Norse Pagan Symbols: The Valknut 

I like to think that it is the viking version of the S students draw in their notebooks during school.

This is crazy, I just gave my first offering to Odin asking for guidance and then receive a notification for this video. Hail the Gods, and Hail the folk

This might not be accurate, but I think of it like three mountains, Asgard, Vanaheim, and Jotunheim. Three triangle have nine points total, nine worlds?

My Valknut is on my chest. I wear it for my fallen Marine brothers and sisters in arms. It keeps a connection to me and to them and knowing that their sacrifice was never in vain and for me to be reminded that one day I will drink again with them in the great Halls of Valhalla

I love especially how you go into the fact that this might not even correct, that this symbol may not even have a relationship with X or Y. It's nice and thoughtful, which goes to show your love, since you're not just saying "Yeah this is right". You're being open minded about it all.

We need this, especially since that capital hill viking is all over. Giving actual knowledge thank you skal!

I wear a pewter Valknut as a lapel pin on my suits at work. Subtle and understanded but a great prompt/gateway question for people to ask about it and for me as a Norse Pagan (with an Anglo Saxon hue tbf) to talk about my faith and why I follow it. For me it serve three purposes 1) a beautiful link to our past. 2) it's aesthetically pleasing 3) I personally see it representing the intersection plains of consciousness which make up our world. Superb video and thank you for your continued efforts. Much love from the UK.

Thank you for the video. Its a beautiful symbol: Full of balance, symmetry and magic. It represents to me (being extremely connected to the number 9) the tree of Yggdrasil and it being made of 3 triangles, the 3 Norns: how all perfectly fits in harmony: Past-Present-Future. Definitely more research need to be made, but thats just my intuition speaking.

The Nene ring was NOT made by Vikings. It is possibly dated to before the Viking era anyway, but even if it isn't, it is widely agreed to be Anglo-Saxon based on its design.

Hi Jacob! Great video and wonderful channel ❤️ I live in Oslo, Norway and have the privilage of regularly seeing the Oseberg viking ship and its artefacts in the museum here. I just wanted to add that in this famous viking find this symbol apperas twice. Once on your mentioned bedpost and secondly engraved on a round wooden board, about the size of a dinner plate. It is unkown what the item actually is, but it is often referred to as a barrel lid or a cutting board. Some speculate it could be an offering plate but we wont know. Just wanted to share that! Love your videoes! 🌟🤩

I will tell you the little i know about the Valknut. The name Valknut is modern, we don't know what it was called when it first came to be. The meaning of the word itself is: Warrior knot. In old norse valr means warrior, and knut means knot. It's also called: Den slagnes hjärta= The heart of the beaten, Valas hjärta=Vala or Völvas(shaman) heart, Rungners hjärta=Rungner(the strongest giant's heart) And Odens knop=Odens knot. The interpretations say that it symbolises Odens force with which he could rule over people. Bring them peace of mind in times of battle and relieve them of fear. It also represents the nine realms in Asatro, because of the three triangles has nine corners. Just like you said there is not alot of information out there of it's origins, so this is what we can go with in these modern times. Jacob(or anyone really) if you ever need help with translations or pronunciation of swedish words and texts i'm more than willing to help. :)

I love the way you lay out and format your videos such that they conclude forming a clear distinction between how we practice our faith in the modern Era and how it is and should be different from what our ancestors know and that you present to our community a direction to take these pieces of our history to write the future.

In my opinion, anything can be used for hate so my opinion about the system. It’s all in context like you said, and I wish more people would understand that.

Thankyou brother for taking all the free time you have to research and put together these videos. What you're doing needs to be done more by others. Thankyou for creating videos I can use to teach my daughter the Way. Hail Odin, and Hail you brother for all your hard work.

I also have a Valnut myself :) Great video my friend

thak you for share your knowledge

It could even be a family symbol for the Vikings

I've dreamt of this symbol once, and it was a great experience. I felt an amazing power coming from it. It literally resonated and even emitted a sound which was "only vaguely" similar to the sanskrit ॐ . The Valknut symbol carries a purely ecstatic and rapturing power of spiritual ascension. It is my humble but very firm opinion that it represents The Heart, The Essence and The Attention of Odin. And if that symbol comes to you, it means the God is paving the way to reach to you. Thus, be very worthy of his attention, because he will test you in many ways! Hails! P.S. Always remember that one of his most beautiful names is "Allfather". Never act against the meaning of that name.

We took back the Valknut. Now we need to take back the sunwheel symbol.

