Viking Symbols

A Viking hammer that blessed weddings. A spear made by dwarves. A sword so cursed it killed every time it was drawn. ⚔️

Norse myths are full of objects with power. That's why Viking symbols still fascinate us more than a thousand years later. We wear them as pendants, tattoos and, yes, in our hair. 🪓

But a lot of what you read online is wrong. Some "Viking" symbols were invented centuries after the Vikings. In this guide, we separate real Viking symbols and meanings from modern myths, with sources from museums, historians and the old Norse texts themselves. 🔍

What's inside this Viking symbols guide 👇

  • ⚔️ Why Viking weapons had names
  • 🔨 Mjölnir, Thor's hammer
  • 🔺 The Valknut
  • ᚱ The runes
  • 🐦‍⬛ Odin's ravens and wolves
  • 🐍 The World Serpent and Fenrir
  • 🛡️ Shield-maidens and the Birka warrior grave
  • 🪓 Axes, swords and spears
  • 🧭 "Viking" symbols that aren't Viking at all
  • 💇‍♀️ How Vikings really wore their hair

Viking Weapons Had Names (and Stories) ⚔️

For the Norse, a great weapon wasn't just a tool. It had a name, a history and sometimes a curse. Good swords were "passed on from generation to generation", and real swords had names like "Leg-biter" and "Gold-hilt", according to Wikipedia's Viking arms page. Named Viking swords were family treasures. 🗡️

Legendary Weapons of the Sagas 📜

  • 🔱 Gungnir: Odin's spear, made by dwarves called the Sons of Ivaldi, according to the Prose Edda. In one poem, runes are carved on its tip.
  • 🔨 Mjölnir: Thor's hammer, forged by the dwarf brothers Brokkr and Sindri to win a bet with Loki.
  • ⚔️ Tyrfing: a cursed sword made by the dwarves Dvalinn and Durin. It would kill a man every time it was drawn. The heroine Hervör took it back from her father's burial mound. 😱
  • 🌳 Gram: Odin placed it in a tree, and Sigmund pulled it out. Later reforged, it was the sword Sigurd used to kill the dragon Fáfnir.
  • 👻 Sköfnung: the sword of the Danish king Hrólfr Kraki. Legend said the spirits of his 12 berserker bodyguards lived in it, and that it must never be drawn near a woman.

Even in the Old English poem Beowulf, swords have names. Hrunting was lent to Beowulf by Unferth, and it failed him against Grendel's mother. Not every legendary sword is lucky. 😅

The Real "Super Swords": Ulfberht ✨

History has its own legends. About 170 Ulfberht swords have been found, dated to the 9th to 11th centuries, mostly in Scandinavia and around the Baltic Sea. Their blades are inlaid with the name +VLFBERHT+, a Frankish name that points to the Rhineland, according to Wikipedia. Some later ones were made of high-quality crucible steel.

💡 That's the spirit behind our Viking sword hair pins: browse all our sword hair pins and pick a small companion you carry every day.

Mjölnir: Thor's Hammer 🔨

Mjölnir is the most famous Viking symbol. And it wasn't only a weapon. In the myths, Thor's hammer also blessed and made things sacred.

  • 💍 Weddings: in the poem Þrymskviða, the hammer is laid on the bride's lap to "hallow" the marriage.
  • 🔥 Funerals: in the Prose Edda, Thor hallows the god Baldr's funeral pyre with Mjölnir.
  • 🪨 Runestones: the Glavendrup stone in Denmark (early 10th century) asks Thor to "hallow these runes".

Archaeologists have found dozens of silver Thor's hammer pendants, plus many more in iron, mostly from the 10th century. In Denmark, a soapstone mold from Trendgården could cast both crosses and hammers, as the World History Encyclopedia explains. Many historians see the hammer amulets as a pagan answer to the Christian cross. ✝️🔨

The Valknut: Three Triangles, Many Questions 🔺

The Valknut is three interlocked triangles. It appears on:

  • 🪨 The Stora Hammars I picture stone (Gotland, Sweden)
  • 🪨 The Tängelgårda stone (Gotland)
  • 🛏️ A bedpost from the Oseberg ship burial (Norway)

Here's the surprise: "Valknut" is a modern name. Nobody knows what the Vikings called it. In modern Norwegian, it means "knot of those fallen in battle", according to Wikipedia.

