Mysterious Valkyrie Eir Remains An Enigma In Norse Mythology

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - The identity of mysterious Valkyrie Eir remains an enigma. There is reason to believe that she once played an important role in Norse religion, yet so little is known about this enigmatic shield maiden.

Eir was one of the 12 or 13 highest-ranking goddesses. She was an Asynjur who could predict the future and heal.

In Norse mythology, the Asynjur was the female who lived together with the Aesir, the male gods in Asgard.

Was Valkyrie Eir A Goddess Of Healing?

In the Gylfaginning, the first part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Eir is described as the "best physician" among the Norse gods and goddesses.

In the Poetic Edda poem Fjölsvinnsmál, Eir is said to sit on the hill Lyfjaberg, which in Old Norse means the "hill of healing."

Eir was somehow related to healing, but was she also a goddess? Although Snorri Sturluson refers to Eir as a goddess, her name doesn't appear in the list of Asynjur, which suggests that she was not one of the goddesses.

However, her name is listed among the names of Valkyries.

As Ancient Pages explained earlier, in Norse mythology, the Valkyries were the choosers of the slain. The Valkyries were females riding on horses armed with helmets and spears. They would decide who would die in battle and drift over the battleground to find their prey.

Valkyrior rida till striden (1818) by Johan Gustaf Sandberg (Translation: Valkyries riding to the battle)

Selecting among half of those who die in battle, the Valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the great god Odin.

We should not forget that the Valkyries could awaken the dead and heal their wounds, which could explain why Eir was referred to as a Goddess of Healing. However, other famous Valkyries, like Brynhildr or Sigrdriva, were never credited with healing powers, and it seems Valkyrie Eir must have been more significant than we realize.

Was Valkyrie Eir One Of The Norns?

Odin said of Eir in Lokasenna that she knew the fates as well as himself.

According to mythologist and folklorist Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson (1914 – 2006), Valkyrie Eir was singled out as one of the Norns who shaped the lives of children.

In Old Norse mythology, the Norns were known as 'Shapers of Destiny.'

The Norns Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld under the world oak Yggdrasil (1882) by Ludwig Burger, wikipedia

The Norns were goddesses who ruled the fates of people and determined individuals' destinies and lifespans. Eir is also found on a list of the maidens who serve Menglod (Menglöd), a beautiful giantess.

Some Norse scholars suggest it's possible Eir was, from the beginning, a Valkyrie and later became a Goddess of Healing.

Her name is identical to the noun eir, which means "peace, clemency," but who she was and what she did has been very difficult to find out due to the lack of information about her. We can also add that her peaceful name is not typical for a Valkyrie.

So, until now, it's fair to say that the mysterious Valkyrie Eir remains a mystery in Norse mythology.

Updated on November 3, 2022

Written by  Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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