The disc features an inscription: “He is Odin’s man,” said Krister Vasshus, a linguist who helped to decipher the runic inscription. He added that it also features a name or nickname “Jaga” or “JagaR,” who was likely the king or ruler of the place where the bracteate was made.
This “can tell us something about the relationship people had with their gods and possibly even how divine rulership was organized in Scandinavia at this time,” he said.
Although it was known that Odin had existed as a concept or deity for centuries before the bracteate was created, Vasshus said it was “very exciting indeed.”
“The carver knew exactly how to shape the runes to make them perfect, simply perfect,” he added. “They are exquisite.”
The bracteate also displays a swastika, an ancient symbol used throughout the Iron Age and later co-opted by German nationalists and Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party.
Odin appears in multiple pre-Christian barbarian belief systems across northern Europe in the centuries following the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west. He was known as Wōden to the Saxons who colonized England in the 5th and 6th centuries, and as Uuôden in Old Dutch.
Some traditions place him as the father or ruler of the gods. The Prose Edda, one of the main sources of Norse mythology, refers to Odin as the "Allfather."
“Odin is highest and eldest of the Æsir [the primary group of Norse gods]: he rules all things, and mighty as are the other gods, they all serve him as children obey a father,” it says.
The Edda was based on Old Norse tradition but was written in 13th century Iceland long after Vikings had converted to Christianity.
Odin's sons included Thor, the god of thunder, the inspiration for Marvel's comic book series and movie series of the same name.
Some modern Icelanders still follow the Old Norse pagan religion: work began on a temple honoring the gods in 2016.
Vasshus said the bracteate may have been buried to hide it from enemies or as a tribute to appease the gods.
"It’s a very large amount of gold, so it must have been a very serious situation that they wanted improve," he said.
“We know that in 536 A.D. there was an enormous volcanic eruption and there were at least two more that blocked the light of the sun. There must have been famine in the areas that relied on grains and cereals,” he said. “We also know that in 541 A.D. there was a plague similar to the Black Death.”
He added that at that time “Scandinavia was predominantly an area where they relied on oral tradition, so it was not a very literate society and we have very few written sources from this part of the world at this period of time.”
As a result, he said, the disc, “pushes our knowledge a bit further which is very exciting.”
Patrick Smith
Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.
Henry Austin
Henry Austinis a senior editor for NBC News Digital based in London.
FAQs
Before the Vindelev hoard's discovery, the oldest mention of Odin was a brooch found in southern Germany from the latter half of the 6th century. A centuries-old gold disc found in Denmark has revealed the earliest known mention of the Norse god Odin at least 150 years earlier than any previous inscription.
What is the oldest reference to Norse god Odin found? ›
Earliest mention of Odin, 'king of the gods,' found in treasure hoard from Denmark. The oldest known inscription mentioning the Norse god Odin has been found on a gold pendant in Denmark from the fifth century A.D.
Is Odin the oldest Norse god? ›
The discovery of the oldest recorded mention of the god Odin – usually known from much later stories of Norse mythology – pushes the age of this deity back at least 150 years to the early 5th century. Odin is a complex and fascinating deity and the new find offers insights into the worldviews of ancient Scandinavians.
What is the Viking depiction of Odin? ›
Odin was represented as a tall old man with a flowing beard and only one eye (the other he gave in exchange for wisdom). He was usually depicted wearing a cloak and a wide-brimmed hat and carrying a spear.
Is there any evidence that Odin is real? ›
While some people have argued that the Norse god Odin derives from an actual historical figure, there is no concrete evidence to support that assertion. In actuality, Odin the All-Father is a combination of various Norse values, ideas, and powers emanating from a shared cultural ideal.
What is the first evidence of Odin? ›
One possible reading of the Gothic Ring of Pietroassa is that the inscription "gutaniowi hailag" means "sacred to Wodan-Jove", but this is highly disputed. The earliest clear reference to Odin by name is found on a C-bracteate discovered in Denmark in 2020.
What is the earliest reference to Norse mythology? ›
The two main sources for all extant Norse mythology are the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, both from the 13th century. The Poetic Edda is a compilation of verses from around the 10th century while the Prose Edda is a narrative written by the Icelandic mythographer and scholar Snorri Sturluson (l.
Is Odin older than Christianity? ›
Answer and Explanation: Norse mythology does not predate Christianity. It's structure and beliefs did not take shape until the 8th or 9th century CE. However, the Germanic mythology that it extends from does predate Christianity significantly, perhaps by as much as two thousand years.
Which god is older Zeus or Odin? ›
Chronologically speaking, most scholars contest that Odin was created before Zeus . The earliest evidence for worship of Zeus goes back before 500 BCE, but Odin is attested by various Germanic tribes as far back as the 12th century BCE.
What is the oldest known god? ›
Ishtar (Inanna in Sumerian sources) is a primary Mesopotamian goddess closely associated with love and war. This powerful Mesopotamian goddess is the first known deity for which we have written evidence.
He then hanged himself in Yggdrasil, the tree of life, for nine days and nine nights in order to gain knowledge of other worlds and be able to understand the runes.
Is Odin stronger than Zeus? ›
So while Zeus' best feat is defeating a mountain-sized monster, Odin's best feat is defeating a monster as big as nine worlds. Odin outclasses Zeus in intelligence, versatility, strength, and weapons. Zeus simply can't compete. The winner is Odin, All-Father of the Æsir.
What is the Viking symbol for Odin? ›
Valknut: Odin's Knot of the Slain Explained:
Comprising three interlocking triangles, this symbol is often associated with Odin's role as a god of war, death, and the afterlife. The name "Valknut" is derived from Old Norse, where "valr" means "slain warriors" and "knut" signifies "knot".
Did Vikings really believe in Odin? ›
At the start of the Viking age most Scandinavians were pagan. They had many gods and goddesses from simple nature spirits to heroic figures. Odin, Thor and Frey were the major deities, who dwelled in Asgard – the inner world of an elaborate universe. Vikings believed they travelled to other worlds in the afterlife.
What body part is Odin missing? ›
Odin was an important god in Norse mythology. He was missing an eye because he sacrificed it in order to gain divine wisdom from the god Mímir.
When was Odin found? ›
Lisbeth Imer, a runologist with the National Museum in Copenhagen, said the inscription represented the first solid evidence of Odin being worshipped as early as the fifth century – at least 150 years earlier than the previous oldest known reference, which was on a brooch found in southern Germany and dated to the ...
What is the Old Norse rune for Odin? ›
Ansuz is the conventional name given to the a-rune of the Elder Futhark, ᚨ. The name is based on Proto-Germanic *ansuz, denoting a deity belonging to the principal pantheon in Germanic paganism.
