Keeping all the above in mind, the Valknut can be seen to represent the following: However, this use of the symbol hasn’t gotten to a point of tainting the Valnut, like the Swastika. It’s also been used by some white nationalist groups as a symbol of their Germanic heritage and “warrior past”. The Valknut is very prominent in modern Heathenry with many other even more obscure meanings often theorized about it. Nevertheless, it’s still an interesting connection.īesides, it’s also possible the Valknut is actually both and Hrungnir’s heart had precisely that shape because he was a warrior and he was slain in battle. That is a pretty general description – all it says is that Hrungnir’s heart had a triangular shape. “Hrungnir had a heart made of hard stone and pointed with three corners, just like the carved symbol which has been called Hrungnir’s heart ever since.” Hrungnir’s heart was described in this peculiar way:
Hrungnir “The Brawler”, from the Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda Icelandic poems, was a warrior that once battled Thor and was killed by him. Hrungnir’s HeartĪnother theory that’s also worth considering is that the Valknut can be Hrungir’s heart.
These same mental binds could also be used to loosen the tensions of fear and strain. In many Norse myths, the deity has been shown to have the ability to “lay bonds upon the mind” rendering warriors helpless in battle. In addition to this connection, the Valknut has also been associated with Odin’s “mental binds”. In many Norse legends, it’s either Odin or his valkyries that help guide the fallen Norse warriors to Valhalla, Hel, or to another of Norse afterlives. The possible connection between Odin and the Valknut is not surprising to historians because, in Norse mythology, Odin is a psychopomp, i.e. Even when Odin isn’t shown directly, the Valknut is often shown together with horses and wolves, two animals often associated with the deity. Plus, some of the aforementioned Valknut-like symbols are also often found near burial grounds in other cultures related to the Norse and Germanic tribes such as the Anglo-Saxons of that time.Īdditionally, the Valknut is often shown together with the Norse god Odin. The reasoning is that in most of its historic uses, the Valknut is shown near the images of dead warriors, on memorial stones, and on other runestones and artifacts associated with death and burials. That’s why it’s given its modern name – “knot of those fallen in battle.” The most popular and widely accepted as the most likely interpretation of the symbol is that it’s related to a cult of the dead. Other good examples are the Nene River Ring, the wooden bed in a Viking Age Oseberg ship buried near Tønsberg, Norway, and some Anglo-Saxon gold finger rings dated to around the 8 th or 9 th century AD.įrom most of these artifacts have emerged two main theories about the Valknut’s original meaning: Odin’s Mental Binds Two of the more famous ancient artifacts where original Valknuts can be seen include the Stora Hammars I stone and the Tängelgårda stone. Its meaning also isn’t 100% clear although archeologists and historians have managed to piece quite a lot together based on the context surrounding the different uses of the symbol. The Valknut is seen on many artifacts from ancient Germanic and Scandinavian cultures but its original name remains unknown as it was never written next to the symbol. These aren’t Valknuts but are simply designed in a similar manner. There’s also the English Saint John’s Arms symbol. Other similar designs include the Trefoil knot, the Triquetra, and the Borromean rings. With the unicursal design, however, there are no inner angles as the line keeps going from one triangle to the next. The difference is that in the tricursal design there are also three more angles in the center of the symbol, either hidden behind the interlocked sides of the triangles or showing behind them. There are six sharp 60 o angles, two pointing upward, two pointing downward to the left, and two – downward to the right. In either case, the variations of the Valknut look very similar. The other common appearance is a unicursal shape where all three triangles are actually comprised of the same line. Very often, the triangles create a tricursal form meaning that each of the triangles is depicted as its own separate shape with them simply interlocking with each other. The Valknut has several fringe variations but its two most prominent designs are both comprised of three interlocking triangles.
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