Valknut

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
The Lärbro stone, where the Valknut occurs in the most central and predominant position, appears alongside images interpreted as Odin with a spear shunting another figure into a burial mound while a raven is overhead and another man is hanged.
The Lärbro stone, where the Valknut occurs in the most central and predominant position, appears alongside images interpreted as Odin with a spear shunting another figure into a burial mound while a raven is overhead and another man is hanged.
For other uses, see Valknut (disambiguation)

The Valknut (Old Norse valr, slain warriors + knut, knot) is a symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles. The name is an unattested modern invention used to describe the image and was not used contemporaneously with when the symbols were carved. The symbol appears on Scandinavian rune stones in connection with Odin. Appearing in a unicursal form, e.g. on the 7th century Tängelgarda stone from Gotland, and in a tricursal "brunnian linked" form, such as on the Lärbro stone, also in Gotland, as well as upon a ring found in the River Nene in England and on the Oseberg ship from Stagen, Norway. The only traditionally and historically attested forms found so far have been the Borromean tricursal, and the triquetra unicursal.

The Valknut has also been speculated to be related to the Suebian knot hair style recorded by Tacitus.[1]

Contents

[edit] Symbolism

According to H. R. Ellis Davidson (p. 146), the valknut —

is thought to symbolize the power of the god Odin to bind or unbind [a man's mind] ... so that men became helpless in battle, and he could also loosen the tensions of fear and strain by his gifts of battle-madness, intoxication, and inspiration.

[edit] Geometry

Geometrically, it is topologically equivalent to the Borromean rings, the triquetra, or (in modern use only) a closed 3-link chain, depending on the particular artistic depiction:

The Valknut as Borromean rings
(Knot Atlas L6a4)

The Valknut as triquetra
(Knot Atlas 3_1)

The Valknut as closed 3-link chain
(Knot Atlas L6n1)

[edit] Modern use

Various groups related to or that place interest in Germanic paganism make use of the Valknut.

[edit] Neopaganism

The Valknut symbol plays a role in modern Germanic neopagan faiths drawn from Germanic paganism, particularly Ásatrú, where numerous explanations and interpretations of the symbol are given.

Odin with Sleipnir, Valknuts are drawn beneath the horse (Tängelgarda stone)
Odin with Sleipnir, Valknuts are drawn beneath the horse (Tängelgarda stone)

The symbol is also called [2] [3]:

[edit] Other uses

The Valknut as triskelion
The Valknut as triskelion

The company Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget uses a triquetra Valknut as their logo. It is also used by certain neo-Nazi groups, although this use is controversial [4]. Organizations such as The White Order of Thule [5] [6] have used Valknut variants based on the triskelion.

[edit] References

  • Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis. "Gods and Myths of Northern Europe." Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1964. ISBN 0-14-020670-1
  • Cromwell, Peter. Letter to the Editor: "Borromean Triangles in Viking Art." 17 Mathematical Intelligencer, pp. 3-4, 1995.[7]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../v/a/l/Valknut.html"
In other languages