This name for Odin is a poetic way of explaining that the fallen warriors in a battle would go to Valhalla. This is known as the raven banner, and there have among others been found depictions of it on the Bayeux tapestry.Īnother raven name for Odin is the “raven sacrifice god” (Old Norse: Hrafnblóts Goði). One of the common symbols of Odin is the raven, some clans in Scandinavia had such a strong connection to him, that they used the raven on their war flag. This stanza could also highlight his worry about the risks of entering a shamanic trance-state journey on a daily basis, especially when being split into two animals. He has a tremendous amount of knowledge, and he might be afraid to forget some of it, maybe because of age. However, it could also have a deeper meaning, and Odin might be worried about his own memory. This part could on the surface indicate that he is worried if his ravens will return.

In shamanism it is quite common to take the form of an animal, this could, for instance, be in the form of a ritual, such as gathering knowledge.Īnother example of why Huginn and Muninn could be his own personification is the stanza from the poem Grímnismál in the Poetic Edda. Odin is known for being very knowledgeable within Seidr (Old Norse: seiðr), which is a Nordic form of shamanism. His close relation to the ravens could mean that they are a personification of himself. Huginn and Muninn are very close to Odin, in fact, so close that according to the Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson he is referred to as the raven god (Old Norse: Hrafnaguð).

Munin and hugin tattoo