Álfheimr Explained

In Norse cosmology, Álfheimr (Old Norse: in Norse, Old pronounced as /ˈɑːlvˌhɛimz̠/, "Land of the Elves" or "Elfland"; anglicized as Alfheim), also called "Ljósálfheimr" (Norse, Old: Ljósálf[a]heimr in Norse, Old pronounced as /ˈljoːsˌɑːlv(ɑ)ˌhɛimz̠/, "home of the Light Elves"), is home of the Light Elves.

Attestations

Álfheim as an abode of the Elves is mentioned only twice in Old Norse texts.

Grímnismál

The Eddic poem Grímnismál describes twelve divine dwellings beginning the stanza 5 with:

A tooth-gift is a gift given to an infant on the cutting of the first tooth.

Gylfaginning

In the 12th century Eddic prose Gylfaginning, Snorri Sturluson relates it in the stanza 17 as the first of a series of abodes in heaven:

Later in the section, in speaking of a hall in the Highest Heaven called Gimlé that shall survive when heaven and earth have died, explains:

See also

Bibliography

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