What was the Valknut's meaning? Scholars still debate. Theories include:

  • 💀 A sign linked to death and the fallen
  • 🪢 Odin's power to "bind and unbind" (Hilda Ellis Davidson)
  • ❤️ The heart of the giant Hrungnir, which the Prose Edda says had three sharp corners

🪓 Wear the Valknut symbol with our Norse Hair Pin, which carries a valknut and runes on a small double-bladed axe, cast in aged silver.

The Runes: The Viking Alphabet ᚱ

Viking runes were an alphabet, called the futhark after its first letters.

  • 🔤 Elder Futhark: 24 runes, used before the Viking Age
  • 🔡 Younger Futhark: 16 runes, the alphabet of the Viking Age (the reduction was complete by the late 8th century)

Runes were carved on stones, objects and weapons. Some runic spearheads are much older than the Vikings. The Kovel spearhead, from the early 3rd century, reads tilarids, which may be the name of the spear or its owner. These are the Germanic ancestors of the Viking tradition. 🗡️

And the gods used magic runes too: according to the poem Sigrdrífumál, runes were carved on Gungnir's tip. ✨

Odin's Ravens and Wolves 🐦‍⬛🐺

Huginn and Muninn 🐦‍⬛

Odin's two ravens fly over the world every day and come back to tell him everything they see and hear. Their names are usually translated as "Thought" and "Memory", though scholars note the two words were probably close in meaning, according to Wikipedia.

In the poem Grímnismál, the god of wisdom admits he worries that Huginn might not return, "but I worry more for Munin". Even a god fears losing his memory. 💭

🪶 For a raven-inspired feather in your hair, try our Feather Hair Stick, in silver, gold or gunmetal.

Geri and Freki 🐺

Odin also has two wolves, Geri and Freki. Both names mean "the greedy" or "the ravenous one". In Grímnismál, Odin gives his food to the wolves and lives on wine alone. 🍷

The World Serpent and Fenrir 🐍

Two Norse mythology monsters loom over the stories, and both are children of Loki.

  • 🐍 Jörmungandr, the World Serpent: Odin threw it into the sea, where it grew so big it encircles the world. At Ragnarök, Thor kills it, then dies after taking nine steps, poisoned by its venom, according to Britannica.
  • 🐺 Fenrir: the giant wolf who swallows Odin at Ragnarök. Odin's son Vidar avenges him by tearing the wolf's jaws apart.

Snakes also lived on Viking swords. Poets called swords "wound snakes" and "battle snakes", and pattern-welded blades seemed to writhe with snake-like designs, as a British Museum curator explains. 🐍⚔️

🐉 Love the Norse serpent and dragon look? See our dragon hair pins.

Shield-Maidens: What We Really Know 🛡️

Were there real Viking shield-maidens? Historians still argue. Here's what the sources say.

In the Sagas 📜

  • ⚔️ Hervör takes the cursed sword Tyrfing and becomes a raider.
  • 🔥 Brynhildr calls herself a shield-maiden in the Völsunga saga.
  • 👑 Lagertha appears in Saxo Grammaticus's Gesta Danorum.

The Old Norse word for shield-maiden is skjaldmær. Historian Judith Jesch thinks it may only date from the 13th century, while archaeologist Neil Price argues shield-maidens existed.

A Byzantine historian, John Skylitzes, also wrote that after a battle in 971, the victors found armed women among the fallen Rus warriors. 😮

The Birka Warrior Grave 🪦

The most famous evidence is grave Bj 581 at Birka, Sweden, dated to about 940–950. It held a sword, an axe, two spearheads, about 25 arrowheads, two shields, two horses and a gaming set.

