Dverga valley

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Dwarfs of the Völuspá . Illustration by Lorenz Frølich , 1895.

Dvergatal , Old Norse for ' dwarf count', is the name given to the seven stanzas of Völuspá (10–16) in the Edda song , in which around seventy dwarf names are strung together.

Position in the Völuspá, tradition and age

The Völuspá is a song from the Edda Song , which encompasses western Nordic myths about the course of creation, which range from the beginning to the end of creation. The Dverga valley follows on from the creation myth of the creation of the dwarfs and stands before the creation myth of man . Within the Völuspá , the Dvergatal is an independent narrative unit in which mainly dwarf names are mentioned. This interrupts the narrative flow of the song over several stanzas, so that the Dvergatal seems like a foreign body in the Völuspá . At the transition from the Dvergatal to the next narrative section, there are content-related as well as grammatical inconsistencies in the text, which suggest that the Völuspá intervened in this passage afterwards and therefore it originally looked different.

However, since all text variants that have been preserved from the Völuspá contain the list of dwarf names at this point, the Dverga valley is still to be regarded as an integral part of the Völuspá . Either it was included in the text of the Völuspá at a comparatively early point in time or it was originally a part of the song, which was changed afterwards.

The age of the Dvergatal is difficult to determine. The encroachment on the Völuspá must be significantly older than the oldest manuscripts from the 13th century, which contain the song, as all manuscripts contain the Dverga valley. Lists of names such as the Dvergatal are known to the Nordic tradition mainly from the Þulur . The Þulur were combined and supplemented in the 12th to the 13th century, but seem to be of older origin. It is therefore also assumed that the Dverga valley goes back to an old tradition. The dwarf names, however, are always easy to translate and therefore cannot be particularly old. However, it is not known what the Dverga Valley originally looked like.

The motif that led to today's list of dwarf names in Völuspá remains a mystery . Perhaps it was a matter of ensuring that the names were not forgotten, as many of these dwarfs seem to have performed important functions in earlier times. Perhaps it was also about knowing the names in order to gain power over the bearers of the name, similar to the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin . Comparable catalogs were quite common in the Middle Ages and were used, among other things, to train the memory.

Traditional versions

Roughly speaking, the lists of names in the various manuscripts match, but there is no uniform version of the Dvergatals. About a fifth of the dwarf names mentioned are not found in all Völuspá texts. In addition, the order of the names differs in places. The dwarf names are also written so differently that there are a large number of different meanings of the name.

Of the 63 dwarf names in the Völuspá version of the Codex Regius, there are 74 spelling variants in the other manuscripts, of which about 37 lead to completely different meanings of the names. For comparison: The 52 names of Odin , which are mentioned in the Codex Regius version of the song Grimnismál , have only 14 spelling variants in the other manuscripts, of which only 5 have different meanings of names. This is attributed to the fact that the myths about Odin were more present and more figurative at the time the manuscripts were written. Many dwarf names appear comparatively abstract. Few myths about individual dwarfs have survived.

World of names

Midgets at work. Illustration by George Pearson / WJ Wiegand , 1871

We know nothing of most of these dwarfs but their names. The names are mostly speaking and describe properties and places that were associated with the dwarf people. They therefore give a good insight into the western Nordic world of ideas about dwarfs in the early Middle Ages. These include their craftsmanship as blacksmiths and craftsmen, special characteristics of their way of life, their wisdom and their contentiousness and willingness to fight.

Dwarfs are small (Nori, the tiny), live underground and in stones (Aurwang, the gravel floodplain), whose brown color they are (Litr, the colored and Bruni, the brown) and watch over their fertility and treasures (Thrain and Thror, the prosperous; Draupnir, the dripper; Fundinn, the found).

They are skilled craftsmen (Hanarr, the artisan), whose tools are nicknamed individual dwarfs (Weig, the wedge; Fili, the file; Hepti, the shank; Hornibori, the horn piercer; Gloin, the glowing; Dori, the drill) . Their wisdom is famous (Wit, the wise; Nyrad, the adviser; Regin, the counselor) and some also have the ability to be invisible (Swiurr, the vanishing). They are brave (Thorin, the brave), sociable (Thekk, the popular), worthy (Har, the high) and glorious (Loni, the shining; Fräg, the famous).

But they are also easily excitable (Bömburr, the swelling), quarrelsome (Dolgthrasir, Jari, Ori, the quarrelsome), stubborn (Hugstari, the stubborn), fearful (Biförr, Baförr, the trembling; Oinn, the fearful) and extremely cautious (Andwari, the careful one). They can also be thieving (Althjof, the great thief; Mjödvitnir, the scoundrel) and deceitful (Ginnarr, the deceiver).

But there are also some names that do not express any familiar dwarf properties.

