Valknut Symbol – “Knot of Slain Warriors”
Valknut – one of the fundamental symbols of Scandinavian and North European Heathenry. It is often associated with the name of the highest of deities and the chief of the Aesir (Supreme God) in Northern Mythology – Odin.
Etimology of the word “valknut” is most likely related to the Old Norse language (appeared in XIV-XV A.D): valr (fallen/slained warriors) and knut (knot). That is where one of the names of Valknut comes from – “knot of those fallen in battle” (knot of the slain). That is how the symbols also relates to Odin since he is the guardian/patron of warriors that have fallen in battle.
Why is this symbol called Valknut? Where did the name of the symbol come from? I don’t have an answer to that. Wikipedia tells us that “The term valknut is derived from the modern era, and the term or terms used to refer to the symbol during its historical employment is unknown.” It means that the symbol that was found on the rune stones was given a name by modern explorers/archeologists. What was the real name of the symbol? How people who carved it called the symbol? Does the current name correspond to the true meaning of the symbol? That, I do not know. There is really not that much known about valknut. We can only theorize about the meaning of the symbol and how it was applied/used.
Another name that is often mentioned in relation to the symbol is “Hrungnir’s heart”. It comes from Younger (Prose) Edda. Chapter 17 of the 13th century Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál contains the following description of the heart of the jötunn Hrungnir; “Hrungnir had a heart that was famous. It was made of hard stone with three sharp-pointed corners just like the carved symbol hrungnishjarta [Hrungnir’s heart].” It seems that due to mentioning of the rune symbols with “three sharp-pointed corners” it is associated with Valknut. Yet, it is still unknown if it is true or not. That is why calling Valknut – “Hrungnir’s heart”, maybe poetic, but from my stand point is incorrect.
Furthermore, the opinion connecting the symbol to Odin is often questioned and criticized. Connection of Valknut with the name of the Superior Aesir God is just one of the accounts of its origin. There are valid claims trying to prove this connection as well as serious criticism of that claim/opinion. Most of the information you can find regarding Valknut on the internet is often scarce, without much details and in many cases just a copy of someone else’s article. Here is a little bit information from Wikipedia regarding archeological findings as well as three different images of Valknut. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valknut
Archaeological record
A section of the Stora Hammars I stone in Gotland, Sweden depicts a valknut in a central and predominant position, appearing alongside figures interpreted as Odin with a characteristic spear shunting another figure into a burial mound while a raven is overhead and another man is hanged.
The valknut appears on a wide variety of objects found in areas inhabited by the Germanic peoples. The symbol is prominently featured on the Nene River Ring, an Anglo-Saxon gold finger ring dated to around the 8th to 9th centuries.[2]
A wooden bed in the Viking Age Oseberg Ship buried near Tønsberg, Norway features a carving of the symbol on an ornately stylized bedpost and the Oseberg tapestry fragments, a partially preserved tapestry found within the ship burial, also features the symbol.[3] Additionally, the valknut appears prominently on two picture stones from Gotland, Sweden: the Stora Hammars I stone and the Tängelgårda stone.
The historically attested instances of the symbol appear in two traditional, topologically distinct, forms. The symbol appears in unicursal form, topologically a trefoil knot also seen in the triquetra. This unicursal form is found, for example, on the Tängelgårda stone. The symbol also appears in tricursal form, consisting of three linked triangles, topologically equivalent to the Borromean rings. This tricursal form can be seen on one of the Stora Hammars stones, as well as upon the Nene River Ring, and on the Oseberg ship bed post. Although other forms are topologically possible, these are the only attested forms found so far.
The valknut is topologically equivalent to either the Borromean rings, the trefoil knot, or (in modern use only) a closed three-link chain, depending on the particular artistic depiction:
About the essence, meaning and interpretations
We really no nothing about the essence of the Valknut. We can only guess and build theories based on certain archeological findings.
Nevertheless, we can talk about what is obvious in the symbol. It represents trinity, and not only three in one, but also nine in three, and as an outcome nine in one. Trinity is a very powerful concept that can be encountered in many cultures including modern ones. Three and nine are often sacral numbers, we can find them in many myths/legends of various nations/civilizations.
When it comes to Northern Tradition, Valknut as the symbol of trinity and can mainly connected with three main worlds of Yggdrasil. In generally accepted interpretation they are: Asgard – the world of Æsir, Midgard – middle World and Jötunheimr/Útgarðr – Outside World (in another account: Higher Worlds – Middle Worlds – Lower World, other names might have been used as well). Each world out of those three can be divided into three, which perfectly fits into the system of the Valknut symbol. We get organic and logical graphic presentation to the system of the worlds. This is the most common interpretation. It reveals Valknut as a certain shamanic portal that helps with travelling between worlds.
As it was mentioned before, Valknut is connected with the name of Odin and it there is a reason for it. Scenes on the stones where Valknut was found are being related to death and sacrifice, the symbol itself is like a sacrifice of a warrior or to Odin. Others quite rightly object that there is no image of Odin near Valknut and the scenes on the stones can have a different meaning.
Nevertheless, trinity is a very mind-boggling topic and Valknut is a very ancient symbol. There is really no reason to stop interpretation attempts of the symbol at the version about the worlds and that is why it is an ongoing process offering various general theories. For example, you can often encounter an account where Valknut is a symbol of spirit-soul-body. Can this version be true? Why not. Besides it actually relates to the theory about Worlds. With this I will stop spiritual exploration of this extraordinary, ancient symbols Valknut, of which we barely know anything, yet I would encourage you to do you own research on the topic.
Based on an article by anonymous author
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