Viking Gods

1. The Vikings believed there were many different gods who lived in a place called Asgard.

2. Each Viking god was responsible for a different thing.

3. The most powerful Viking god was Odin, God of War.

4. Odin was shown as a strong, tall man with a beard and one eye.

5. It was believed that Odin gave up one of his eyes for knowledge.

6. Odin kept two ravens that flew out every day to collect knowledge and his horse, Sleipner, had 8 legs.

7. Odin also had a spear called Grungir, when he threw the spear he never missed his target.

8. Thor was the most popular Viking god and was very strong, wearing iron gloves and a belt of strength.

9. Thor was God of Thunder and, with his hammer, Miollnir, was the main defender of the gods against the giants.

10. Vikings believed that Thor was responsible for thunderstorms.

11. They thought he drove around the skies in his chariot pulled by goats, swinging his hammer around and making sparks.

12. Some other well-known Viking gods were Freya, Goddess of Love and Loki, God of Fire.

13. The great enemies of the gods were the giants.

14. Vikings believed that the world would end in a final battle between the gods and the giants.

15. Valhalla was where the Viking warriors went when they died in battle.

16. It was a splendid palace that they lived in with Odin.

17. The warriors were picked from the battlefield by the Valkyries.

18. These were women who wore armour and rode on winged horses.

19. In the final battle between the Viking gods and the giants the warriors would fight with Odin against the giants.

20. Viking peasants were taken by Thor to his hall, Bilskirnir.

21. Vikings believed they would join their gods in the afterlife, and put many things in their grave to prepare for this.

22. Viking men took weapons and tools, women took household pots and jewellery.

23. Viking graves were often made in the shape of a ship.