Click on image for full size
Odin
Odin was the prominent deity of the Norsemen. He was called the All-Father. Odin was depicted as a middle aged man with long curly hair and a beard. His weapon, called Gungnir, was an infallible spear made by dwarfs. He was continuously accompanied by two ravens whose names were Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory). The two ravens informed Odin daily of the doings of the gods, giants, dwarfs, and men.Odin's thirst for knowledge was so insatiable that he exchanged one of his eyes for the opportunity to drink from a sacred Mimir's well which was filled with knowledge. Moreover, he offered himself as a sacrifice to learn the secret of the runes, or magic spells. That is why he pierced himself with a spear and then hanged himself for nine nights on the World Tree.
He visits the different realms disguised as a bird or a beast. His special attendants were the Valkyries, female valiant warriors. The role of the Valkyries was to take all the warriors slain in battle to Valhalla, a hall which was close to Odin's palace in Asgard, the city of Heaven.
Around the eighth and ninth centuries, Odin took over the role of the sky god, which previously belonged to Tyr. Odin and his brothers, Vili and Ve, created the world from the body of the primeval giant Ymir. Ymir's blood formed the sea, his flesh formed the earth, and his bones and teeth made up the mountains and the stones.
According to the myth of the Norsemen at the end of the present world, an unavoidable great battle among gods, giants, and men would take place bringing the destruction of the world. The name of this battle was Ragnarok. Only two beings would survive from the battle, Lif (life) and Lifthrasir(eager for life), who would bring the hope of a better world. At Ragnarok, Odin was swallowed by an enormous wolf that lived in the land of the gods.