I joined at a little less than 10k subs now over 30k good job man

Thank you for being so inspiring and helping me continue on my path keep up the amazing work love from Newfoundland

Great video Jacob, the valknut has always been a debated symbol. I personally have always associated it with Odin and the valiant dead or through death is life, through life is death. I also have it tattooed above my heart as an oath to the Allfather. As always from northern KY skål bróđir!

this channel has been a big help I’m just beginning in the Norse mythology and the Norse paganism and all and it’s helped me a lot so ya thanks

You are getting really good at presenting these shows.

Wow your ´skaldskaparmál´ was really good actually! Remember for Vegvísir and any other word, that emphasis goes on the first syllable. helps a bunch when you learn that rule. Thanks for the video as always

Love the complete history! You are super knowledgeable and I enjoy how you mention some of these details are "interpretations".

It's disheartening how much knowledge was lost, not recorded, or recorded with such an anti-Norse perspective. Like the only symbols with a consensus among historians that actually were used across Iron Age Scandinavia were mjolnir and the runes. Hopefully we will know more about symbols like the valknut and what they actually meant over time with new archaeological discoveries.

Hey My Brother I just watched Your Valknut post and I Roared with Laughter when You showed Your Tatoo the Same as Mine and in the same place to !

Imagine using the ADL as an arbiter of truth.

I've been waiting for this video let's go baby

The Future needs you, The Past don't. Valknut knot symbol is for me useful to express binding. Binding group of people, binding a codebase (software), binding a machinery or whatever concept I might come across. - The Tri, a triangle represent a scaling build (construction). Like Mother, Father and Child. - The Six, two triangles represent an operational solution. Like a system flows via Context, Statement and State. - The Nine, three triangles represent a completion. Like a mechanism becomes complete, ready for autonomy.

I went camping recently out in the middle of the wilderness and I did my first ritual. I made an offering to Odin and I decorated the base of a tree and basically asked for wisdom for the coming semester of college. Later on in the night, I went off to get wood away from the camp and something snagged my beanie off my head. I assumed it was a branch so I looked along the ground and I couldn’t find it. So I went back to camp and got my spotlight to look. I couldn’t find it, so I got this thought in my head, something took my hat. It was just a feeling, I started getting goosebumps. So out loud I just said, “can I have my hat back.” So I looked about 10 minutes more and just decided I’ll look in the morning. When I got back to my camp my hat was laying there right by the fire. It really shook me. I’m very new to the faith and I was shook. Now I’m wondering if it was Odin or something else. After the incident I just went back to camp and just stated my business in the woods and stated that I didn’t mean any harm, that I was just visiting. What do you guys think it was? Jacob?

Sleipnir is a very important part of the story. Sleipnir is Odin's horse and is used to get around the 9 realms. Horse's in many indo-european cultures (including the old norse/germanic peoples) were used as symbols for travel to after-life (among other things). Hrungnir is also riding a horse. Sleipnir means slippery or the slippery one and is eight legged. It is a way to astral travel or generaly used to travel between the 9 realms, because it can slip between them. Gullfaxi (spelling?) was Hrungnirs way of traveling the 9 realms. In the story they (Odin and Hrungnir) start in realm and then travel to another namely Asgard. Hrungnir's name means the strong one or Brawler. Gullfaxi means golden mane (Perhaps this is why the ring was made of gold?). Hrungir's jarta (heart) is made of stone. A heart of stone aka the person does not show any sympathy, conscience or pity just like how Hrungnir is when he is drunk and boasts that he will kill all the gods save Freya and Sif so that he take them as his prize back to the Jotunn realm. Thor, the main protecter of the gods and humanity comes in and deals with Hrungnir slaining him in the process but gets pinned under his leg. His three year old son, magni, is the only one who can save him from suffocating. Magni means mighty and magni is rewarded gullfaxi a golden maned horse almost as fast as Sleipnir that can travel between the realms. Magni with the golden mained horse represents a heart of courage that all warriors (and people in general but especially warriors) need to have in order to got to valhalla (in Asgard). Now taking the above along with the archeological evidence that has survived we can come to understand the symbol better. There is no difference between the theory of it being a symbol of Odin and the slain and that of Hrungnir's heart. On the contrary they complement and support one another and explain all the pieces that are presnted together. the vaulknut is the symbol of the slain, as well as the 9 realms (3 triangles intertwined together have 3 points wich combined make 9 total). It also represents a heart that can either be turned to stone or a heart of courage. It is a story for young children (hence why a three year old is mentioned at the end) and how to be brave warriors in a warrior society but to do so in an honorable way (not have a heart of stone). Honor was very important to norse culture. Horses were used for traveling the 9 realms either after death and going either to hel or Asgard and during life were used for Astral travel between the 9 realms. We see this in the Tangelgarda stone where the warriors were slain in battle and are now in the after the life. I have already explained a possible reason as to why the ring was of gold color (gullfaxi means golden maned). As for the bed post it was found at a funerary site and obviously from an important person to have such a lavish funeral, aka someone who was esteemed and honorable but also someone who has died and passed into the other realms. Finally, we have the other one with symbols of Odin. Odin is a kind of Psychopomp who helps the slain find their proper place in the after life. To add to the above the norse believed in 10 aspects of the self 9 plus the body. So the vaulknut could also potentially represent the 9 aspects of the self that are not the body and that in order to live a good life you must have a heart of courage and not that of stone in order to travel to the nine realms and be chosen for the by Odin to go to Valhalla. Regardless, to me it is quite clear that the story is a huge piece of the puzzle that properly answers all the secrets of the vaulknut and all of the archeological evidence at the same and contradicts nothing. I hope at the very least that this is helpful for all people who are interested in this topic.

