[6] Turville-Petre, E.O.G. Freyr was the son of Njord God of Seafaring and also the brother of Freya Goddess of War in Norse … Tolkein's fantasy novels which included elves became popular, elves have become more popular and tend to lean more towards the latter type. [1] Orel, Vladimir. ISBN-13 978-0-4608-7616-2, Lee M. Hollander (1962) The Poetic Edda. Over time the word elf, as w… It's long been considered that elves are creatures of light and goodness, but that is … When reading the old Norse sources, the elves and dwarves do seem to be very closely connected, and they could, in fact, be the one and the same. He proposed that there were three types of elves, but that the dwarves were among them. Who Were the Indo-Europeans and Why Do They Matter. [3] The lines between elves and other spiritual beings such as the gods, giants, dwarves, and land spirits are blurry, and it seems unlikely that the heathen Germanic peoples themselves made any cold, systematic distinctions between these various groupings. An elf (Old Norse álfr, Old English ælf, Old High German alb, Proto-Germanic *albaz) is a certain kind of demigod-like being in the pre-Christian mythology and religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. However, the lines between elves and other creatures were a little bit blurry. The elves are luminous beings, “more beautiful than the sun,” [2] whose exalted status is demonstrated by their constantly being linked with the Aesir and Vanir gods in Old Norse and Old English poetry. 15th. We would find it hard to distinguish whom from whom. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books, which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. In Norse mythology, the elves lived in the land known as Alfheim meaning the land of elf. The Prose Edda. It’s especially hard to discern the boundary that distinguishes the elves from the Vanir gods and goddesses. Freyr was the son of Njord God of Seafaring and also the brother of Freya Goddess of War in Norse mythology. [3] Turville-Petre, E.O.G. ISBN 978-0-292-76499-6. The most important elven ritual occurred at the end of autumn, and this was and still is called Álfablót (The elven sacrifice). The elves were worshipped in Scandinavia during and prior to the Viking Age. An elf (Old Norse álfr, Old English ælf, Old High German alb, Proto-Germanic *albaz) is a certain kind of demigod-like being in the pre-Christian mythology and religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. Jesse Byock (2005) Snorri Sturluson, The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 17. [7] Humans and elves can interbreed and produce half-human, half-elfin children, who often have the appearance of humans but possess extraordinary intuitive and magical powers. The Vanir god Freyr is the lord of the elves’ homeland, Alfheim,[4] and at least one Old Norse poem repeatedly uses the word “elves” to designate the Vanir. The lord of the land of Elf was Freyr god of sunshine and summer. Since the dark elves have been described as living under the ground, which could indicate that they, in fact, are dwarves. The elves are luminous beings, “more beautiful than the sun,”[2] whose exalted status is demonstrated by their constantly being linked with the Aesir and Vanir gods in Old Norse and Old English poetry. The Elves of Norse mythology are usually considered to be the height of humans or just above, and they were thought to be long-lived or immortal. We would find it hard to distinguish whom from whom. [5] Hall, Alaric. 1964. Germanic in character, the mythology of the elven race stems in the pre-Christian Norse religion and language. 2003. Freyr who is the brother of Freya became the ruler of their realm Alfheim (Old Norse: Álfheimr). p. 13. It should be said that the elves and dwarves should not be understood as they are portrayed in J.R.R Tolkien’s universe, where they are very different species. Texas, USA: University Research Institute of the University of Texas. In my personal opinion, they are not the same, but they are very closely connected. There are some scattered references of elves in the Poetic Edda, but their roles in Norse myths were minimal, at best. p. 232. The worship of the elves persisted centuries after the Germanic people’s formal conversion to Christianity, as medieval law codes prohibiting such practices demonstrate. The Old Norse Language and How to Learn It, The Swastika – Its Ancient Origins and Modern (Mis)use. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. They are supernatural beings in Germanic mythology and folklore, elves were first attested in Old English and Old Norse texts and are prominent in British and Scandinavian folklore. p. 231. 3rd. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. God Freyr God of … Not much is known about them, but they have some form of connections to the Aesir and the Vanir. However, the lines between elves and other creatures were a little bit blurry. Grímnismál, stanza 5. edition. Snorri Sturluson has separated the elves into two groups, the light elves (Old Norse: ljósalfar) and dark elves (Old Norse: svartalfar). However, this might be a misconception and a wrongful translation of the Poetic Edda. Elves commonly cause human illnesses,[6] but they also have the power to heal them, and seem especially willing to do so if sacrifices are offered to them. The … The elves are luminous beings, “more beautiful than the sun,” whose exalted status is demonstrated by their constantly being linked with the Aesir and Vanir gods in Old Norse and Old English poetry. London, England: Everyman J. M. Dent. [5] Still, other sources do speak of the elves and the Vanir as being distinct categories of beings, such that a simple identification of the two would be misguided. All rights reserved. This ritual is still held within many Ásatrú communities throughout Scandinavia, and parts of North America. The elves are just like the Vanir, deities of nature and fertility, and they have the power to make humans ill, but they can also cure them with their vast knowledge of magical powers, just like a Völva. 1st. 1964. The elves (Old Norse: álfar, singular, álfr) are divine beings in Norse mythology. [8][9] Humans can apparently become elves after death, and there was considerable overlap between the worship of human ancestors and the worship of the elves.[10][11].