Whenever I see the description of Valholl, especially the chain mail on the benches, it doesn't ever occur to me that it's for decoration. But rather the einherjar took their armor off while resting/feasting in the hall. I attest to this from personal experience as a former soldier. When you come into a chow hall or your camp after training or a mission. The very first thing you do is strip off your heavy armor and weapons you've been wearing/carrying all day so you can rest and eat. But that's just my perspective of the description.
Yea I had a similar thought. As organized raids and larger conquests became a bigger part of their culture it influenced their religious views and then fed into itself. Of course I'm not at all qualified to say this with authority, just a thought
In Sweden we use the word hall (singular) or hallar (plural) for both hallways and really grand room, like saluhall (sales hall), idrottshall (sports center), ishall (ice rink), simhall (arena were there’s a swimmingpool) but like you English and American speakers do, for example “balen anordnades i en av herrgårdens stora hallar” (”the ball was organized in one of the manor's large halls”). ☺️
20:52. I'm just imagining some guy named Frank the chup sitting at an epty table in Hel like 'screw you Evindyr I wrote that!" Meanwhile in Valhol, the gates fling open all eyes turn to the newest to enter, Eyvindr, and Odin is like TELL US YOUR GREAT DEED, and Evindyr's like 'Man, I totally ripped off some chump and he wasnt strog enough to stop me!" HOORAY the feast begins!
Thank you. This was very educational. Appreciate your work and video posts. I read "Kings of Norway" but I'm seeing how it parallels Heimskringla. That was a year ago, so my next reading will be the actual Heomskringla to get my history fix again. I picked King Harald Finehair as my favorite. But I'm very interested in Hakon the Good as a Christian but honored in the old ways, to see what his tolerance of different faiths was like.
It'd look nicer from a design perspective, if the image were flipped, so that it faced inward. Or if it were placed on the left corner of the screen. $.02.
The first time that I came across Valholl as opposed to Valhalla was a talk by the great Icelandic scholar Magnus Magnusson. Not wishing to argue with a linguistic expert but I think of the Val part as meaning fallen, as in fallen in battle not fallen over but that is just a personal interpretation (probably as I am a vet). When it says that Freyja chooses half the warriors I always thought thatit meant chose the ones that would die in battle and that was always my understanding of the "mission" of the Valkyries. However none of tis detracts from your wonderful and insighful work.
@@leornendeealdenglisc As I said I am not a linguistic expert but we use the term fallen heroes etc to describe men killed in warfare, our war poetry is full of it. It does sound more poetic than slain, massacred, butchered or even just killed and has a suggestion of brought down rather than falling (forced down).
I wonder about that line that specifies 640 doors and the 800 that will march through each during Ragnarök. Does it mean that in all of Valhalla There are 640 doors? Or are there 640 gates just leading out and 800 men will march out of every single one (512 000 men in total btw)? Regardless of option A or B that makes Valhalla a pretty large building complex, it seems.
I had these words transcribed upon by back in Elder Futhark, or at least my best attempt with the help of a fellow linguist that studied Old Norse, and wanted to know your thoughts? "Here’s to all I’ve loved and lost. From now, until I see you again, within The Great Halls of Valhalla. Where we shall all gather together to drink, and fight, and tell our tales of glory! Until the All Father calls upon us for the last time, so that we might partake in battle together at his side during Ragnarök! Let these times be like the times before. In which we stood, shield to shield, and stared into the end of times." Edit: This was roughly the text in English that I gave him, so I'm sure it doesn't completely match up to what the tattoo actually says
Could just be because I’m an english speaker, or used to Valhalla. Valhalla just sounds cooler in my opinion and rolls off the tongue easy to sound badass.
Thank you very much. I wonder if the word "fallen" might have been used in the concrete sense instead of a eufemistic. The warriors that have fallen in battle and are not able to stand and fight not nessesarily because they are dead. In that sense it might be more akin to the modern use of "casualties of war", which includes fatalities, incapacitated and lost in battle/missing in action. Maybe the valkyries do triage on the battlefield, whereby some by necessity have to be left for the crows.