In 2017, a DNA study found the person buried there was a woman. Uppsala University called it "the first formal and genetic confirmation of a female Viking warrior". Critics raised questions, and the researchers answered them in 2019. The debate continues, but the Birka female warrior is now one of the most discussed graves in archaeology. 🔬

Viking Axes, Swords and Spears 🪓

What weapons did Vikings actually use? The Viking axe was the most common hand weapon, according to Wikipedia.

  • 🪓 Axes: from the bearded axe to the big two-handed Dane axe
  • 🔱 Spears: the most common weapon of ordinary farmers
  • ⚔️ Swords: very costly to make, and a sign of high status

Viking burials often included weapons. Sometimes the weapons were ritually "killed", bent so no one else could use them. ⚰️

The Mammen Axe: Pagan or Christian? 🤔

The famous Mammen axe is iron inlaid with silver, from a grave dated to the winter of 970–971. One side shows a tree, the other a bird. According to the National Museum of Denmark, the tree could be Yggdrasil or the Christian Tree of Life, and the bird could be the rooster Gullinkambi or the phoenix. One axe, two worlds. 🌳🐓

A Myth to Bust: Viking Cavalry Sabers ❌

You may read that a Viking "mounted elite" fought with curved cavalry sabers. We found no source for that. A typical Viking sword had a straight blade about 70–90 cm long. Vikings used horses to move and raid, but big battles were usually fought on foot.

🪓 Feel the Viking axe spirit with our Viking Hair Pin, a crescent-bladed axe in aged silver, or browse all our axe hair pins.

Dragons and the World Tree 🌳🐉

Norse dragons are some of the most striking Viking dragon symbols, and they're rarely friendly.

  • 🌳 Níðhöggr: in the poems Völuspá and Grímnismál, a serpent-dragon that lives beneath the world tree Yggdrasil and gnaws its roots, according to norse-mythology.org.
  • 💰 Fáfnir: in the Völsunga saga, he kills his own father for a hoard of gold, then turns into a dragon to guard it. The hero Sigurd kills him with the sword Gram. 🗡️

And remember the Mammen axe? Its tree may be Yggdrasil itself. The world tree symbol connects the nine worlds of Norse myth, from the gods above to the dead below. 🌌

What Jewelry Did Viking Women Wear? 💎

We have an eyewitness. In the 10th century, the Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan met the Rus, Norse traders on the Volga, and described the women's jewelry (Frye translation):

  • 🪙 Breast brooches in iron, silver, copper or gold, matching the husband's wealth, with a knife hanging from them
  • 📿 Neck rings in gold or silver, one for every 10,000 dirhams the husband owned
  • 💚 Green beads, the most prized of all

So Viking women's jewelry showed wealth and status, very much like hairpins did in China or Korea. A beautiful piece was never just decoration. 👑

Want to wear your own Norse-inspired jewelry in your hair? See our Viking hair pins. 🛡️

Viking Art: Knots, Beasts and Interlace 🌀

Viking artists loved stylized animals twisting through each other. Historians name the styles after famous finds:

  • 🛶 Oseberg (c. 790–880)
  • 🐾 Borre (c. 850–late 900s): mask-like heads and gripping paws
  • 🐉 Jelling (c. 890–990)
  • 🪓 Mammen (c. 950–1000)
  • 🌿 Ringerike (c. 990–1050): tight clusters of tendrils
  • 🐍 Urnes (c. 1040–1100): slender animals in figure-eight loops

And Celtic knots? True Celtic knotwork reached Ireland by the 7th century and shines in the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Kells. It's a different tradition from Norse interlace. Our Celtic Hair Pin is a modern blend of both: a small carved axe in aged silver or black iron. ☘️🪓

"Viking" Symbols That Aren't Viking at All 🧭

This is where many websites get it wrong. Two very popular symbols are not from the Viking Age:

  • 🧭 Vegvísir, the "Viking compass": it comes from the Huld Manuscript, compiled in Iceland in 1860. It has no earlier attestation, according to Wikipedia. That's about 800 years after the Vikings.
  • 😨 Ægishjálmur, the "Helm of Awe": in the old poems, it's the dragon Fáfnir's helmet of fear, an object. The drawn symbol is a later Icelandic magical stave, from grimoires of the 17th century and later.

