Norse Cosmology – deep look with science
Welcome back to 8metals.com. Yesterday we discussed about the Norse mythology. Today we will explore the cosmic science of the Nordic society. So get ready to be stunned yet again. Norse cosmology is the study of the Cosmos by the North Germanic Culture. This encompasses space, cosmogony, personification, Anthropogenic features, and Eschatology. So let’s begin:
History: The Norse cosmology is recorded in the 13th Century collection of poems that is Poetic Edda. It’s also recorded in the 13th century work Prose Edda by Icelander Snorri Sturluson. He took his arguments from the previous traditional accounts. These sources together depict a picture of the nine worlds revolving around a cosmic tree Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil is a mythical tree connecting all the nine worlds.
The concept of time and space: The idea of time and space is quite developed in the Norse Cosmology. It is presented by old Norse Corpus. They defined time as a rotating cycle. However, the events in the Norse mythology are in a linear progression according to certain ancient Germanic scholars. The Cosmos is subjective to be formed and reformed on various occasions by the rising sea. This theory was put forth by scholar John Lindow. In Poetic Edda, a complete portion is dedicated to the creation of Cosmos. According to that, even before Earth was formed a bright and flaming place called Muspell existed. It was so warm that no-one could enter it. There also existed Nilfelhiem, the foggy land. Here was a spring named Hevergelmir from which many rivers flowed. Rivers such as Elivagar flowed away from their sources. In the process the poisonous substances in them frizzed to Ice. When the rivers completely froze, a vapour came out of them and solidified on the ripe above of the ice river. This grew slowly in layers and with time spread across the void Ginnungagap. The Northern region Ginnungagap continuously filled weight. This was due to the growing substance from the blowing vapour. However, the Southern portion remained clear due to being closer to the sparks and flames in Muspell. Amidst Muspell and Niflheim there was a placid location of ice and fire. The phenomenon of rime and blowing heat colliding created a magical being called Ymir. He was the ancestor of the clan of Jotnar. According to legends, once Ymir was asleep. He was sweating. From his left arm a male Jotnar and from his right hand a female Jotnar was formed. His limbs crossed and they too formed children. Ymir survived on the milk rivers. It flowed from the teats of Auombla which was a mystic cow. The salt from the rime stones was Auombla’s food. Once she licked for three days. A beautiful strong man came out named Buri. Buri’s son Borr married one of the Jotnar daughters named Bestla. The couple had three sons, Odin, Vili and Ve who are the gods of the Norse mythology. They in turn killed Ymir. His blood flooded into streams and rivers creating massive waterfalls. These floods drowned all of the Jotnar cult. However, two Jotnars, Bergelmir and his wife sailed past the flooded landscape. Odin, Vili and Ve then took the corpse of Ymir and carved the universe out of it. They took his body to the centre of Gunningagap and formed the earth from his flesh. They created the rocks from his bones, the water bodies from his blood and the stones from his teeth and the other fragments of bone. They circled the Earth’s landscapes with oceans. The skull of Ymir formed the sky which was placed above the Earth. The sky had four points each held by a dwarf. They took light sparks from Muspell and created the Sun and other planets. These were placed in a linear position with the Earth, some above and some below. In this some had fixed positions while others revolved in a predetermined cycle. The Jotnar had their own land much like the concept of heaven in other mythologies. From Ymir’s eyelashes the fortification of the Jotnar’s land was made for the hostility of the Jotnars. This fortification was named Miogaror or a central enclosure. At last his brains formed the clouds. Thus the extent of science is commendable during those ages. They exactly knew about each and every phenomenon going on around the Cosmos.
Nine worlds: All the astronomical objects such as time, space and water bodies were personified in the Norse mythology. Goddess Sol was the sun. Moon was the male Mani. The Earth was worshipped as Joro. Night as female Jottun Nott. Day as Dagr and his father Dellingr as dawn. All these had specific meanings to each like Dellingr means shining so it represented dawn. The nine daughters were the offspring of God of waters that is Ran and Aegir. Yggdrasil was the centre of the Norse cosmology. On the stretched tree branches various creatures dwell. Even the Gods visit the tree to assemble their things and governing uses. The tree stretches up to the heaven and is supported by three roots that stretch to heaven, spring and earth. All creatures dwell within Yggdrasil including a dragon, an eagle and stags. According to old Norse texts nine worlds or Niu Heimar exists. They revolve around Yggdrasil. They were called to give power. According to Prose Edda, Odin threw Hel, Locki’s daughter into the underworld. She was the ruler of all the nine worlds. The nine worlds were a part of this cosmos comprising of all the layers of the universe including heaven and earth. However it lacks much mention in the old texts. According to the Norse Anthropogenic beliefs, Ask and Embla were the first humans created by God. They come from driftwood to a shore. The creator Gods who created them vary from source to source. In the prophecies of Poetic Edda they are Odin, Hoenir and Loourr while in Prose Edda they are Odin, Villi and Ve. According to the Eschatology, the Norse texts give an account of future events named Ragnarok. The details provide death of many including deities in various natural calamities. It suggests that the world will be submerged in water. Later it will again resurface newly. The new land will be fertile. Those who survived will meet the Gods returning. Thus humankind would again start anew by Lif and Lifshar born from Yggdrasil.
Norse cosmology and modern science: A deep peek in the Norse cosmology can give us some very needed hints. Modern science is almost similar to the Norse beliefs. Their idea of the Cosmos and the formation of the universe is equivalent to the modern Big Bang theory which says that the universe started from a single point. They were so advanced that they even predicted the future world. According to modern science, the present civilization will submerge under water in the near future and life will start anew when it resurfaces back. The same was said by them thousands of years ago. As we know space colonies are being set up in space and humans have started living their for further research. The same theory was put up by them in the form of Gods who would return back on earth and start the population again. We have given a detailed account of this in our previous articles. So give them a read. Whatever may be the situation but the Norse people were indeed very developed in cosmology.
Hope you enjoyed reading. It’s very interesting to explore and be dazed at the excellent progress of the primitive people. It brings us to the concept that time is a cycle and whatever is happening today also happened in the past. The modern advancements of science are no surprise anymore. It existed in previous days as well. Kudos to their thinking capabilities. Stay tuned for more interesting facts. Stay connected and safe.