#norse viking

[birdsofvalhallablogs]

Nighttime Never Smelled So Cool

High on the globe near the north pole the air seems to always hold a bit of chill. Scandinavia, known nowadays as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, has always held onto that noticeable chill it seems. When thinking of the word Scandinavia, many think of the huge forests of pine, cedar, balsam, fir, and more evergreens that span expanses of land. Sometimes, those forests are coated in a beautiful fresh blanket of powdery snow. With thought of the moonlight shimmering off the fallen crystals of ice and dancing under the aurora borealis, this soap came to life.

Scented to remind everyone of the Norse nights spent under the stars, this clean and crisp fragrance smells like freshly fallen snow. Colored with beautiful ethical micas to replicate the dark sky over the snow and trees, this soap is one that can be used year round. This unisex fragrance with notes of juniper berry, vetiver, and sandalwood allow anyone using it to be brought back to the crisp clear nights under the stars when the Norse people would hang their laundry out to dry before the snow fell. Even with the laundry hanging inside the home, some of that snowfall would make its way into the home and into the clothes of the noble Vikings that looted the northern countries. (Yes. Viking was a job, not a people. They were like pirates.)

Many nights one could sit under the stars and see the beautiful constellations above. Lyra, the lyre; Perseus and the winking eye of Medusa; Hydra, the huge serpent that stretches across the sky much like Jormungandr wraps around the world of Midgard; Ursa Major and Minor, the Little Bear holding the North Star in its tail; and so many more. Twinkling in the sky and casting light down onto the crisp powdery snow, the fresh and clean scent of the night is brought into a solid and tangible form with this soap. Glitter stars rest atop this soap to remind us all that we are nothing without the stars to guide us. Daily we see the sun and it guides our way through the day, at night we see the North Star, bringing us home to the North where Valhalla calls to us during battle.

Nordic Nights was originally called “White Wolf” for one of the ferocious and protective creatures of the forest. But with our Grey Wolf gaining notoriety as Fenrir, it’s time we gave this soap its own identity. Nordic Nights is part of our signature line of soaps at Birds of Valhalla and you can purchase it here so you can find yourself on the clear, breezy night under the stars in the evergreen forest with brand new snow dancing around you in tiny whirlwinds through the trunks of the huge trees around you.

#natural #natural soaps #natural soap #food based soap #foodbased soap #naturalsoap #foodbasedsoaps #norse pagan #norse viking #norse mythology #norse #norse paganism #birdsofvalhalla #small business #handmade soaps #handmade soap #soap #norse theme #cold process soap

[minnophee-draws]

Really want to finish this WIP as well. Love Norse and Celtic Mythology and when I save enough money I want to get a tattoo of either mythology.

Love me some stone-cold, scarily handsome Norseman staring me down like I'm his next meal 😋🤤

#norse #norseman #norsemen #norse mythology #norse viking #viking #viking design #work in progress #work in progress art #digital art #artwork #digital drawing #art #my art

[coffalexa]

Norse Viking_2

#Norse Viking #inkwork #myart #illustrator #artwork #illustration #watercolor #watercolourpainting #watercolour art #original story

[irisharchaeology]

Viking swords which were found alongside warrior burials at Kilmainham/Islandbridge, Dublin, Ireland

#Sword #Ireland #Vikings #Norse #Dublin

[arcusxx]

art by Valhyr

#dark art #dark illustration #dark #nordic #norse #norse mythology #viking #folk #ethnofolk #illustration #black and white photography #black and white #symbol #magic #shamanic #nature #wolf #raven

[whereserpentswalk]

People don't realize how liminal it is to be a time traveler. How you don't ever really feel like you're in the time you are. Even when you're in your own time, everything is off, your coat was something you bought in interwar France, the book you're reading on the train is from a bookstore you had to visit in Victorian London, even your necklace was given to you by a Neolithic shaman, from a culture the rest of the world can never know. You find yourself acting strange even when in the present, much less in the past you have to work in.

You remember meeting a eunuch in 10th century China, and having him be one of the only people smart and observant enough to realize you were from a diffrent time. You could talk honestly with him, though still you couldn't reveal too much about your time. And it was still so strange hearing him talk casually about work and mention plotting assassinations. You're not allowed to but you still visit him sometimes.

You remember that the few times you were allowed to tell someone everything it was tragic. You knew a young woman who lived in Pompeii, who you had gotten close to, a few days before she would inevitably die. On your last day there you looked into her eyes, knowing soon they'd be stone and ash, that the beauty of her hair would be washed away by burning magma. And you hugged her, and told her that you wanted her to be safe, and told her she was wonderful and that you wanted her to be comfortable and happy. And you let her tongue know the joy of 21st century chocolate, and her eyes see the beauty of animation, knowing she deserved to have those joys, knowing it wouldn't matter soon. And you hugged her the last time, and told her she deserved happiness. And when you left without taking her it was like you were killing her yourself.