Interesting! But now I'm compelled to go to our city council and change Valhalla Circle to the original spelling. It is the location of an assisted living home.
Interesting stuff... i got a ligit funny question.... 11B and i gave my leg in iraq during the GWOT in 06 by way of IED. Does that mean i have a foot in the door of Valhalla? Lol
Please forgive me, if this is a question you have answered in your other videos, but is Heiðrun at all related (reference-wise) to the völva Heiðr/Gullveig in the Völuspá?
Hmm... in Part 1 of this series, you mentioned that some of the sources imply Valholl is part of Hel. Here in the Eiriksmal, it's implied Valholl is part of Asgard. These are just 2 different conceptions of Valholl, right? And we shouldn't infer that Hel is part of Asgard?
The poem about Hakon also raises an interesting point: perhaps the Norse did not have a christian notion that a person's beliefs would dictate their position in the afterlife. Perhaps the pagan poet believed that regardless of Hakon's beliefs, his courage in battle meant Odin would choose him anyway.
What about the versions of Asatru that predate the Viking age? Like around the time that the Romans were beging to conquer the German regions. Are there any references for the concept of Valholl back then?
Few sources, but they didn't have Vanir Gods in West Germanic areas, so no Freya only Frigg. There is ideas that it was this time the Germanic tribes got very warlike as a response to the Roman aggression (You can see that they started to put weapons in graves) so maybe the Valholl concept begun at that time?
But if Valhalla is not what the norse actually believed in or had stories about, doesn't the accusation of odin by loki in lokasenna (loki spilling the truth) become false; "you sometimes make the better side lose so you can bring those warriors to valhalla"?
I spent half the morning trying to remember why "Folgvang" sounds so familiar and then I remembered there's an arts museum in the German city of Essen called "Folgwang Museum" 😅 I'm clearly out off my field of expertise here 🤣
I know this video is quite old and my comment likely won't be seen, but if it is I would like to ask why it seems like Valhalla and Hel are are the only afterlife destinations discussed? Why is Fólkvangr not really talked about? And why does it seem like so few people wanted to go there in passing?
All this delightful knowledge and people would rather pay attention to bhad bhabie and her terrible make up line. The world is stupid and I demand a re-do.
Isn't the king under the mountain myth, which is the root of the Valhalla myth, quite an ancient Indo-European myth, tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European origins? Perhaps it may not have been interpreted so literally in the past, or have had such prominence, but it is unlikely that it only traces back to the 900s.
I'm sure pagans at the time thought Haakon was going to Valholl because it's not like only their religion went to Valholl, they probably thought Christians ended up there because Othinn is real, and this is what he does. You wouldn't have to believe in the Æsir to get into Valholl, so you might end up very confused when it turned out that Othinn was real.
Perfect timing... Last night someone said to me that there are two ways to get in Valholl. By death in battle or by suicide. Obviously, I've heard about entry to the hall by battle but not suicide. Is there any evidence to entry to Valholl by suicide? Any thoughts or links to further info would be greatly appreciated. I would quite like to hear Dr. Jackson Crawford's thoughts if he reads this. Thanks.
@@user-pm1gb2eo1s Thanks. I thought of that as well but I've never heard of that being a way to enter Valholl. I will see her again soon and will hopefully have the opportunity to ask her about it.
@@silvussol8966 I have seen her again but it was not conducive to talking about it again. I've perused many forums on the topic at this point and have seen there's a lot varying opinions on Valholl.. Many obviously are personal interpretation grounded in that person's own emotional needs.