With the research that you showed on here makes me want to think that the symbol could be the meaning of love with the ring and bed post. Almost like it’s tying the knot.

I wonder if the valknut is a symbol related to death, the ring may have been given to someone who preferred gold over silver to "curse" them. And someone could have carved it onto the bedpost to "curse" the one to lay there. The sacrifice stone also supports this.

Excellent job as always!

The idea of it being a way to travel the realms is very interesting. And I think there is proof of this because of the fact that it is on the bedpost and the tablet of the dead man. It’s used as a way to travel to Valhalla.

I wonder if the Valknut is a morphed Triskelion type symbol...a type of trinity? I know in classical antiquity, the Triskelion (as used by the Greeks) symbolized three goddesses (when it was still three spheres that spirally connected to one another). I wonder if the Valknut represents, as an example, Odin, Thor and Magni. Maybe putting that symbol on objects was thought to evoke 3 gods? Very interesting!

Hello I am also Jacob and new to the old Gods, just want to say thanks for the help brother

I inlayed it with brass wire into a custom wood and leather dice tower I made. That's probably a misuse, but the point for me was to practice wire inlay, and it was an easy shape to do.

Did anyone else notice that the ones under the horses were only made up of two triangles not three.

Sell Of The Ninth Dimension: The Void. The power of knowledge. The power of the Gods.

Thank you for the information. This has helpe me. Now I can keep with my path with enjoy. Thank you Skal

I like to think that 3 triangles have 9 corners in total and they symbolise the 9 virtues

I have always thought it was a symbol of interconnection. Used in all of these, it is a sign of faith, or at least hope, that the person is moving from this realm on to the next. It says that the path is open since it is unbroken. These are musings and what I felt personally when I saw it as someone who is relatively new to going down this path. I believe it is most often the case with anything that is a symbol of faith, religion, or magic, that your first inclinations are likely correct. If it doesn't illicit anything at all, it likely isn't of importance.

💚 Thank you

The evidence has a theme, a common thread, the Valknut, and we can formulate a pattern we choose, perhaps coincidentally.

I have heard it jokingly referred to as " Insert spear here" by fellow norse pagans.

I have got Valknut tatoo on my arm and I love it!!

Quite a bit late, but this might be some fun facts. Stora Hammar means big hammer, and the Tängelgårda stone is also located on Gotland. 😃

I am an Indian with a Valknut. People here often ask me if it's a WWE symbol 😑😂 I'd then explain them the ideology. I wonder how the Norse pagans and Germans would react to it?

I was originally told it represents 9 noble virtues, I prefer to continue thinking that

Wow great research. In the beginning the only thing I new or thought I knew was that it represents Odin. So of course I have this tattooed along with my Vegvisir.

I have a Valknut tattoo myself. To me it symbolises Odin. It annoys me that we're still having to deal with "racist accusations" just for using our own symbols.

the signature of the Carver. It's just like Prince has his own symbol

You should do a video on druid paganism that would be cool

Valknut is same meaning of the philosopher stone in alchemy. The three triangle represent Sun , Moon and earth

well bloody said respect Jacob

I'm no pagan, but I love the valknut as a tribute to my fascination with the number three. To me the valknut is a celebration of triplicity and might just as easily honor the Holy Trinity, the Third Rock from the Sun, or the Third Millennium AD. I feel drawn to that version which is even tighter than three interlocking triangles, which is essentially just one great angular Moebius strip. I hope no pagans mind my seeing the valknut in this light.

needed this!!!

