Jormungandr
Authors: Youla Azkarrula
Jormungandr, Midgard Serpent, 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
Jormungandr (Midgard Serpent) is the serpent that spans the world in Eddic myths. As Thor’s adversary, it appears in the fishing episode (Sturluson 2017[1], p. 66). It can be associated with a constellation similar to Hydra, but in this model, stars visible from Iceland are used. The position along the Milky Way is notable, as the dragon or snake Nidhögg lies beneath a root of Yggdrasil and gnaws at it (Sturluson 2017[1], p. 28). In this model, where the Milky Way represents Yggdrasil, Jormungandr could assume Nidhögg’s role.
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)