The valkyries would already have nabbed all the warriors they wanted and filled Valhalla in the mythic era. Freya too, for Folkvangr if that is supposed to be a different place. I wonder why the vikings still wanted to die in battle?
folkvanger almost sounds like kids picking teams on the playground he chooses half and she chooses half and the fight the next day no clue if that is accurate just my first impression
If you're referring to the language, Dr. Crawford has a fairly extensive playlist on it (and more on his Patreon, too): th-cam.com/play/PLATNGYBQ-TjrVWv1Vh4aS3M-Twg-Ymwtf.html
Is val (in Valholl) per chance related to the English word fall, as in 'fallen one'? Being careful not to assume words are cognates, since history has proven me nunerous times that similar sounding words are not by defenition cognates, haha.
val has an english cognate actually as far as i know, fall; as in a fallen soldier. valholl-hall of the fallen (edit, this isnt exactly true.. vall is cognate with wail (as in wailing, screaming) fall also exists in the same way it does in english in old norse (this information comes from jackson himself, when asked about it on an interview)
For some reason I have never seen valhalla or valholl as some place I would want to go to. fighting to the death every day at the pleasure of some one eyed cirrhotic wino seems more like a christian hell. Now if I had written a poem about folkvangr I would have probably made it more heavenly, after all Freya is a very beautiful goddess of love and sex and was known to sleep with dwarfs when it suited her.
As you saw in the poem also some great warriors where questioning it and the answer is Odin need you in his army, Ragnarök is coming. It's not about what individuals want it is what destiny demands. Therefore a heathen values this life and don't wait for a reward in the afterlife. Maybe Freya's Folkvangr is different but remember she also choose you as a warrior dead in battle, and she is also a goddess of war and magic.
Since I’m a cheapskate, can of you fine-patreon supporters ask him to do a video regarding the dagmarkar (daymarks), the Scandinavian system of tracking time.
Freyja is a goddess! Why does she have to be diminished as a Valkyrie? As a god, she is a sovereign with sovereign powers. She made a deal with Odin to take half the fallen and I believe she will take them as lovers or be simply be a mistress to them, which is Odin's promise to the chosen (correct me on this point perhaps). Where she takes them, either to Valhol or Folkvangr, who knows? She does all this as a sovereign AND wife to Odin.
Whenever I see the description of Valholl, especially the chain mail on the benches, it doesn't ever occur to me that it's for decoration. But rather the einherjar took their armor off while resting/feasting in the hall. I attest to this from personal experience as a former soldier. When you come into a chow hall or your camp after training or a mission. The very first thing you do is strip off your heavy armor and weapons you've been wearing/carrying all day so you can rest and eat. But that's just my perspective of the description.
i know I am kinda randomly asking but does anybody know a good site to watch newly released series online?
@Cannon Cohen thanks, I went there and it seems to work :D I appreciate it !
@Flynn Cash Happy to help :D
Cool interpretation man
It's always nice to get an unbiased depiction using old Norse pronunciation! "WELL DONE".
Loving the longer content
That would make sense if Valholl was introduced to their faith later during the raids. It is motivation to give your life and reward warriors.
Yea I had a similar thought. As organized raids and larger conquests became a bigger part of their culture it influenced their religious views and then fed into itself. Of course I'm not at all qualified to say this with authority, just a thought
In Sweden we use the word hall (singular) or hallar (plural) for both hallways and really grand room, like saluhall (sales hall), idrottshall (sports center), ishall (ice rink), simhall (arena were there’s a swimmingpool) but like you English and American speakers do, for example “balen anordnades i en av herrgårdens stora hallar” (”the ball was organized in one of the manor's large halls”). ☺️
20:52. I'm just imagining some guy named Frank the chup sitting at an epty table in Hel like 'screw you Evindyr I wrote that!" Meanwhile in Valhol, the gates fling open all eyes turn to the newest to enter, Eyvindr, and Odin is like TELL US YOUR GREAT DEED, and Evindyr's like 'Man, I totally ripped off some chump and he wasnt strog enough to stop me!" HOORAY the feast begins!
I really enjoyed this. The praise-poem for Haakon the Good seems unusually good.
You are an absolute evidence that being yourself makes you unique, doesn't matter how many people are around you.
Love your work. Please keep making them :-)
As always, a good video. Thank you! Hugs & sunshine ☀️N
Made my day. Thank you.
love this !
"Top Shelf!"
