This Viking pendant necklace features a Raven with its talons clutching an axe with Elder Futhark Runes in the background. The back side features Vegvisir, the Viking Compass, with the Elder Futhark Runes.Pendant height 1 5/8"Pendant width 1 3/8"Necklace length is 23 1/2"All pendant necklaces come with a stainless steel chain.Hugin and Munin (pronounced "HOO-gin" and "MOO-nin"; Old Norse Huginn and Muninn, are two ravens who help the god Odin.Ravens were of great significance to the Vikings and revered as a sign from the Gods when they appeared. Odin had two ravens named Hugin and Munin (Old Norse Huginn and Muninn) The names come from the words hugr and munr which translates to "Thought" and "Memory"Two ravens sit on his (Odin's) shoulders and whisper all the news which they see and hear into his ear; they are called Huginn and Muninn. He sends them out in the morning to fly around the whole world, and by breakfast they are back again. Thus, he finds out many new things and this is why he is called 'raven-god'.From the Poetic Edda in the poem Grimnismal, Odin says:Hugin and MuninFly every dayOver all the world;I worry for HuginThat he might not return,But I worry more for Munin.The Algiz Rune represents protection and defense.An axe was the most common weapon of choice in the Viking Age and all free men and some women carried an axe at all times to protect their homes, farms, and communities. Axes were typically made of iron and quite plain but some were decorated with copper, silver, and/or gold.The most famous Viking ax is "Hel", named after the Norse goddess of death (Loki's daughter). This axe belonged to King Magnus of Norway and Denmark who inherited the weapon from his father, Olav Haraldsson of Norway and is also the axe is featured in Norway's coat of arms.The Vegvisir , "That Which Shows the Way", pronounced "VEGG-vee-seer". "If this sign is carried, one will never lose one's way in storms or bad weather, even when the way is not known." The Elder Futhark Runes are the original runic alphabet of the ancient Vikings and consists of 24 letters. The runes are symbols of the most powerful forces in the cosmos. The word 'rune' means both letter and secret. Runes allow one to access, use, and change the world shaping forces they symbolize. Odin watched the Norns from his seat in Asgard and envied their powers and wisdom and bend his will toward the task of coming to know the runes. To gain the secret knowledge of the runes Odin sacrificed himself to himself. He hung himself from a branch of Yggdrasil , pierced himself with his spear, and stared down into the shadowy waters of the Well of Urd below calling to the runes for nine days and nine nights. At the end of the ninth night the Runes accepted Odin's sacrifice and shown themselves to him, revealing to him all their secrets and powers they possessed.Then I was fertilized and became wise;I truly grew and thrived.From a word to a word I was led to a word,From a work to a work I was led to a work.
