Fimbulwinter
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The fimbulwinter is an element in Norse pagan eschatology.
[edit] General characteristics
In Norse mythology, Fimbulwinter is the immediate prelude to the end of the world, Ragnarök. Fimbulwinter is three successive winters where snow comes in from all directions, without any intervening summer. During this time, there will be innumerable wars and brothers will kill brothers.
The original spelling of this word in the Old Norse language is Fimbulvintr (Denmark and Sweden) or Fimbulvetr (Iceland and Norway), fimbul meaning "the great/big" so the correct interpretation of the word is "the great winter".[1]
There have been several popular speculations about whether this particular piece of mythology has a connection to the climate change that occurred in the Nordic countries at the end of the Nordic Bronze Age, about 650 BC. Before this climate change, the Nordic countries were considerably warmer.[2]
In Sweden, Denmark, Norway and other Nordic countries, the term fimbulwinter could also be used to refer to an unusually cold and harsh winter.[1]
[edit] Sources
- ^ a b Svenska Akademiens Ordbok, entry for Fimbulvinter [1]
- ^ Ström, Folke: Nordisk Hedendom, Studentlitteratur, Lund 2005, ISBN 91-44-00551-2 (first published 1961) among others, refer the climate change theory.
[edit] See also
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Norse mythology |
|---|---|
| List of Norse gods | Æsir | Vanir | Giants | Elves | Dwarves | Valkyries | Einherjar | Norns | Odin | Thor | Freyr | Freyja | Loki | Balder | Tyr | Yggdrasil | Ginnungagap | Ragnarök | |
| Sources: Poetic Edda | Prose Edda | The Sagas | Volsung Cycle | Tyrfing Cycle | Rune stones | Old Norse language | Orthography | Later influence | |
| Society: Viking Age | Skald | Kenning | Blót | Seid | Numbers | |
| The nine worlds of Norse mythology | People, places and things |
