A look at nature spirits in Norse mythology

Supernatural creatures of all kinds inhabit the worlds of Norse mythology and like many of the ancient cultures from around the world, the Norse had a strong and robust belief in the spirits of nature.  Like the mythology surrounding the Greek’s conception of nature spirits, the Norse nature spirits were split into families dependent on what they did.  Collectively, all these nature spirits where called the Vættir.

Connected to our world via a mountain range and some very dense forests are the Jotnar or Jotunn.  These were the giants of the Norse world and they lived in Jötunheimr.  The Jotunn are split into two separate sorts.  The first type of jotunn is unnamed in Nordic literature.  They are only described as hideous and deformed and sometimes with more than one head.  The second type of Jotunn is given individual names and is seen as the complete opposite of the first type being full of ancient wisdom and beautiful enough to become consorts to the gods. 

Living above us in Álfheimr are the Ljósálfar or light elves.  These elves are considered to be fairer than the sun to look at.  Their counterparts are the Dökkálfar or dark Elves.  These elves are supposed to be blacker than pitch and live below us under the earth in a place called Svartálfaheimr.  The two are also considered to be completely opposite in temperament and all things that matter. 

Along with the dark elves the race of dvergr or dwarves as they are more commonly known also lives in Svartálfaheimr.  Unlike the dark elves, the dwarves are generally considered useful and good beings and were associated with being a smith, mining and crafting.  In fact they were so good at smith craft and crafting that they created many of the god’s goods including Gungnir, the spear of Odin and Mjolnir the hammer of Thor.

As well as these families there were also general nature spirits called Landvættir.  The Landvættir were concerned with the flourishing of the specific place where they lived.  This place could be as large as a patch of land or as small as a rock.  It did not matter how large the place was, only that it was connected to the natural land.  Sister to the Landvættir are the landdísir.  These beings are thought to be female beings that inhabit special specific stones.  These stones are known as landdísasteinar.

Belief in these land spirits still persists today with the modern day pagan Aasatru Association being the most obvious believers.  Many farms and natural areas have rocks that cannot be moved or places that do not get mowed too closely.  If you need any more proof of this all you have to do is look at the Icelandic coat of arms which features four Landvættir who protected the land from a marauding king. A tale that is recounted in Harald sends a warlock to Iceland.