The 1800s saw a renewed interest and increase in popularity of all things Nordic and Viking.

Yes, even in the 1800s we were governed by the coming and goings of what’s “in”. The vegvisir and the interest in the slim VikingĪnother reason why the Viking symbol of Vegvisir was attributed to the Vikings, was because of a trend. When these straight lines are used together, it looks even more like runes, even though none of them actually represent words or even letters. These are similar to those found in the Viking runes that formed the Old Norse alphabet. The sigils used in these Icelandic pentagrams mentioned in the Huld Manuscript use many straight lines. This may explain why it is mistakenly called a runic compass. The confusion seems to come from the design of the Viking compass symbol itself. So, if you’re going on one of the Viking tours in Iceland, you won’t be seeing the Vegvisir anywhere in a Viking house in Iceland.

To give you an idea, the Viking Age was between 793 – 1066.Īssociating the Vegvisir of the 1800s with the Vikings would be like associating the steam locomotive with the Vikings. When translated, this means: “Carry this sign with you and you won't get lost in storms or bad weather, even in unfamiliar surroundings”.Īlthough we like to associate anything magical that comes from Iceland with Vikings in our minds, it would be ridiculous to do so. “Beri maður stafi þessa á sér villist maður ekki í hríðum né vondu veðri þó ókunnugur sá”. The Huld Manuscript was written in 1860 in Iceland by Geir Vigfusson and specifically stated. The first mention of it was in the Huld Manuscript along with other magical staves. The interesting reality regarding the Viking compass is that it actually has little to do with the Vikings at all. Directly translated, it is Vegr (way) and Visir (shower). What is the Meaning of the Viking Compass?Įxcept for the aim or symbolism behind the Vegvisir, the word itself means something like “way finder”. It is one of many Icelandic magical staves, or galdrastafir, which were supposedly used to channel magic in specific ways. The Vegvisir consists of eight points (similar to the look of a clock or a compass) with each point having a unique design. So one can still find it on people in the form of a tattoo, the jewelry they wear, and even video games such as Valheim. And although we no longer hand these to boat captains for good luck on their journeys, the symbol still holds a pretty powerful philosophy. It was not a literal compass, but a symbol used to prevent you from losing your way. The Vegvisir Compass is also known as the Nordic compass, the runic compass, the Odin compass, and the Viking compass. It is an eight-pointed shape, with each point having a unique design. Pronounced “VEGG-vee-seer”, this word translates to ‘sign post’ or ‘way finder’. Renting a car in Reykjavík is not going to help you very much when it comes to seeing the Vegvisir Viking Compass. And why we should still appreciate this “runic” compass for its interesting history and philosophy today.

In this article, we dive into this Nordic compass and the Vegvisir’s meaning. But is the Vegvisir Viking Compass really a good example of this? Symbols used for are intertwined with magical elements from their Nordic beliefs. The Vikings are known for their mythology.

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