Freys sigð
Authors: Youla Azkarrula
Freys sigð, the Freyr’s sickle, 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
Freys sigð (Freyr’s sickle) belongs to the god Freyr, who governs rain and sunshine and thus the fertility of the earth. He is invoked for a good harvest (Sturluson 2017[1], p. 37). The star Spica (“ear of grain”) served as a calendar star for sowing and harvest in various cultures and periods. A constellation corresponding to a sickle located around Spica fits into Old Norse mythology, as Freyr is depicted on an 11th-century runestone (Gotland Runic Inscription 181). The depicted shape is an approximation, but it can be traced through the brightness of the stars forming the sickle.
Identification
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
nothing known
Religion/ Tales/ Mythology
Weblinks
- Norse Constellations by Digitalis Solutions[2]
- Valkyria.com Norse Calendar
References
- References (general)
