Icelandic Vikings | We Will Rock You

b38715f516396ffff67435b9e60c6d21.jpg
 

Crows & Ravens In Celtic and Norse Mythology​

0*w3zotn62xvqXfR1m


"When it comes to Celtic mythology there are many animals that are prominent in the tales that are told. The environment and nature itself are held dear. Birds, ravens to be exact, are one of the animals that inhabit many legends and tales. Why? Where did these legends and tales begin?"

"In the 8th century, Vikings began raiding the Celtic lands. All six nations of the Celts felt the sting of the Viking invaders. Yet, along with these dark times came the sagas and legends that we know of today. This is due to the fact that, like the Celts, Vikings held many animals sacred."

"So, where do Crows and Ravens fit into their belief system?"

"Many of us know that both ravens and crows feed on carrion. This means that they feed on dead things. With their dark black feathers, croaking, and cawing, they can be seen as fairly creepy. Some might consider them an omen of death. However, both of these birds are also seen as creatures that span the worlds. Both the living world and the world of the dead. This is one of the reasons why they’re considered messengers of the two worlds." READ MORE
 
Last edited:

How the Ravens Helped the Vikings Find New Land​

The Vikings.
"The Vikings are known for having sailed the world. It is commonly known that they founded Dublin, sailed to the mediterranean, raided northern africa, and nowadays I think we can almost say for sure that we know that they were the first europeans to sail to north america."

"But at the same time, I think there is relatively little that we actually know about these people."

Pecular ideas..
"It is widely known that they loved exploring and sailing the seas. They were tradesmen and plunderers, coming for merchandise and raids. Being half Viking myself, sometimes I actually don't know whether to like or dislike them.."

"But they seem to have had some pecularities just like all the other groups of people that has made a mark on the history maps. Recently I learned that they would have ravens with them on their ships. First I thought it was for luck, as the god Odin is often depicted with two ravens sitting on his shoulders. Huginn and Munnin was their names according to Norse mythology. But then I learned the real reason, and it is so smart, that I was a bit blown away by it."

They had a function.
"The ravens actually had a function on the longboats, just like the sails and the oars."

"What the Vikings would do, is to keep the birds on the boats to see if land was near or not. Raven is a bird that cannot swim, so it is completely dependant on land, or somewhere solid to put its feet. What the Vikings would do, is to have them fly away, as a binocular, and if the ravens saw land, they would shoot towards it, and the boats would follow them. If there was no land in sight, the birds would return to the boat, and for the Vikings it was just to sail on."

Legendary.
"According to legend, it was this way that they found Iceland."

"I think it is incredibly clever, using a guide animal to "show you the way". It makes you wonder what we will discover next about these people."
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top