Im just thinking, but what if it was something like an "entering card" to valhalla, Odin's hall If the ancestors used it to help their fallen into valhalla

Jason the Viking Belief is Called "Heidhni" translated into modern English language mean's.... Heathen ! Also the Germanic Symbol the "Flyflot" and "Ginfaxi"...later recognised as the Hochenkreuz, demonised it

It is one reason why it has been named valknute and no other name. That is to say, it is called for other things as well, such as Hrungni's heart, but the name that is used and given to the symbol is valknut. What is wrong with the theory that it is the heart of a jotne named Hrungni is that Hrungni's heart has 3 pointed edges that the valkut does not have, you know if you count the points in the valkut there are 6 and not 3... Plus no one from the "Viking Age" would have had the heart to count a chaos monster on burial urns and other graves items and in any case not have found their way into the grave. If you have any idea about the symbolism and ornamentation of the Viking Age, you know that all carvings in wood and other materials such as stones and jewelry have a very strong so-called magical effect and therefore not countable and therefore no one wants to have had a symbol of a jotne that represents chaos and misery on anything and, in any case, not anything that applies to life after death. But you can believe what you want, but the theory that it is Hrungni's heart cannot be true since it was made of hard stone and pointed with 3 corners, which the valknot does not have...the valknot has 6 points/corners....

The Horses were ungered... That's what the symbol means under the horse.. they were wild spirited.

Great informative video. Regarding realm travel though, the idea may have also come from the same source as its connection with death. Many cultures across the world saw death as a transition of sorts to a different relm. But, as you said, we don't know 100%. All that is certain is that it is not for hate, 3 triangles bound together so perfectly cannot represent hatred in my eyes

A. I feel like this might have ties to past present and future and b. It could of been a travel symbol on a boat on a ring...idk just 2 thoughts.

What is the music at the beginning of the vid

The best way I have dealt with people bringing up the racist representation is a norse symbol. Their people and this symbol predate them by so many years. Just because a group used it doesn't mean that's what it really represents. I ask them to please do research before assuming things.

Maybe its a depiction of the Bifrost

Ok fine,I have freaking gnomes running around and scaring my 34 yr old son🤣❤️

Curiosity: How does the Valknut come to be associated with and relate to the back-to-nature Colorado Trail?

I think it can have multiple meanings. My uncle got it tattooed on his forearm he said just by word of mouth and story passed down by our ancestors that it was used to gain access to trade routes. It's definitely not a hate symbol here in Newfoundland the symbol is slapped on a bottle of one of the most popular whiskeys here lol

We need more non racists we need to talk about differently then how other people think germany consider it non racists awesome

I'm just new to this religion or idk if you can call it a religion but you have open my eyes to a new opinion on the valknut so thx you

I read one argument (quite complex and academic) saying it could be a thunderbolt and have more to do with Thor

I have this symbol tattooed on my cheek it means what it means to me I wear it to honor Odin and my fallen brothers

the ring most likely was a 'seal' of some sort....representing what, is unknown...

Skal sisters and brothers ⚔️

The fact that it was used in the 800-1000 era to me shows that it’s not related to Valhalla because the common belief at that time was reincarnation

I believe from my opinion the volknut is a connection to something. More like connecting to the different areas of our faith allowing them to fight and breath by our side. I think it’s more of a token of respect to the fallen. I think it’s links to the 9 worlds some how.

I have this symbol on a Hoodia of mine and I have met countless people because of it. It brought me to other Norse pagans.

In Germany there are still some symbols, which are not allowed. It s sad if you have rune tattoos and many people think that you are a racist. Then you have to tell those people, that this is history, and it s older than the bad guy from 1933. But your right, we have to take it back to ourselves 💪 sorry for my bad English

I appreciate your video about the Valknut. It is a sacred symbol that I, and many others hold dear to us. With this in mind, there is an extreme danger in saying that "we've done a good job at taking the symbol back from white supremacists." The symbol never had anything to do with white supremacy, and the fact that it's associated with it means we've failed at keeping this symbol sacred to the public. Neo-nazis and white nationalists have adopted the Valknut, Mjolnir, and other symbols because burning crosses are too familiar now. It's time that we take a public stand against these assholes who desecrate our sacred traditions and symbols. I ask respectfully, and implore you specifically, to make a video denouncing the AFA, Wotansvolk, Stephen McNallen, and other white supremacist groups and people. It must be made clear that white ethnocentric beliefs have nothing to do with the traditions of our people. Many people find you and your videos when they are first diving into norse paganism. They are vulnerable and open to all of the pitfalls of white supremacist groups and leaders. Please be a guiding light with a video clearly denouncing white supremacy and how it only destroys norse paganism, as well as the personal honor one possesses. Thank you.

