A pendant with the oldest mention of the Scandinavian god Odin was found in Denmark. PHOTO

A pendant with the oldest mention of the Scandinavian god Odin was found in Denmark.  PHOTO



A gold pendant containing the oldest known inscription mentioning the Scandinavian supreme god Odin was found in Denmark. Archaeologists believe the pendant, made of thin stamped gold, dates back to the 5th century AD, Live Science reports. It is 150 years older than the previous oldest known artifact that mentions Norse mythology. “This means that Norse mythology can now be dated as far back as the beginning of the fifth century,” Lisbeth Imer, an expert on runes and writing at the National Museum of Denmark, told Live Science. Photo: Arnold Mikkelsen/National Museum of Denmark What is written on the pendant about Odin? The golden pendant was found among the treasures that scientists unearthed in Danish Jutland back in 2021. The find, which contained almost 1 kilogram of gold, is now known as the “Vindelevsky treasure” in honor of the town located nearby. Ymer and her colleague, linguist Christer Waschus, spent more than a year deciphering the runic inscription on the pendant. The runic inscription says: “He is the man of Odin.” Also on the pendant is written the name “Yaga” or “Yagaz” in the Proto-Norwegian language. The inscription may refer to an Iron Age chieftain or king who may have considered Odin as his ancestor. “I think the inscription refers to a central motif of a man on horseback, who may have been a local magnate or a king who believed himself to be a descendant of the king of gods and god of kings, Odin. We have other literary evidence that kings liked to present themselves as descendants of gods “, says the scientist. Read also: In Germany, a 3,000-year-old wooden “wishing well” was found, “Windelevsky treasure”, found in 2021. Photo: Conservation Center Vejle The runic inscription appears more worn than the rest of the pendant, as it may have been a sacred inscription that was touched to gain power. Also, on the pendant, the name “Odin” is written as “Vodnas” and not “Vodinas” – possibly because it is an early form of the Norwegian language. At the same time, the researcher added that it is difficult to interpret tiny runes. It will be recalled that in Scandinavian and late Germanic mythology, Odin was the supreme god, the god of war, death, wisdom, magic and runes, etc. The Norse pantheon had dozens of deities, but Odin was one of the three “chief gods” (also Thor and Freya). Odin is often depicted with one eye, as legend has it that he gouged out his other eye to gain unparalleled knowledge. In “Eddie the Younger”, Odin is portrayed as the patron saint of fallen warriors whom he receives in Valhalla. According to mythology, Odin is served by many magical creatures – in particular, two ravens Hugin and Munin (thought and memory), who bring him information from the world. Read also: Jewelry over 3,500 years old was found in Egypt. PHOTO



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