All the Best
Thank you. This was very educational. Appreciate your work and video posts. I read "Kings of Norway" but I'm seeing how it parallels Heimskringla. That was a year ago, so my next reading will be the actual Heomskringla to get my history fix again. I picked King Harald Finehair as my favorite. But I'm very interested in Hakon the Good as a Christian but honored in the old ways, to see what his tolerance of different faiths was like.
AWESOME information. I'm going to be busy watching you videos. Thank You
I Love the knowledge I get from your video's. Keep at it. Thank you
I just now noticed your little logo in the lower right corner, very nice.
It'd look nicer from a design perspective, if the image were flipped, so that it faced inward. Or if it were placed on the left corner of the screen. $.02.
so fascinating 👍
The first time that I came across Valholl as opposed to Valhalla was a talk by the great Icelandic scholar Magnus Magnusson. Not wishing to argue with a linguistic expert but I think of the Val part as meaning fallen, as in fallen in battle not fallen over but that is just a personal interpretation (probably as I am a vet).
When it says that Freyja chooses half the warriors I always thought thatit meant chose the ones that would die in battle and that was always my understanding of the "mission" of the Valkyries.
However none of tis detracts from your wonderful and insighful work.
@@leornendeealdenglisc As I said I am not a linguistic expert but we use the term fallen heroes etc to describe men killed in warfare, our war poetry is full of it. It does sound more poetic than slain, massacred, butchered or even just killed and has a suggestion of brought down rather than falling (forced down).
It's interesting what you think about folkvangr. I thought it was generally accepted that it's place similar to valhalla.
It is generally accepted in Scandinavia among heathens
I wonder about that line that specifies 640 doors and the 800 that will march through each during Ragnarök. Does it mean that in all of Valhalla There are 640 doors? Or are there 640 gates just leading out and 800 men will march out of every single one (512 000 men in total btw)? Regardless of option A or B that makes Valhalla a pretty large building complex, it seems.
Thankyou so much for this awesome information.i am greatly interested and if you would forgive me ,...i love how you are "wearing" your hat😁
Very Cool & Interesting Thx Jackson Respect~BobCat
Shame i missed my chance to take a visit 😂. Just curious, what happeed to the einherjer when they and the gods died in Ragnarok??
I had these words transcribed upon by back in Elder Futhark, or at least my best attempt with the help of a fellow linguist that studied Old Norse, and wanted to know your thoughts? "Here’s to all I’ve loved and lost. From now, until I see you again, within The Great Halls of Valhalla. Where we shall all gather together to drink, and fight, and tell our tales of glory! Until the All Father calls upon us for the last time, so that we might partake in battle together at his side during Ragnarök! Let these times be like the times before. In which we stood, shield to shield, and stared into the end of times."
Edit: This was roughly the text in English that I gave him, so I'm sure it doesn't completely match up to what the tattoo actually says
Thanks for making this clear to me.
Interestingly, it's still called "Valhal" in Danish, without the extra a at the end, unlike Swedish, and Norwegian I think as well
Could just be because I’m an english speaker, or used to Valhalla.
Valhalla just sounds cooler in my opinion and rolls off the tongue easy to sound badass.
Thank you very much.
I wonder if the word "fallen" might have been used in the concrete sense instead of a eufemistic. The warriors that have fallen in battle and are not able to stand and fight not nessesarily because they are dead. In that sense it might be more akin to the modern use of "casualties of war", which includes fatalities, incapacitated and lost in battle/missing in action. Maybe the valkyries do triage on the battlefield, whereby some by necessity have to be left for the crows.
Interesting! But now I'm compelled to go to our city council and change Valhalla Circle to the original spelling. It is the location of an assisted living home.
May I ask how you typed the ogonek in Valholl? Can't seem to find the windows key command for it.
"The poem is attributed to Eyvind the Plagiarist." XD
It's funny. We call them "Frig" and "Hel" in modern Danish, but Valholl has become "Valhalla".