Some point to important tasks in maintaining the world created by the gods. The dwarfs Nordri and Sudri, Austri and Westri wear Ymir's skullcap, the sky , at the ends of the four cardinal points . The dwarfs Nyi and Nidi represent the two phases of the moon according to their name. Nyi and Nyr both stand for the waxing moon. Nidi for the waning moon, as well as Kili, whose name refers to the crescent moon shape because of the Norse kill 'narrow bay' and the Old Norse kilipr 'handle of a vessel'.

Others establish a relationship between dwarf and death: Dain, the deceased; Nar, the corpse; Nain, the little needle, or death; Nali (also related to death); Niping the Sorrowful; Duf, Durin and Dwalin are related to sleep, which we also call the brother of death. These names lead to the controversial assumption that the dwarfs living underground were originally death demons.

Three names contain the Old Norse word alfr 'Alf, Elf , Elbe, Alb' and indicate that dwarf and elf are apparently related to one another. They are: Alf, the elf; Gandalf , the magic elf, and Windalf, the diaper elf.

Dwarf orders

The dwarves of the Dverga valley. Illustration by Lorenz Frølich , 1895.

The Dverga Valley is not just made up of names, it also contains some information about the dwarfs. The list of names is interrupted in two places so that the list of names is divided into three parts, from which three groups of dwarfs can be derived.

The sense of the tripartite division is not explained. But on the one hand three different places of residence of the dwarf groups are mentioned, on the other hand they can perhaps also be assigned three leaders.

The places of residence

The third group of dwarfs is said to have gone on a hike in the Völuspá .

"Mál er, dverga [...] telia,
þeir er sótto frá salar steini
Aurvanga siǫt til Iorovalla"

"It's time to enumerate the dwarfs [...]
who went from the stones of the ground
to Aurwangar's seat, to Jöruwellir "

- Völuspá 14

So she hiked from the salar steini , the stones of the ground, to a place called Aurwangar's seat 'Schotterauen-Sitz' in Jöruwellir 'sand plain'. Aurwangar and Jöruwellir have a similar meaning and thus possibly mean the same place. In the Prose Edda , the salar steini are replaced by Swarinshaug 'Hill of Swarin' and the Schotterauen-Sitz is shortened to Aurwangar, 'the Schotteraue'. It remains to be seen whether this means the same thing in both cases. In contrast to the Völuspá , the Prosa-Edda also assigns the two other dwarf groups clear places of residence:

"En þessir eru ok dvergar ok búa í steinum,
en inir fyrri í moldu:"

"And these [following names] are also dwarfs and they live in stones, but
the above [names mentioned] in the earth."

- S NORRI S TURLUSON : Prose Edda: Gylfaginning 13

The earth dwarfs may also be found in the Völuspá . If one follows the Völuspá version of the Hauksbók , the first dwarfs were created in the interior of the earth. In contrast, however, is the text variant of the Codex Regius , according to which the dwarfs were not created in the earth, but from earth. It cannot be decided which version is the more original.

The dwarf leaders

The tripartite division of the dwarfs could also be reflected in an assignment to three leaders. The Völuspá expressly designates the third group of dwarfs as Dvalins liði , that is, 'Dvalin's band'. Accordingly, the earth dwarf Dvalin was also the leader of the dwarfs who strived from the depths of the earth to the surface of the earth. Other dwarf leaders are not specifically mentioned, but only two other dwarf names are highlighted beforehand. Völuspá and Prosa-Edda unanimously say of Modsognir and Durin that they are the first two dwarfs, which is evidently expressed not only in their order but also in their rank in the dwarf world. As a result, the earth dwarfs Modsognir and the stone dwarfs Durin can be assigned. However, this reconstruction is not mandatory, as the Prose Edda does not know of any dwarf leaders.

Dwarf group place of residence Source for place of residence leader Source for leaders
1 down in the soil Gylfaginning 13 Modsognir (Völuspá 10, Gylfaginning 13)?
2 in stones Gylfaginning 13 Durin (Völuspá 10, Gylfaginning 13)?
3 Gravel floodplain, sand plain (?) Völuspá 14, Gylfaginning 13 Dvalin Völuspá 14

Lofar's role

The Dverga valley names the dwarf names up to Lofar, without this being part of the list of names.

"Mál er, dverga [...]
lióna kindom til Lofars telia,
þeir er sótto [...] Aurvanga siǫt til Iorovalla"

"It's time
to enumerate the dwarfs [...] the people up to Lofarr,
who went [...] to Aurwangar's seat, to Jöruwellir."

- Völuspá 14

Lofar is considered to be the progenitor of the dwarves, who comes from Jöruwellir.

"Þat mun uppi, meðan ǫld lifir,
langniðia valley Lofars hafat."

"The list of ancestors will be traced
back to Lofarr as long as the world exists."

- Völuspá 16

"En þessir kómu [...] til Aurvanga á Jöruvöllu,
ok er kominn þaðan Lofarr."

