The Valknut is a symbol consisting of three interlocking triangles. It has been found on various Germanic and Viking artifacts. The name "Valknut" is a modern term; it is unknown what names the ancient peoples used to refer to this symbol.
There are various interpretations of the meaning of the Valknut. Some associate it with the god Odin, as it is often depicted in his vicinity. The motif of three horns, forming a triskelion or triquetra, is also compared to the Valknut, as seen on the ninth-century Snoldelev stone. This suggests a possible connection between these symbols.
The Valknut in Archaeology
The Valknut symbol appears on various archaeological objects created by Germanic peoples. A notable example is the Nene River Ring, a gold ring from the 8th or 9th century CE from Anglo-Saxon England. The symbol is also seen on a carved bedpost from the Oseberg ship burial, a Viking ship buried near Tønsberg, Norway. Fragments of the Oseberg tapestry, a partially preserved textile from the same ship burial, also feature Valknut imagery. Additionally, the symbol appears on two Viking rune stones on the Swedish island of Gotland: the Stora Hammars I stone and the Tängelgårda stone.
The Valknut appears in two distinctive forms. The first is the unicursal form, an unbroken knot topologically similar to the triquetra, visible on the Tängelgårda stone. The second form is tricursal, where three triangles are interlinked, resembling Borromean rings. This form appears on one of the Stora Hammars stones, the Nene River Ring, and the Oseberg bedpost. While other variants may exist, these two are the only forms documented archaeologically.
What Does the Valknut Mean?
Scholars have proposed various theories regarding the meaning of the Valknut.
The Heart of Hrungnir
In Chapter 17 of Skáldskaparmál, part of the 13th-century Prose Edda, the heart of the jötunn Hrungnir is described in detail:
“Hrungnir had a heart that was famous. It was made of hard stone with three sharp, pointed corners, just like the carved symbol hrungnishjarta [Hrungnir’s heart].”
Researchers have often drawn parallels between the described hrungnishjarta and the Valknut. This triangular symbol, consisting of three interwoven triangles, may be associated with themes of death, battle, and the afterlife, which also play a role in Hrungnir’s myth.
Odin en mentale bindingen
The Tängelgårda stone, a rune stone from Gotland, Sweden, depicts the Valknut beneath an image of Odin’s horse Sleipnir. Hilda Ellis Davidson developed an intriguing theory linking the Valknut, the god Odin, and the concept of "mental bonds."
Davidson suggests that the Valknut, often depicted alongside Odin on his horse on various memorial stones, may be related to the triskele. She interprets this symbol as a representation of Odin’s ability to "bind" and "unbind," as described in ancient poems and other sources. Odin was seen as a god who could impose mental bonds that rendered men helpless in battle. At the same time, he could break these bonds by alleviating fear or tension through his gifts of battle frenzy, intoxication, or inspiration.
The Valknut and Death/Rebirth
Davidson notes that similar symbols appear alongside images of wolves and ravens on certain cremation urns from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in East Anglia.
Since the symbol appears on stones with images of Odin and in the burial goods of the Oseberg ship burial, Rudolf Simek suggests it may be associated with religious rituals surrounding death.
The Triquetra, Triskelion, or Valknut of Snoldelev
The Snoldelev Rune Stone in Denmark features various symbols combined with runic inscriptions. The inscriptions state that Gunnvaldr is a Þulʀ, a title possibly indicating a priest or skald (bard). In Old Norse, þula means "litany" or refers to a wise man, chieftain, or king. The stone depicts a symbol likely representing a triquetra, triskelion, or Valknut, formed by interlinked drinking horns.
Drinking horns were ceremonial objects used during feasts, sacrificial rituals, or oath-bound practices. The swastika on the stone may symbolize the immortal sun bringing fertility to the earth, while the triquetra could signify eternal loyalty to Gunnvaldr, the stone’s founder.
Conclusion
The meaning of the Valknut remains unclear, but the symbol seems to be associated with Odin/Wodan and likely represents a bond or oath with this god. In the pagan view of death, Odin also symbolizes the next life. Therefore, the Valknut’s association with Odin could symbolize loyalty in both this life and the afterlife, explaining its presence in burial rituals.
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