THE SVEFNTHORN

 The Svefnthorn (Old Norse svefnorn, “sleep thorn,” pronounced “SVEFN-thorn”) is a symbol that appears in various Norse sagas as well as folklore magical formulas dating back to the Viking Age.

If it is described or depicted at all, its visual shape differs widely from source to source. Unlike most early Norse symbols, it doesn't appear to have had a single shape. There are also significant differences in how the Svefnthorn is applied to someone, as well as the exact effects the Svefnthorn has once applied.

The Svefnthorn was used to send an adversary into a deep sleep from which he or she would not awaken for a long time, according to every reference to it in the literature.

Let’s have a look at how the Svefnthorn is mentioned in Old Norse and later Icelandic literature.

The deity Odin used a Svefnthorn to put the valkyrie Brynhildr (Brunhild) to sleep, and she couldn’t wake up until someone crossed the tremendous circle of fire Odin had lighted around her sleeping body in The Saga of the Volsungs. Sigurd, the hero, was bold and capable enough to approach her through the flames, and thus awoke her. [1]

Queen Olof “stuck” King Helgi with a Svefnthorn in The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki to knock him unconscious so she could play a trick on him and his troops. The impact vanished in a matter of hours, seemingly on its own. 

Vilhjalmr inserted a Svefnthorn into Hrolf’s head in the middle of the night in Gongu-Saga, Hrolf’s and he didn’t wake up until the next day, when a horse tossed his sleeping body around and the thorn fell out. Rather than being a “simple” spell, the thorn appears to have been a tangible object embedded in Hrolf’s head. 

“This symbol would be carved on oak and set beneath the head of the one who is supposed to sleep so that he cannot awaken until it is taken away,” says the ninth spell from the Huld Manuscript, an early modern book of Icelandic spells, referring to the Svefnthorn. Below is a sign that resembles a row of four harpoons (as seen in the image at the top of this article). 
Another traditional Icelandic spell is as follows:

To make a sleep thorn, take a dog’s heart sac [pericardium] and fill it with pickling broth. Then, while the one to whom you desire to do this is sleeping, dry it for thirteen days in a spot where the sun does not light on it, and hang it in the home over him entirely without his knowledge. 

The particular consequences that the spell will have aren’t specified. How long do you think the sleeper will sleep? Will he be able to wake up on his own or will he have to wait for a certain time?

The visual portrayal of the Svefnthorn isn’t addressed in the majority of these situations. It’s sometimes the “four harpoons” symbol from the previous image, and sometimes it’s a vertical line with a diamond shape at the bottom when it is. [6] It’s possible that the latter sign is an Isaz rune with an Ingwaz rune beneath it. Runes also appear to be used in other Norse/Germanic emblems, such as the Helm of Awe. However, the meaning of this particular runic combination in relation to the Svefnthorn, if any, is unknown, and I’m not going to speculate.

As a result, it’s unclear what the Svefnthorn’s visual shape was or how to apply it to a person. The sources disagree on this point, as they do on whether the spell would wear off on its own or if it could only be broken by performing a specific deed. Most likely, this is due to fluctuations in all of these factors over time and space. After all, ancient Germanic religion was based on a set of basic principles that were never codified or systematized, but varied significantly in their expressions and uses. They didn’t care as much about rationalization as we do now. However, it is obvious that the Svefnthorn was regarded as a strong magical item capable of lulling a person into a long and deep sleep from which he or she would struggle to awaken.

Are you interested in learning more about Norse mythology and religion? While this site serves as the best online introduction to the subject, my book The Viking Spirit serves as the best overall introduction to Norse mythology and religion. In addition, I’ve compiled a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books, which you’ll likely find useful in your search.

To help illustrate how fascinating Viking Svefnthorn truly is, here is the most fascinating design you should take a look :

Viking Svefnthorn Norse Pagan Symbol

A Svefnthorn is an ancient magic rune that originated from Norse mythology and is shrouded in mystery.
Its visual form, when described or depicted at all, varies considerably from source to source, as shown in the image above. Unlike most ancient Norse symbols, it doesn’t seem to have had anyone definitive shape. There are also significant differences in how one would go about applying the Svefnthorn to someone, as well as the exact effects that the Svefnthorn would bring about once applied.
But the mentions of the Svefnthorn in the literature all have one thing in common: the Svefnthorn was used to put an adversary into a deep sleep from which he or she wouldn’t awaken for a long time.

Viking Svefnthorn Norse Pagan Symbol