In ancient cultures it was sought to explain the origin of the universe and of humanity creating mythical narratives. These stories or myths that are usually related to gods and their messengers are the cosmogonies of these peoples. The Nordic cosmogony is extremely complex and has an extremely curious element that supports it: the Yggdrasil tree. It is a mythical tree that sustains and communicates the nine worlds of Scandinavian mythology. Join us to know the nine worlds of Norse mythology , one for each type of beings: gods, elves, humans ...
Yggrasil is the tree of life and is an evergreen ash. Its branches and roots act as a link between the nine worlds and from that root comes the source that fills the well of wisdom that is continuously guarded by Mímir, the giant uncle of Odin . The nine worlds They are: Asgard, Midgard, Helheim, Niflheim, Muspellheim, Svartalfheim, Alfheim, Vanaheim and Jötunheim.
The nine worlds of Norse mythology
1. Asgard It is and is in the crown of the Yggdrasil tree and it is the place where the gods live. In this world of the divine live the descendants of Odin, the Æsir. These divine beings are stronger, more beautiful and more talented than any of the others who inhabit the nine worlds. They always stay young because they eat the apples of they were always young eating the apples of Idun, the goddess who protects them, however they are not immortal; they can die for various reasons. The land of Asgard is more fertile than any other and gives much more abundant crops. It also contains a lot of gold and jewelry. In Asgard , the first of nine worlds , is the Valhalla.
2. Midgard it is the land of men and it is found in the trunk of Yggdrasil. When the Ragnarök arrives it will be destroyed and again populated by humans from Líf and Lífthrasir, the couple that will survive the Ragnarök . If you want to know how Odin and his brothers created this world from the corpse of the giant Ymir you can read it in this post: Midgard | The Legend of Middle Earth that created Odin for men .
3. Helheim It is the land of the dead. It occupies a part of a larger world, Niflheim, but they are not the same. Helheim has as governor Hela, the goddess of death, and her entrance is protected by the dog Garm. Surely it has made you think of the Greek underworld ruled by Hades and saved by the Cerberus. Deaths due to illness or old age go to this world and it is impossible to leave because it is surrounded by an impassable river called Gjöll.
4. Niflheim is the kingdom of cold, ice, darkness and terror and the room of the nine worlds . Queen the perpetual darkness and fog. In this world lives the dragon Níðhöggr that chews without stopping the roots of Yggdrasil. When the Ragnarök arrives, this dragon will be in charge of tormenting the souls that have remained in the world.
5. Muspellheim it is the opposite kingdom to Niflheim since it is the world of heat and glowing fire. In him the giants of the fire inhabit and their guardian is the giant Surt that wields a great sword of fire. With the sparks of that sword Odin created the sun, the moon and the stars that shine in the firmament of Midgard.
6. Svartalfheim it's where the dwarves live. Their skin is dark since they work in the forges that are in the mountains. Sometimes they are confused with dark elves. As ancestral guardians they protect human beings, but they do not tolerate rudeness and if they are attacked they become threatening. They usually avoid direct light, but their homes are not necessarily underground.
7. Alfheim It is the seventh of the nine worlds . In it live the elves of light and dark elves and is also known as Ljusalfheim. The two groups of elves have the same roots, but some live on the surface of Alfheim and the others in the interior of the mountains.
8. Vanaheim It is the home of the Vanir, gods before the Æsir against those who fought until they finally reached a pact. They ended up mixing between the two groups of gods. The vanir are associated with fertility, the ability to see the future and wisdom.
9 The ninth of nine worlds of Nordic mythology is Jötunheim. That's where the giants live. It is separated from Asgard, the kingdom of the gods, by the Ifing River. One of the largest mountain ranges in Norway It is named after this world: Jotunheimen.
As you can see, the Nordic cosmogony is rich in myths. Did you know these nine worlds of Scandinavian mythology? Do you think they have connection points with some Greek myths? Share your opinions with us! If you want to know more about Norse mythology, we invite you to read:
- Who is Loki | 10 Curiosities of Loki in Norse mythology
- Jörmundgander | The terrible serpent of Norse mythology
- The 10 most important Viking Gods | Did you know them?
- Odin's father | Borr progenitor of the father of the Nordic gods