Great Video sir, as usual! :)
Interesting stuff... i got a ligit funny question.... 11B and i gave my leg in iraq during the GWOT in 06 by way of IED. Does that mean i have a foot in the door of Valhalla? Lol
Oohh Rolf krake...en rigtig daner....... greetings from Skandinavia Denmark 🇩🇰
Please forgive me, if this is a question you have answered in your other videos, but is Heiðrun at all related (reference-wise) to the völva Heiðr/Gullveig in the Völuspá?
Hmm... in Part 1 of this series, you mentioned that some of the sources imply Valholl is part of Hel. Here in the Eiriksmal, it's implied Valholl is part of Asgard. These are just 2 different conceptions of Valholl, right? And we shouldn't infer that Hel is part of Asgard?
Its good to take into account differences in region and time
The poem about Hakon also raises an interesting point: perhaps the Norse did not have a christian notion that a person's beliefs would dictate their position in the afterlife. Perhaps the pagan poet believed that regardless of Hakon's beliefs, his courage in battle meant Odin would choose him anyway.
What about the versions of Asatru that predate the Viking age? Like around the time that the Romans were beging to conquer the German regions. Are there any references for the concept of Valholl back then?
As far as I am aware there aren't any sources from that far back. Nothing reliable anyways
Few sources, but they didn't have Vanir Gods in West Germanic areas, so no Freya only Frigg. There is ideas that it was this time the Germanic tribes got very warlike as a response to the Roman aggression (You can see that they started to put weapons in graves) so maybe the Valholl concept begun at that time?
Thanks for all the info guys. Honestly, pagan history interests me more than the mythology itself, so I'll definitely look into it.
What do you think happens to Freya after Ragnarok ?
But if Valhalla is not what the norse actually believed in or had stories about, doesn't the accusation of odin by loki in lokasenna (loki spilling the truth) become false; "you sometimes make the better side lose so you can bring those warriors to valhalla"?
I spent half the morning trying to remember why "Folgvang" sounds so familiar and then I remembered there's an arts museum in the German city of Essen called "Folgwang Museum" 😅 I'm clearly out off my field of expertise here 🤣
I know this video is quite old and my comment likely won't be seen, but if it is I would like to ask why it seems like Valhalla and Hel are are the only afterlife destinations discussed? Why is Fólkvangr not really talked about? And why does it seem like so few people wanted to go there in passing?
I imagine after assassins creed Valhalla comes out you’re gonna get a whole lot more subscribers....which is awesome
All this delightful knowledge and people would rather pay attention to bhad bhabie and her terrible make up line.
The world is stupid and I demand a re-do.
Isn't the king under the mountain myth, which is the root of the Valhalla myth, quite an ancient Indo-European myth, tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European origins?
Perhaps it may not have been interpreted so literally in the past, or have had such prominence, but it is unlikely that it only traces back to the 900s.
I'm sure pagans at the time thought Haakon was going to Valholl because it's not like only their religion went to Valholl, they probably thought Christians ended up there because Othinn is real, and this is what he does. You wouldn't have to believe in the Æsir to get into Valholl, so you might end up very confused when it turned out that Othinn was real.
Maybe the Christian King was simply a Christian in a political sense. Having nothing to do with religion or belief
What about the name Freya? Is that also a Victorian adaptation?
Probably Freja given there was no Y but that doesn’t answer the question.
👍
Perfect timing... Last night someone said to me that there are two ways to get in Valholl. By death in battle or by suicide. Obviously, I've heard about entry to the hall by battle but not suicide. Is there any evidence to entry to Valholl by suicide?
Any thoughts or links to further info would be greatly appreciated. I would quite like to hear Dr. Jackson Crawford's thoughts if he reads this.
Thanks.
kld9q8 It might be that he was referring to people sacrificing themselves to Óðinn via hanging, but I don’t know if that’s a free Valhǫll pass.
@@user-pm1gb2eo1s Thanks. I thought of that as well but I've never heard of that being a way to enter Valholl. I will see her again soon and will hopefully have the opportunity to ask her about it.
@@nowantusername - Out of curiosity, did you get an answer from her? Just asking since it's been 3 months.