You want to take home everyone you're attached to. There's a college student you befriended in eighteen fifties Boston. And you can't help but see him try to solve problems you know humanity is centuries away from solving. And you just want to tell him. And it's not just that, the way he talked about the books and plays he likes, his sense of humor. There's so many people you want him to meet.

You feel the same way about a young woman you met on a viking age longship. She tells stories to her fellow warriors and traders, stories that will never fully get written down, stories that she tells so uniquely and so well. She has so many great ideas. You want so dearly to take her to somewhere she can share her stories, or where she can take classes with other writers, where she can be somewhere safe instead of being out at sea. She'll talk about wanting to be able to do something, or meet people, and you know you're so close to being able to take her, but you never can, unless she accidently finds out way too much then you can't.

You remember the longship that you met that young storyteller on. You were there before, two years ago for you, ten years later for the people on it. The young woman who told you stories wasn't there ten years later, you had been told why then but you only realize now, her uncle, who ran the ship, had been one of the first people to convert to Christianity in his nation. He killed her, either for not converting or for sleeping with women, you're not sure, but he killed her, and bragged about it when you met him ten years later.

You talk to the storyteller on the longship, ask her about the myths you're there to ask her about, the myths that she loves to tell. You look into her eyes knowing it's probably less then a year until her uncle takes her life. You ask her if you think that those who die of murder go to Valhalla. She tells you she hopes not, she doesn't see Valhalla as a gift but as a duty, she hopes for herself to go to Hel, where she wouldn't have to fight anymore. You slip and admit you're talking about her, telling her that you hope that's where she goes when she's killed. You hope to yourself you'll be forced to take her to the twenty first century, you're tempted even to make it worse, you want to have ruined her enough to be able to save her.

#196 #my thougts #worldbuilding #writing #my worldbuilding #my writing #urban fantasy #ancient history #history #short fiction #short story #original fiction #flash fiction #viking #viking age #norse mythology #ancient rome #pompeii #science fantasy #science fiction #sci fi #scifi #queer #queer history

[justgarb]

Its armor and weapons or massive bling - there's no in between with this kid. She finally approves of the dress.

Tunic is linen from armstreet. Dress is made from bargain bin knit fabic with a fulled appearance to conceal the weave. Panel is cotton with brocaded trim, and beads are plastic so I won't regret if they break. Is it a bit overboard? Yeah, but if it gets her to play then cool beans. Now I need to make something for the wife to complete a full family outfit in norse theme. I look forward to being finished so we can maybe pay a visit to to the land of liripipes next

#garb #child garb #vikingstyle #viking aesthetic #norse aesthetic #smokkr #hangeroc #apron dress #my garb #costuming #my crafts

[illustratus]

The Sea Raiders by Albert Goodwin

Depicts four Snekkjas (Viking longships) at sea amidst a flock of seagulls

#albert goodwin #art #sea #raiders #viking age #viking #vikings #snekkja #snekkjas #longship #longships #ships #boats #seagulls #europe #european #history #scandinavia #northern europe #nordic #seagull #norse #scandinavian

[broomsick]

Located in Denmark, Lake Tissø (Týr’s Lake) was probably one of the most prominent Týr cult sites of pre-Christian times. More than 12 000 objects have been excavated in this major holy site, many of which were gold or silver. It was customary to sacrifice weapons, tools or jewelry by throwing them into the waters of the lake, most likely as an offering to Týr or to ancestors. It was home to a large hall, a ritual hörgr and a handful of minor houses (ca. 550 – 650).

Some of the most famous artifacts excavated on the site include the Goats of Thórr brooch (late Iron Age), the 1.8 kg of gold neck ring (10th century), and the Valkyries (2nd is possibly Freyja) of Tissø.

#hail Týr #history #artifacts #norse paganism #heathenry #viking age #paganism #spirituality #polytheism #norse gods #deities #deity work #norse polytheism #archeology

[woahhhgwendolyn]

Being Married To Ivar Would Include...

-Ivar being really protective over you in every single way possible. He would fight anyone who tries to mess with you or try and take you away from him.

-Him wanting to make sure that you are safe no matter what and always has someone go with you in the village does not matter if it is him or some other warrior going with you.

-During feasts he always has you sit with him. He does not want you to feel alone or have to sit with another man. So, he just wants you to sit with him.

-When you both are in bed, he loves to cuddle with you and be with you all throughout the night. Sometimes, he lets you cuddle him from behind but his most favorite is when he is laying down on his back and then you just lay your head on his chest.