Both are beautiful Icelandic folk magic. They're just not authentic Viking symbols. Now you know more than most tattoo artists. 😉

5 Viking Myths You'll See Everywhere ❌

Before you choose a symbol, here are the most common Viking myths to avoid:

  1. 🪖 Horned helmets: there's no evidence Viking warriors wore them in battle. The image was popularized in the 19th century, notably by costume designs for Wagner's operas.
  2. 🧭 The "Viking compass": the Vegvísir comes from an 1860 Icelandic manuscript.
  3. 🐎 Viking cavalry sabers: Viking swords were straight, and big battles were fought on foot.
  4. 🔺 The ancient name "Valknut": the symbol is old, but its name is modern.
  5. 💇‍♀️ Viking hair sticks: Viking graves are full of combs, but there's no clear evidence of hair sticks.

The real Norse history is wild enough without the myths. A god who feeds his dinner to his wolves, a sword whose hilt must never see the sun, a woman buried with a sword and two horses: you couldn't make it up. 😉

How Did Vikings Wear Their Hair? 💇‍♀️

Vikings cared about their hair, and Viking combs prove it. Combs are among the most common finds of the period, and "it almost seems as though everyone had their own comb", according to the Swedish History Museum. 🪮

  • 👩 Women are shown with an elaborate bun at the nape on gold foils and pendants.
  • 🧔 The Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan wrote that the Norsemen he met combed their hair every day, as the museum notes.
  • 📍 Ringed pins fastened cloaks, from Ireland to Iceland, and one was even found at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.

So did Viking women wear hair sticks? There's no clear evidence. A Viking-style hair pin is a modern way to wear Norse symbols, and a perfect partner for a nape bun. Learn the technique in our guide on how to wear hair sticks. 🌀

Odin vs Thor: Two Gods, Two Families of Symbols ⚡

Many Norse god symbols belong to one of two gods. Knowing which is which helps you choose.

Odin's Symbols 👁️

  • 🔱 Gungnir, his dwarf-made spear
  • 🐦‍⬛ Huginn and Muninn, his ravens
  • 🐺 Geri and Freki, his wolves
  • 🔺 The Valknut, often linked to him and to the dead

Odin is the god of wisdom, poetry and the dead. His symbols suit people who love knowledge, mystery and strategy. 🧠

Thor's Symbols ⚡

  • 🔨 Mjölnir, his hammer, which also hallowed weddings and funerals
  • 🐍 Jörmungandr, his great enemy, the World Serpent
  • 🪨 Runestones asking Thor to "hallow these runes"

Thor is the protector, the defender of gods and people. His symbols suit anyone who feels like the protector of their family. 💪

Viking Symbols Quick Reference 📋

Here's a fast Viking symbols and meanings cheat sheet, with an honest note on how old each one really is:

  • 🔨 Mjölnir: Thor's hammer, protection and blessing ✅ Viking Age (pendants, mostly 10th century)
  • 🔺 Valknut: linked to Odin and the dead ✅ Viking-era images (name is modern)
  • ᚱ Younger Futhark runes: the Viking alphabet ✅ Viking Age
  • 🐦‍⬛ Ravens: Odin's messengers, thought and memory ✅ Old Norse poems
  • 🐺 Wolves: Odin's companions and Fenrir ✅ Old Norse poems
  • 🐍 Serpent: Jörmungandr, and swords as "battle snakes" ✅ Old Norse sources
  • 🌀 Animal interlace: Borre, Jelling, Urnes styles ✅ Viking Age
  • 🧭 Vegvísir: "Viking compass" ❌ Icelandic manuscript, 1860
  • 😨 Helm of Awe stave ❌ Icelandic grimoires, 17th century and later

💬 One more thing: some Norse symbols have been misused by extremist groups in modern times. Context matters. Worn as Norse heritage jewelry, with the real stories behind them, they're about myth, art and history. 🙏

How to Choose Your Viking Hair Pin 🛍️

Which Viking symbol speaks to you?