@@silvussol8966 I have seen her again but it was not conducive to talking about it again. I've perused many forums on the topic at this point and have seen there's a lot varying opinions on Valholl.. Many obviously are personal interpretation grounded in that person's own emotional needs.
are you familiar with Rydberg's idea that the 'new world' would be created from the part of the underworld where Mimir lives ?
I've read his books and rather like Rydberg's ideas, but he really overstretched the limited information available.
The valkyries would already have nabbed all the warriors they wanted and filled Valhalla in the mythic era. Freya too, for Folkvangr if that is supposed to be a different place. I wonder why the vikings still wanted to die in battle?
Why didn't you translate "eight hundred einherjar" as "nine hundred and sixty Einherjar"???
I think the number of Einherjar would be 51,200 if I did the math right.
How'd you get that number ?
I can't find the link to part one please
The Word 'Valhalla' (Valhǫll)
th-cam.com/video/s1sKmiGEWo0/w-d-xo.html
@@JacksonCrawfordthank you ❤
Óðinn should be more scared of his cholesterol then of Fenrir.
Why, because he subsists on wine alone? 😋
Miroslav Georgiev You got the joke.
David Weihe If he lives on wine alone, he wouldn’t live to see Ragnarök
his liver is probably in worse condition than hrolf kraki's butt after 300 years of sitting on a chain mail.
folkvanger almost sounds like kids picking teams on the playground he chooses half and she chooses half and the fight the next day no clue if that is accurate just my first impression
Does anyone know about any resources for old norse?
If you're referring to the language, Dr. Crawford has a fairly extensive playlist on it (and more on his Patreon, too): th-cam.com/play/PLATNGYBQ-TjrVWv1Vh4aS3M-Twg-Ymwtf.html
Wiktionary can also be quite helpful.
Is val (in Valholl) per chance related to the English word fall, as in 'fallen one'?
Being careful not to assume words are cognates, since history has proven me nunerous times that similar sounding words are not by defenition cognates, haha.
No.
@@kolsveinnskraevolding thank you for clearing that up for me.
val has an english cognate actually as far as i know, fall; as in a fallen soldier. valholl-hall of the fallen (edit, this isnt exactly true.. vall is cognate with wail (as in wailing, screaming) fall also exists in the same way it does in english in old norse (this information comes from jackson himself, when asked about it on an interview)
For some reason I have never seen valhalla or valholl as some place I would want to go to. fighting to the death every day at the pleasure of some one eyed cirrhotic wino seems more like a christian hell.
Now if I had written a poem about folkvangr I would have probably made it more heavenly, after all Freya is a very beautiful goddess of love and sex and was known to sleep with dwarfs when it suited her.
Valholl for me!
As you saw in the poem also some great warriors where questioning it and the answer is Odin need you in his army, Ragnarök is coming. It's not about what individuals want it is what destiny demands. Therefore a heathen values this life and don't wait for a reward in the afterlife. Maybe Freya's Folkvangr is different but remember she also choose you as a warrior dead in battle, and she is also a goddess of war and magic.
@@lindaliljecrona4404 Of course! See my words as a desire, not a definitive statement.
@@lindaliljecrona4404 See, I'll not the only one who thinks Folkvangr might maybe be different than Valhalla.
@@jessiehermit9503 Yes you found your romantic brother ;)
First
your hair
Since I’m a cheapskate, can of you fine-patreon supporters ask him to do a video regarding the dagmarkar (daymarks), the Scandinavian system of tracking time.
Freyja is a goddess! Why does she have to be diminished as a Valkyrie? As a god, she is a sovereign with sovereign powers. She made a deal with Odin to take half the fallen and I believe she will take them as lovers or be simply be a mistress to them, which is Odin's promise to the chosen (correct me on this point perhaps). Where she takes them, either to Valhol or Folkvangr, who knows? She does all this as a sovereign AND wife to Odin.
Wohl-hol ?
YHWH HOL..?
Alot lost in translation.
God hall