"And these came [...] to Aurwangar in Jöruwellir,
where Lowarr comes from"

- S NORRI S TURLUSON : Prose Edda: Gylfaginning 13

It is unclear whether the Dverga valley should represent its ancestral line or a hierarchical development of the dwarf people.

Impact history

The dwarf names have influenced many fantasy authors in the naming of their own characters, including John Ronald Reuel Tolkien in The Hobbit , whose characters sometimes appear again in The Lord of the Rings : The thirteen dwarfs accompanying Bilbo Baggins are Thorin Eichenschild, Kíli, Fíli, Óin, Glóin , Dori, Nori, Ori, Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur clearly modeled on Dvergatal dwarfs. Other dwarfs like Thror and Thrain also have Dvergatal names. Tolkien processes the meanings of the speaking names in the characters of the story in a sometimes idiosyncratic way. So Bombur (corresponding to Bömburr, the swelling) is a very fat dwarf. Thror, Thrain, and Thorin are represented as direct descendants, although the source does not specifically suggest so. Other figures like Gandalf have a dwarf name, but Tolkien are not dwarfs.

List of dwarfs

Legend:

  • NAME with capital letters: Zwergenscharführer.
  • Name in bold: A little more is known about this dwarf than just its name. See note column.
No. Name (german) Name (Old Norse) Crowd Name meaning Remarks
1 MODSOGNIR Móðsognir, Mótsognir 1 the tired? the weak? the tired sighing? The most powerful dwarf. The name Mótsogni (r) is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
2 DURIN Durinn 2 the sleepy one ?; the doorkeeper ?; demonic being? The second most powerful dwarf. Durin is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
3 Nyi Nýi 1 Full moon Controls the waxing moon. The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
4th Nidi Niði 1 New moon, the dark one Controls the waning moon. The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
5 Nordri Norðri 1 north Carries the vault of heaven in the north ( Gylfaginning 8, Skáldskaparmál 23). The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
6th Sudri Suðri 1 south Carries the vault of heaven in the south ( Gylfaginning 8, Skáldskaparmál 23). The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
7th Austri Austri 1 east Carries the vault of heaven to the east ( Gylfaginning 8, Skáldskaparmál 23). The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
8th Vestri Vestri 1 west Carries the vault of heaven to the west ( Gylfaginning 8, Skáldskaparmál 23).
9 Althjof Alþjófr 1 the great (mighty) thief The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
10 DWALIN Dvalinn 1 + 3 the slow one ?; the sleeper? Leader of one of the three groups of dwarfs. Magical, blacksmith. The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Dvalin is also the name of a deer on the World Tree ( Grimnismál 33). Dwalin is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
11 Nar Nár 1 the corpse The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
12 Nainn Náinn 1 the dead The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
13 Niping Nípingr 1 the miserable one ?; the movable one?
14th Dain Dáinn 1 the deceased Magical, blacksmith. Dain is also the name of a deer on the World Tree ( Grimnismál 33). Dain is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
15th Biworr, Bivorr, Bifurr Bifurr, Biförr, Bivörr 1 the trembling ?; the beaver? who is busy like a beaver? The name Bívurr is mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Bifur is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
16 Baworr, Bavorr, Bafurr Bafurr, Báfurr, Baförr, Bavörr 1 ? (maybe like Biworr)
17th Wili Vili (Heptifili) 1 (2) the will Wili is also called a brother of the god Odin .
18th Bömburr Bömburr 1 the raw, the fat, the swelling The name Bumburr is mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Bombur is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
19th Hanarr, Harr Hanarr, Hárr 1 (2) Hanarr: the artful / Harr: the gray-haired ?; the one-eyed? Both Hannarr and Hár are called dwarf names in the Þulur .
20th Nori Nóri 1 the fearbringer ?; the tiny? the shrunken? Nori is also called a sea king in the Þulur . Nori is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
21st On, Ori Án, Óri 1 To: the distinguished friend / Ori: the madman "An" is an abbreviation of aða-vinr "noble friend" and was also used as a male personal name. Ori is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
22nd Anarr, Onarr Ánarr, Ónar 1 Anarr / Onarr: the other, the second Ónarr is also called a dwarf name in the Þulur . Anarr / Onarr is also the name of Nótt's second man , who is Jörd's father ( Gylfaginning 10, Skáldskaparmál 24).
23 Ai, Oinn Aí, Óinn 1 Ai = the (great) grandfather, the progenitor / Oinn = the fearful, the fearful Ai: double answer (see No. 68). Both Aí and Óinn are called dwarf names in the Þulur . Oinn is the name of the father of the dwarf Andvari (No. 64) ( Reginsmál 2). / Heimdall makes Ai and Edda “grandmother” the ancestors of the servants ( Rígsþula 2–13). