Valknut – Rungnir’s (Hrungnir’s) Heart – Odin’s knot, the knot of the fallen – knot of the fallen in battle.
The Valknut is a popular symbol within and outside the heathen sphere, many people choose the symbol as a tattoo, wear sweaters with the symbol on, etc. but its meaning and symbolism is a mystery, it is hidden in the past.
Its proper name is also unknown, it is usually called Valknut, but this is not the correct name, it is a modern name, combining the words Val (Old West Norse Valr meaning warrior, fallen, corpse, body, battlefield) and knut (Old West Norse knút meaning knot) to form the word Valknut (Old West Norse: Valknútr). Valknut can be translated as warrior’s knot or knot of the fallen in battle. It is also known as Rungnir’s heart, Odin’s knot, the knot of the fallen.
The Valknut – Death cult, Funeral ritual, Odin?
In the archaeological record, the Valknut appears in connection with the cult of the dead, such as on the Gotland in Sweden picture stones, the Oseberg ship in Norway. The Valknut has also been found on Anglo-Saxon cremation urns, indicating that the symbol may have been widespread in the Germanic world, Norse had much in common with other groups in northern Europe such as the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and the later Anglo-Saxons. Not only were they believers in the same pre-Christian religion as us in the North, but they also shared much of the same culture, worldview and calendar.
In most of these cases of archaeological finds where the symbol appears, Odin is present, even in the cases where he is not present there are other symbols closely associated with him. For example, the Anglo-Saxon urns have depictions of horses and wolves, two animals that are often Odin’s companions in the stories.
In the contexts where the Valknut appears, it is likely to have something to do with death, but exactly what it symbolizes in these contexts is unknown.
The Valknut – Rungnir’s (Old West Norse: Hrungnir) Heart?
One theory is that the whale knot may be the heart of Rungnir mentioned in Snorri’s Edda, more specifically in the Language of the Skaldskap (Skáldskaparmál):
Old West Norse:
“Hrungnir átti hjarta þat, er frægt er, af hörðum steini ok tindótt með þrimr hornum, svá sem síðan er gert ristubragð þar, er Hrungnishjarta heitir.”
English:
“Hrungnir had a heart made of hard stone and pointed with three corners, just like the carved symbol that has been called Hrungnir’s heart ever since.”
In the chapter where the above quote occurs, when describing who Rungnir is, he is described as the strongest jótnen (giant), his weapon is a whetstone and his shield is made of stone. He is described as if he was born from the rock.
The fight between Thor and Rungnir described in Skáldskaparmál takes place at a later date and does not seem to have anything to do with the symbol, as Thor throws Mjolnir at Rungnir, who in turn throws his whetstone at Thor. Mjolner crushes the stone, whose splinters fly everywhere, one of which hits Thor in the forehead. Mjolner continues his trajectory and crushes Rungnir’s skull.
Whether or not Rungnir’s heart is the Valknut is uncertain. Which carved symbol is mentioned is unknown, it may well be the Valknut but it may also be another triangle-shaped symbol, perhaps something similar to the one on rune stone U 937 in Uppsala in Sweden, the stone is dated to the 11th century.
The Valknut – Symbol of the nine worlds?
In neo-heathenry, the Valknut is presented as a symbol of the nine worlds, Asgard, Midgard, Vanaheim, Alfheim, Jotunheim, Nifelheim, Muspelheim, Nidavellir, and Helheim. The basis of this theory is based on the fact that the triangles of the Valknut have nine corners, but purely archaeologically and source-wise there is nothing to suggest this symbolism.
Sources:
The Language of Skaldskap (Skáldskaparmál) – Heimskringla.org
Wikipedia
RAÄ
Various pages in neo-paganism
