Afterlife In Norse Paganism And Viking Beliefs

I. Introduction

Norse paganism is an ancient belief system that was prevalent in the Scandinavian region during the Viking Age (793-1066 CE). This belief system held a complex and intricate set of beliefs surrounding afterlives, and according to these beliefs, the soul was believed to continue after death to one of many afterlives, these being various realms where the deceased could experience eternal bliss, eternal suffering, or a cross between these things more similar to a continuation of life on earth than a successor to it. The concept of an afterlife was an important part of Viking culture, with various beliefs and practices reinforcing the connection between the living and the dead. This essay will explore the different ideas and beliefs surrounding the afterlife in Norse paganism and Viking religion, highlighting the significance of the various afterlives Vikings and Norse pagans are believed to go to that shape Viking beliefs about death and the journey of the soul. Valhǫll (Valhalla)

Valhǫll is the most well-known afterlife realm in Norse mythology, by far. This afterlife is reserved for half of what the gods considered the bravest warriors who die in battle, and it is ruled over by the god Odin. Odin selects whom he believes to be the most courageous

It was believed to be a place where women who died in childbirth or women and girls who died a virgin would go, and was ruled by goddess Gefjun, who was associated with fertility and nurturing. In a similar respect, Rán’s Abode is another afterlife destination reserved for sailors and otherwise seafarers who died at sea. It was ruled by the goddess Rán, associated with the ocean and the sea. Like Gefjun’s Abode, there is little information available about Rán’s Abode, and both of these afterlife destinations were relatively minor in the grand scheme of things according to Norse