-You both always having fun no matter what is going on. Everyone always notices that you both are always smiling around each other and making each other laugh at any time possible.

-Him always being super gentle with you. He is always gentle touching you. He always makes sure that when he hugs you or even when you both cuddle that he is being gentle and soft with you.

-His brothers have had a small crush on you at some point but have let it go because they had realized that you were staying with Ivar for a long time.

-His brothers liking you and thinking that you are a good fit for him and could handle all of his crazy tendencies.

-Ragnar and Aslaug liking you as well and treating you as if you are their own family and talking to you as such as well.

#norway #scandanavia #vikings #viking #imagines #nordic #vikings headcanon #vikings imagines #vikings fandom #norse #norsk #ivar #ivar lothbrok x reader #ivar x reader #ivar the boneless #ivar ragnarsson #ivar lothbrok #vikings ivar #vikings imagine #vikings x reader #vikings fic #scandanavian #history channels vikings

[birdsofvalhallablogs]

Jeremy, a well known blacksmith from #Norseforged loves the purple nurple soap we made for him! We sold out, but just made another batch by his (and your!) requests! Its scent is cinnamon, orange, clove and pine. Its also very exfoliating! This is a soap for a WARRIOR.

#norseforged #norse viking #blacksmiths #smithing #soapcore

[balkanparamo]

Valkyrie

#art #painting #valkyrie #norse mythology #viking

[ringofthenibelung-blog]

THIS is how I imagine Loki in my head! Thank you to the artist Bella Bergolts for creating such a great painting! I really hate how everything is all MCU garbage now! So seeing this really made my day!

#Loki #bellabergolts #norse mythology #real loki #Norse Loki #norse paganism #viking

[skaldish]

odd question: did the norse people ever worship or venerate the warriors of Valhalla? or was it just a goal to aspire to?

The Old Norse people worshipped their ancestors, some of which went to Valhalla, and some who were definitely heroes. But I don't think they worshipped "the warriors of Valhalla" as an archetype, or as paragons to emulate. Valhalla wasn't even viewed as a goal to aspire to. Rather, it was a consolation prize for dying far from home.

Prior to the Viking Age, the Norse people believed they rejoined their family and ancestors after they died. However, this was dependent on the fact they would be buried in the family grave or barrow.

But going a-viking meant risking death far from home, and this death would most likely happen while out at sea or during a skirmish.

In order to reconcile the question of "Where do we go if we can't be with our families?", the Norse people concluded that if they died out at sea, they went to Njord's hall, and if they died in a skirmish, they went to Odin's or Freyja's hall. This way, they had the comfort of knowing they would still be with their gods and people if they perished far from home.

It's important to keep in mind that the vikings were not exactly a warrior class; as in, "being a warrior" wasn't their job. They were pirates. And like all pirates, their goal was to retrieve goods, either by trade or by raid. Most vikings had every intention of making it home alive, and just like being a skilled sailor improved these odds, so did knowing how to put an axe through a man's skull.

Dying while going a-viking was honorable for the same reason that successfully returning home with goods was honorable; it's the fact that a person risked their life to travel very far away and gather resources for their family and community. It's an honorable deed.

But just because this death was honor-worthy doesn't mean it was a goal.

First of all, let's consider the practical aspect here: In a pre-industrial era, no one in their right mind would waste an entire ship on a crew that didn't plan to come back in it.

Secondly, "dying gloriously on the battlefield" only has widespread cultural importance in imperial nations; nations motivated by dominion, conquest, and establishing their widespread rule. Not only were the Norse societies not imperial, they didn't even have a centralized military, let alone the manpower to fight the rank-and-file wars we associate with the term "war."

So I guess the short answer to your question is "neither." Heroes were definitely venerated, but the notion that becoming ulfhednar makes someone the worthiest of all worthies is a retroactive interpretation.

#vikings #norse paganism #ulfhednar #norse heathenry #asatru

[thesilicontribesman]

Govan Old Stones Collection, Viking 'Hogback' Stones, Govan Old Parish Church, Glasgow, Scotland

#viking #viking culture #viking art #viking life #norse #hogback stones #hogbacks #stonework #relic #knotwork #ancient living #ancient craft #ancient cultures #archaeology #Scotland #gravestones #marker #symbols #designwork #Glasgow

[tamburnbindery]

Beowulf: The Monster Cycle illumination is finished. This will be one of the full page illuminations in the Beowulf book, as well as available as an 11" x 14" print.

The project is launching in only a few days; sign up with the link below to get notified when we launch:

#illumination #calligraphy #leatherbound #celtic art #celtic #medieval #tolkien #norse #middle earth #knotwork #viking #beowulf #anglosaxon #english literature #books #book illustration