Want to go deeper into Norse mythology symbols? The World History Encyclopedia and TheCollector have good overviews of Norse symbols. 📚

Viking Hairstyles With Hair Pins 💇‍♀️

Want a Viking hairstyle for a festival, a renaissance fair or a regular Tuesday? Try these:

  • 🪢 The nape bun: inspired by Viking-age images of women. Twist your hair low and pin it with an axe hair pin.
  • 🧶 Braids into a bun: braid two sections, wrap them into a bun and secure with a sword hair stick.
  • ⚔️ Two crossed blades: a sword and a dagger crossed in an X, for a warrior look.
  • 🌀 The half-up bun: keep the rest of your hair loose and flowing, shield-maiden style.

Our guide on how to wear hair sticks explains each hair stick technique step by step. 🌀

Viking Symbols FAQ ❓

What is the most famous Viking symbol?

Mjölnir, Thor's hammer, is the most famous. Vikings wore hammer pendants, especially in the 10th century. 🔨

What does the Valknut mean?

Nobody knows for sure. The Valknut is linked to Odin and the dead, but its meaning is debated, and even its name is modern. 🔺

Is the Vegvísir a Viking symbol?

No. The Vegvísir comes from an 1860 Icelandic manuscript, centuries after the Viking Age. 🧭

What do Odin's ravens mean?

Huginn and Muninn are usually translated as "Thought" and "Memory". They fly over the world and report to Odin. 🐦‍⬛

Were shield-maidens real?

Historians disagree. The sagas mention them, and a 2017 DNA study of the Birka warrior grave found a woman buried with weapons. The debate continues. 🛡️

What weapon did most Vikings use?

The axe was the most common Viking hand weapon, and the spear was the most common weapon of ordinary farmers. Swords were expensive status items. 🪓

Did Vikings name their swords?

Yes. Viking sword names like "Leg-biter" and "Gold-hilt" are recorded, and good swords were passed down through generations. ⚔️

Did Viking women wear hair sticks?

There's no clear evidence of Viking hair sticks. Women often wore a bun at the nape, and combs were everywhere. 💇‍♀️

What does Mjölnir mean?

Mjölnir is Thor's hammer. In the myths, it protected the gods and also hallowed weddings and funerals. 🔨

Is the Helm of Awe a Viking symbol?

Not as a drawn symbol. In the old poems, the Helm of Awe is Fáfnir's helmet. The stave you see today comes from later Icelandic grimoires. 😨

What are Ulfberht swords?

Ulfberht swords are about 170 high-quality swords from the 9th to 11th centuries, inlaid with the name +VLFBERHT+. ✨

What is Jörmungandr?

Jörmungandr is the World Serpent, a child of Loki that grew so big it encircles the world. Thor and the serpent kill each other at Ragnarök. 🐍

What jewelry did Viking women wear?

According to Ibn Fadlan, Rus women wore breast brooches, neck rings showing their husband's wealth and treasured green beads. 💎

Your Turn: Wear the Old Stories 💬

Hammers that bless, ravens that remember, swords with names: Viking symbols carry stories worth knowing. Now you can carry one in your hair, and know exactly what it means. ✨

Explore our Antique Hair Pins, home to all our axes, swords and dragons. Every order ships with free standard shipping in the US. 🚚

🎁 New here? Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off your first order of $25 or more.

Curious about hair sticks around the world? Read the history of hair sticks. And tell us your favorite Norse symbol through our contact page. 💌

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