Looking closer at the Stora Hammer Stone, it almost looks like a depiction of an execution. The "spear" can resemble the handle and the "Valknut" as the head of an axe just look at the angle of the Symbol and imagine it straight up 90 degrees it looks like either a hammer or an axe coming down on a person in either a ritualistic execution or a punishment execution. Just my thoughts.

Wasn't the Abstergo symbol like that at 1 time

To me, the symbol having the two sets of three triangles, symbolizes the male and female aspects of three of the faces of odin. Specifically the warrior, the wanderer and the wise one. But that's just my opinion on it.

I have the Valknut as ear piercings ! I got them to feel more closer to Odin if that makes sense

I always thought it was 3 mountains

valknut , valk = walk nut = not it means ''don't walk'' , as in , sit Still from time to time and take in your surroundings when you sit still and draw a big triangle in your mind , from left to right , then down and up to the other side , you're creating a barrier for your thoughts , once that's done , you imagine a smaller triangle in that big one , from the middle of your eyes , to the outside and down to your nose , this gives you a clear mind it never ever where 3 triangles , ever , there are just the Big upside down one and the small one that points up to the point between your eyes , we like patterns , we see patterns , we Think the pattern is warranted ... because it IS a pattern and we recognize it As a pattern , you can draw this pattern on any face , the point on the eyes will always find the the point on the triangle , try it on a picture that has a good symmetrical front view ...

Here’s where my friends and I stand on the sacred symbols issue. They truly are the sacred signs of our people, northern and central Europeans and us over the world descended from them. This does not mean others can’t use the symbol but they should of course honor it and respect like I do. The Japanese the Indians the Tibetans etc have their great symbols. I would not have a star of moloch (David) because I’m not Jewish yet the symbol is everywhere and many not of that faith use it. That’s great. Secondly, desiring to eliminate or replace some other ethnic group immediately or over time is racism. Ie the Kalergi Plan or Chinese government with the Tibetan people. Sadly there is often racism in life I’ve had it personally. Feeling scared has to be tempered internally. Not lead to hate it’s dangerous however many like myself understand that there is a serious plan in place to rewrite the history and ethnic landscape of Europe. Wanting my culture to endure to my descendants children on is not racist nor is believing we need to preserve our culture just as a jewish or Japanese person would ie true multiculturalism. It Angers me when I get lumped in with some white supremacy loser. We can all get along but we all deserve if still humanly possible a safe homeland and cultural and spiritual future. I praise Odin for awakening many people and for allowing me to somewhat clumsily attempt to communicate my thoughts.

That viking who raided the capital that was so disrespectful we are a different path of the gods

+how do we deal with the fact that a lot of hate groups use our symbols ....its unfortunate that I have to bring this up but how do we explain to people that we dont have anything to do with neonatzi

Great video, thank you 🙏 This symbol looks like the Celtic Triquetra - any links there?

Not talking shit or anything but did you notice that the last image you showed (containing the horse) has 3 of them shown with 2 variations of that symbol. 2 of them containing only 2 triangles connected by continuous loop and then one being only one triangle looking like the letter “A”… I personally believe that each triangle represents something (not sure what because I’m new to this) and that this depicts the third representation coming into being through ritual to be added to the other 2. Let me know what you think about that.

From what I've gathered and I may be wrong is that it is something to symbolize the greatness upon your death. As you may notice there are many different ways to make the symbol and the more the extravagant the symbol the greater the death meant to the Gods or how we felt the death meant to the Gods. I wear a ring with the symbol on it to remind me that I should not fear my death but to embrace it. I'm not saying by any means that I wish to die I just understand that it is a reality of my life.

Did you notice on the boat symbol its facing the person

Hey I'm not Icelandic or Norwegian but I'm trying to get into the Celtic religion, if you have any comments or tips for me let me know?

Is it true that if you tattoo this you will die a horrible death for Odin? Because i just tattooed one on my arm and im really afraid of something bad happening :(

Not even the infamous Jackson Crawford doesn’t know what it means. I think for now or forever we won’t know what it means or it’s purpose.

I feel like it could be a symbol of a certain military force that were respected or feared. Let me know what y'all think