Úlfs Keptr
From All Skies Encyclopaedia
Ulfs Keptr
Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann
Úlfs Keptr, jaw of the wolf, is a Norse constellation mentioned in the Rimtöl glosses.
Concordance, Etymology, History
Origin of Constellation
Rimtöl glosses
It is identified with the Hyades (Sigurðsson 2022,[1] p. 241).
Wolves play a significant role in Old Norse mythology, as they are foretold to devour the sun and moon at Ragnarök (Sturluson 2017,[2] p. 25). The Hyades lie along the moon’s path, and their V-shaped arrangement naturally invites comparison with a jaw snapping at the moon. Holmberg (2022,[3] p. 18) further proposes that this wolf-jaw constellation may already have been recorded on the Rök Runestone in the early 9th century.
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
Religion/ Tales/ Mythology
mnemonic tales and cultural significance
Weblinks
References
- References (general)
- ↑ Sigurðsson, G. (2022) ‘How Gylfi’s Illusion Breathes Life into the Sky’, Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift, 74, pp. 231–246. DOI: 10.7146/rt.v74i.132105.
- ↑ Sturluson, S. (2017) The Edda of Snorri Sturluson. Translated by K. Simrock. Bibliographically updated edition. Stuttgart: Reclam.
- ↑ Holmberg, P. (2022) ‘Watching Star Wars with Viking Age Subtitles: An analysis of cohesion and coherence in the Rök runestone inscription’, Arkiv för nordisk filologi, 137, pp. 231–246. (Publication date: 2 May 2025).
