Glossary

Cosmic & Primordial Figures

Ymir / Aurgelmir: The primordial giant from whose body the world was created. From his flesh came the earth, from his blood the sea, from his bones the mountains, and from his skull the sky.

Auðhumla / Audhumla: The primordial cow who nourished Ymir and licked the salty ice until she freed Búri, the first ancestor of the gods.

Bestla: Mother of Odin, Vili, and Vé. A giantess and daughter of Bölþorn. Her figure recalls the bond between the gods and the giants.

Bölþorn / Bolthorn: Father of Bestla and maternal grandfather of Odin. A figure belonging to the lineage of the giants.

Farbauti: Father of Loki. A giant whose name has been associated with a dangerous blow or a striking bolt of lightning.

Laufey / Nál: Mother of Loki. A figure connected to Loki’s ambiguous origins and his relationship with the giants.

Jörð: Personification of the Earth and mother of Thor. She represents the earth as a maternal and primordial force.

Nótt: Personification of Night. A poetic figure associated with darkness, rest, mystery, and the passage of time.

Dagr: Personification of Day and son of Nótt. He represents daylight and the renewal of the cycle.

Sól / Sunna: Female personification of the Sun. She is pursued by the wolf Sköll and is connected to the cosmic order.

Máni: Male personification of the Moon. He is pursued by the wolf Hati.