers positioned at the edge of the mountain to the north to reflect light down to Yggdrasil during the winter and absorb light during the summer. These structures will help Yggdrasil gain enough light during the winter and light up the central part of the settlement.

Baldr

The God of Light

Höðr

The God of Darkness

1 - Light Reflectors

The light reflectors are large reflective discs that will guide the little light during the winter down to Yggdrasil.

2 - Light Absorbers

The light absorbers are solar panels that will generate electricity mainly during the long summer days.

3 - Greenhouse

Each structure has a small greenhouse containing a mistletoe tree that will be used for different rituals.

4 - Access Platform

The access platform includes all the services for the temple to operate smoothly.

5 - Axis

The main axis can be rotated to allow for the different discs to be positioned correctly.

Bows

The main structural columns are shaped as bows to symbolise the bow that Höðr accidentally killed Baldr with.

Arrow Heads

Around the reflective disc there are several arrow heads to symbolise the arrow that killed Baldr.

Hierarchy

As Baldr is mentioned more frequently in the myths, the reflective disc is significantly larger than the absorbing disk representing Höðr.

Brothers

The pattern on the discs symbolise the brotherhood between Baldr and Höðr.

The temple has a small scale greenhouse which include a mistletoe tree. Mistletoe is used for different rituals and was also what the arrow that killed Höðr was made of.

Mistletoe

Rotating and Tilting Points

Reflecting and Absorbing Light

The main purpose of the Temple of Baldr & Höðr is to reflect light down to Yggdrasil. They have therefore been placed along the highest points along the mountain to the north - to maximise the little sun light the site experience during the winter. This is also beneficial for absorbing light to generate electricity for the settlement.

Temple of Baldr & Höðr

Diagram of Works

Temple of Yggdrasil