It was also a considerable part of the Viking funerary ceremony involving the minni (a toast of remembrance) and the passing round of the Bragarfull, a ceremonial drinking horn. The use of alcohol was a firmly established way of sealing treaties, marriage vows, and land deals. Alcohol in Norse CultureĪlcohol was an integral part of Norse culture, so much so that the Vikings drank more ale than water! Not because they loved it so much but because it had to undergo a boiling process and thus was safer to drink. Hilda Davidson believes there to be a connection between the Valknut, Odin, and the Triskelion. This symbol connects warriors and death and may represent the relationship between hell, heaven, and earth. The Valknut, a trio of interlocking triangles, was also an extremely popular symbol for drinking vessels. They were often left as heirlooms and passed on from generation to generation.Ĭommonly-seen images on drinking horns included the binding of Fenrir, Yggdrasil, and Odin’s ravens, Muninn and Huginn. The images and runic symbols from the Elder Futhark alphabet often reflected tales and legends of the gods, although some featured symbols and runes of a more personal nature, like a family history or local events. They were often hand-carved with significant Viking symbols and featured adornments with precious metals. Viking drinking horns were usually made from ox horn and could be very precious items. In addition, there are relics of drinking horns found in Greek, Roman, and Celtic ruins. The original drinking horns date back to the seventh century but were not exclusive to the Viking age. The horn Triskelion may also represent Odin’s love of poetry and wisdom – and the connection of these to Odin himself (the third symbol). The giant had trapped them on a reef during a low tide, and they faced death by drowning. Suttungr came into possession of the vessels after the dwarves had offered them in return for their lives. The vats were called Boðn and Són, and the cauldron Óðrœrir.
In common with so many Norse legends, inanimate objects had names, and these storage vessels were no different. The three horns may also share a connection with the two vats and a cauldron the dwarves Fjalar and Galar used to store the mead. This magic mead bestowed the gift of brilliant verse and great wisdom to whoever drank it.
He also took three vast draughts of the mead that he stored in his cheeks as he flew back to Asgard while transformed into an eagle. He seduced her while on his quest for the magical mead of poetry or mead of Suttungr (the giant who had entrusted Gunnlod with its care). It is widely believed the three interlocking horns or horned triskele commemorate each day Odin spent with the meadkeeper, the jötunn Gunnlod (Old Norse: Gunnlǫð). Thor attempted to kill the giant by swinging Mjölnir at his head, but he and the castle had magically disappeared. The giant admits that Thor had started to empty the sea on his third attempt and that if he ever passed by it, he would see how the water level had dropped. He had disguised that it was so long it had reached and was filled by the sea – and that Thor had no chance of ever emptying it.
These suspicions were confirmed when outside the castle, while bidding the god of thunder farewell, Utgard-Loki eventually revealed that he had enchanted the horn. However, Thor had noticed that the horn was strangely challenging to lift, and he had difficulty seeing the other end. However, knowing how obsessed Odin was with wisdom – he even sacrificed an eye to obtain knowledge from the jötunn Mímir – he would surely have partaken of Odhroerir (Old Norse: Óðrerir), the magical mead of poetry and bestower of sagacity, as well. The second half of this verse translates roughly as: “But on wine alone doth the weapon-glorious god, Othin, forever live.” In this stanza of poetry from the Grímnismál contained within the Poetic Edda, it insinuated that he only drank wine: Some academics have postulated that the Odin symbol of interlinking horns symbolized the close relationships of Norse Vikings cultivated by their social gatherings, with or without their most-important god.Īpart from being a god of war, poets, and magic, Odin was also a Norse god of alcohol. Horn drinking vessels were essential to traditional Norse toasting rituals and strongly connected with myths and legends about Odin.
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