Description
The bronze figure Odin from Lindby, Skåne, Sweden After an model from the 1000s.
Size height approx 10 cm.
Odin, the highest of all Aesirs, is a god of death and war – when he gave life to the first humans, Ask and Embla, you could also call him a god of life. He is very wise and knowledgeable in seidr – Old Nordic magic. For us he is best known as Odin, but he is known by about 200 different names – including Allfather, Wotan and more.
At his side he has two ravens named Hugin and Munin which mean “thought” and “memory”. These he sends out for scouting around the world. He also has two wolves named Gere and Freke which means “the greedy” and “the voracious”. His magic spear, which always hits its target, is called Gungnir and his eight – legged horse, which can travel over land, in the air and over the sea, is called Sleipnir. In his possession he also has the armring Draupnir, which every ninth night “drops” out eight identical gold rings. Odin is married to Frigg and is the father of many children – including Thor, Balder, Höder, Vale, Vidar and Hermod. His brothers are named Ve and Vile.
Odin’s residence, which is the largest in Asgard, is called Valhall, which means “the hall of the slain”. Here come the bravest men and women after earthly life.
He can see and hear everything that is happening in the world, after he has cast one eye into Mimer’s well – the source of wisdom.
Odin is the creator of the runes. At one point, he sacrificed himself, for himself, by sharpening his spear and hanging himself from a tree. When he had hung in the tree for nine days and nights, without food and water and whipped by the wind, the runes, the futhark, appeared to him. Odin then shared the wisdom of the runes with the people.
He also gave people the gift of poetry, when he spilled some of the so-called poetry mead over Midgard.
