Jormungand - the Midgard Serpent

There are a variety of creatures that feature in Viking / Norse mythology, and many of them inspire designers in the jewelry world to create some beautiful pieces for us to enjoy. 

One very popular creature is Jormungand (pronounced “YOUR-mun-gand;”).  Also known as the ‘Midgard Serpent’, there seems to be some debate as to whether it is a snake or a dragon, but one consistency in the tales is that Jormungand is the biggest of the mythological beasts; so huge that he can encircle all of 'Midgard' with his body.

Jormungand is one of the three children born of Loki and according to legend documented in the famous Poetic Edda collection of poems, he was thrown into the ocean surrounding Midgard by the God Odin, who hence became his sworn enemy. 

This beautiful sterling Silver pendant from the store, shows Jormungand coiled around the equally famous 'Mjolnir' (Thor's Hammer), representing the many battles the two of them had. 

Lying in the ocean, he grew to the point where he could grasp his own tail – this aspect of the beast makes him ideal for jewelry design as he can be represented by circular designs.    

One of the reasons this beast is widely known in mythology is that following on from his sheer size, and ability to grasp his own tail, it is said that when he chooses to release his tail, the violent unrest created in the ocean will be one of the signals for ‘Ragnarok’ to begin – the great battle that it is believed see the final encounter between Jormungand and his sworn enemy Odin. 

The fight between the two of them is expected to be long and arduous, and although Jormungand is expected to lose the battle and die, Odin will also die having been poisoned by the beast’s deadly venom during the struggle.

Click on any of the images above to see the product in store, or use the link below to see the full collection of Jormungand inspired designs

"Jormungand Jewelry at Norse Spirit"