Category: Norse Symbols

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Web of Wyrd – the new, the old and the wyrd

Web of Wyrd – Yet, Ney or Maybe…Y.

Here I am trying to untangle the “wyrd” web surrounding this symbol. *Ba Dum Tsss*

All puns aside, this is a subject of many arguments surrounding the origins of this symbol. Some say it’s Viking. Others say that it is as old as time. The big majority argue that it’s a ’90’s thing…. and some don’t care.

The new…

Surprisingly enough, the first depiction of this symbols appeared sometime in the early ’90’s. 1993 to be more specific, in a book written by Jan Fries. A German occultist in the book Helrunar: A Manual of Rune Magick.

The symbol itself has 2 forms, one organic (made of 9 woven twigs) and a more geometric form with straight sides. Both forms have caught very well to the large public, people that follow the Norse religion and even other pagans.

My opinion of why the Web of Wyrd symbol caught up so well is the fact that it just looks so good. It’s a simple representation of something that has been already there for a long time – Fate.

The old…

Simpler forms of this design have been discovered in other ancient civilizations, being it a knot or just a string.

Traditionally Fate needed a depiction for the common person or artist to visualise something that most people of the past believed in.

There is even a Norn with the name of Wyrd – the one that represents the past.

The other 2 Norns are Verðandi which represent the present and Skuld for the future – the web tying all 3 instances of a person’s existence together.

The Wyrd…web

The Wyrd in a few words means Fate of the past. Every culture and civilization on the face of the Earth since the beginning of time believed in it, furthermore, in the Norse culture, the Wyrd is the shape of a person’s past and how their actions have woven the net of their fate. It to be confused with Orlog, which is the the predestined fate of a person and what must happen.

Web of Wyrd, the symbol.

The Web, as I mentioned before, is a modern creation and represents the string woven by all three Norns, past, present and future.

It is now commonly used in all sorts of jewellery and decorations.

To be perfectly honest with you, I like it!

It’s a nice addition to an already rich cultural symbolism.

I like it’s paradoxal complex simplicity, which, I believe is the perfect way to describe fate.

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My opinion about The Helm of Awe AKA Helm of Terror

Helm of Awe and where it came from

So, this is just me throwing my two cents about the Helm of Awe or the Helm of Terror. A symbol of protection and also discord among Norse pagans.

I am a member of a lot of groups on Facebook and Reddit where people get into these long arguments about the Helm of Awe and it’s origins.

The fact is, this symbol appears for the first time in 1847 in the Huld manuscript and even then it was just a mention of it. IT’S A MODERN SYMBOL! *jaw drops*

This beautiful symbol, an Icelandic magic stave. Beautifully written and hardly ever pronounced correctly of anyone other than true Scandinavians, is a modern symbol. Yes it is modern.

The new trend of “vikings”, we will call them members of the “brosatru guild” use this tattoo to embellish their skin like their “Viking”ancestors did. Apparently no one comes from farmer Norsemen anymore, but whatever, I divagate.

Even tho it’s a modern symbol and has nothing to do with the true vikings, came around far later in history, it’s still a Norse symbol. A highly Christianised symbol, but still from a region where Norsemen lived.

Like any coulture “inappropriately touched” by Christianity, Norse used elements from their past and combined them with the new, giving birth to something like the Helm of Awe.

“You do you (…)”

In my opinion and just my opinion, you do you. If you like to use Ægishjálmur *blabbers* in a tattoo, use it! It’s your skin!

I personally like this symbol because of its symmetry. This might just be my OCD talking. It has power and I can feel it. I know this is all subjective and the old Norse didn’t have this symbol, but still…

In my opinion any symbol that someone decides to wear has power and meaning to the person wearing it.

In conclusion, whatever you decide to call it, the Helm of Awe or the Helm of Terror or even *clears throat* Ægishjálmur remember it’s a modern symbol that didn’t exist in the time of true vikings.

PS. If you thought this is weird, read the article about the Web of Wyrd symbol!