Fiskikarlar

Authors: Youla Azkarrula

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Fiskikarlar in Stellarium

Fiskikarlar, the fishermen, is a Norse constellation mentioned in the Rímtǫl glosses, which dates back to the 11th century CE and is an Old Norse calendar of 52 weeks (364 days).

Concordance, Etymology, History

Origin of Constellation

The name “fishermen” likely refers to the fishing episode in the Edda, where Thor and the giant Hymir fish for the Midgard Serpent using the head of the ox Himinhjǫrð (Sturluson 2017, p. 66). The legend predates the Rimtöl gloss, recorded already in the 10th century (Krause 2010, p. 133). The identification of the constellation with Orion’s three belt stars fits the stellar culture, as Thor is both part of the fishermen in the myth and represented by the Orion constellation. Positioning the fishermen next to the Midgard Serpent and the ox’s head is consistent with representing the fishing episode in the sky.

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

nothing known

Rökstenen, rune stone near Ödeshög in south Sweden (CC BY Bengt Olof ÅRADSSON)

Weblinks

• Norse Constellations by Digitalis Solutions
• Valkyria.com Norse Calendar

All HIP Stars within this constellation

Convex Hull for the stars inside Fiskikarlar (CC BY Jakob Eyermann).

References

• References (general)