

You can highlight the terms by the frequency with which they occur in the written English language using the menu below.

So for example, you could enter "shaman" and click "filter", and it'd give you words that are related to hugin and munin and shaman. You can also filter the word list so it only shows words that are also related to another word of your choosing. By default, the words are sorted by relevance/relatedness, but you can also get the most common hugin and munin terms by using the menu below, and there's also the option to sort the words alphabetically so you can get hugin and munin words starting with a particular letter. The words at the top of the list are the ones most associated with hugin and munin, and as you go down the relatedness becomes more slight. You can get the definition(s) of a word in the list below by tapping the question-mark icon next to it. The top 4 are: shaman, midgard, odin and heimskringla. Their names meant “thought” and “memory,” giving credence to the idea that they were part of the god’s own mind.Below is a list of hugin and munin words - that is, words related to hugin and munin. Many historians interpret Hugin and Munin as shamanic totem animals. The Poetic Edda claimed that he released them each morning to gather and bring back news of what happened throughout the world. In Norse mythology, Hugin and Munin were two ravens who were often shown next to Odin. From a general symbol, they became an embodiment of the very essence of the Norse pantheon’s chief god. In this way, Hugin and Munin show how Norse perception of the gods and their powers evolved over time. Long connected to the fate of a battle, they became associated with fate and knowledge in a more general way. They emphasized Odin’s connection to the fate of war, but did not impart knowledge or watch over the world otherwise.Īs the mythology placed a great emphasis on Odin’s magic, particularly his search for knowledge, these birds took on an additional meaning. The early images of the ravens likely had a similar meaning as those in other Germanic cultures. The names Hugin and Munin were not attested until at least the 9th century, so there is no evidence that they were linked to ideas of thought and memory before then. READ NEXT:Svartalfheim: The Home of the Dark ElvesĪccording to some historians, the earliest images of the ravens likely had no connection to Odin’s mind. While the sacrifices he made to learn about fate and magic, such as giving his eye to the Well of Mimir or hanging himself for nine days on Yggdrasil, were dramatic events, the reports of Hugin and Munin allowed him to keep his knowledge current. This was one of many ways in which Odin constantly increased his knowledge. By dinnertime, they would return and report back on all that they had seen and heard as they flew over Midgard. They were his two most constant companions.Įach day at dawn, Odin would set the birds out into the world. How Odin used Hugin and MuninĪccording to 13th century writings, Odin had two ravens that he named Hugin (Thought) and Munin (Memory). They were not just practical agents of information, but also representations of the god’s powerful magical abilities. Many historians believe that these birds also served a symbolic purpose in Odin’s iconography. They reported to Odin over dinner, serving as mythological news reporters. The most iconic source of the god’s knowledge was a pair of ravens named Hugin and Munin.Īccording to legend, the ravens flew over the world each day to gather news of what was happening. While these stories were dramatic, Odin also had ways to get information in day-to-day life. He was willing to travel to Hel, give up an eye, and even make himself a human sacrifice to learn more about magic and fate. A recurring theme in the mythology of Odin is his constant search for information.
