In this article, we will take you on a journey through ancient times to secret lands, high mountains, dark forests and beautiful lakes, to a world where magic and wisdom played a dominant role, and we will meet the powerful northern gods who lived together in a kingdom called Asgard, a place beyond and above the human world.
There are nine worlds in Norse mythology and they are divided into three levels, one above the other.
At the top was Asgard, the home of the gods. Under Asgard lay Midgard, a human world surrounded by vast oceans. People, dark elves, gnomes and giants lived here. There is also a special place in Midgard called Yotunheim, the abode of the giants (the land of the Yotuns). The main settlement of Jotunheim is Utgard, which means the outlying land.
Below Midgard was Niflheim, the Land of the Dead, which also included Hel, where those who died of illness, old age or accident were tried.
Asgard - the kingdom of the Scandinavian gods
Asgard, the kingdom of the gods, was originally inhabited by only Ases. In Old Norse mythology, Ases are the main gods of the pantheon. For some time, another tribe of gods known as the Vanir shared this place with the Asami.
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However, these two groups of gods waged a long and bloody war, which eventually led to the fact that only a few Vanir began to live in Asgard. There is actually little information about this ancient war, but we are told that the Vanir were fertility deities who ruled over the land and sea, and the Ases were associated with war, magic and the sky. The differences between the two groups must have led to disputes and battles.
In Asgard, the gods met regularly and discussed how to deal with significant problems, such as how to retrieve the hostages from the giants and how to protect their secret treasures.
Who were the Ases and where was Asgard
But where was Asgard and who were the Ases At this moment, our journey becomes a real adventure.
The location of this mysterious place has not been reported. Scientists believe that Asgard was a mythical place in heaven, inaccessible to mortal people. Asgard is said to have been a magnificent heavenly city with palaces of gold and silver. The whole city was built by Asami.
But is this wonderful city in heaven really
In fact, there are two important aspects that we must pay attention to regarding Asgard, the kingdom of the Norse gods. First, Asgard was protected by a huge wall erected during the war with the Vanir. The wall was needed, or the kingdom of the gods would be defenseless. This mighty barrier was so powerful and high that it provided complete protection from the evil giants. Asgard was completely surrounded by this very high wall, and there was only one entrance to the city - through a large gate.
Asgard, the abode of the gods, and Midgard, the home of people and giants, was connected by a bridge called Bivrest (Bifrost), which is described as a rainbow made up of three braided fiery threads.
Bivrest was protected by the northern god Heimdall, who possessed extraordinary powers. With his remarkable eyesight, he could detect enemies at long distances. When the Rainbow Bridge was in danger, the gods were warned by the sound of Heimdall's golden horn, Gjallarhorn.
The question is - if Asgard was a place in heaven, why do the gods need a huge wall to protect them from the giants who lived on Earth
The second aspect in relation to Asgard is linguistic. In Scandinavia, the word "Guard" means "yard" or "country yard". It can also mean a country house or a manor house. Perhaps Asgard was a country house perched on a high mountain. As we already know from other mythologies, the gods often lived in the mountains. The high wall built around Asgard was a defense against enemies.
It could also be that Asgard and Midgard were separated by water, possibly by a large lake. This would explain the use of Bivrest, the bridge connecting the realm of the gods with the world of humans and giants. The most important sources for Scandinavian beliefs are the 10th century Voluspa, the 13th century Grimnismal, and the Vafthbrudnismal, three poems that the Icelandic chronicler Snorri Sturluson expanded from other unknown sources in his detailed account of Edda prose.
In the Edda, the Scandinavian gods are called not only Asami, but also Tiwars, which means the Shining Ones. As in all other countries, the gods of Scandinavia were also described with words meaning "Bright", "Shining". Like the Tuatha Dé Danaan in Ireland, the northern gods were not considered immortal, but supermen.
The shining ones arrived in Scandinavia after a long journey. Here they founded a new kingdom and taught people to kindle a holy fire, instructed them in runic wisdom, gave them knowledge of medicine, agriculture and everything that was needed in their daily life.
Here the gods fought and used their magical weapons. They possessed the technology and wisdom of not this world and were considered by the locals to be magicians and gods.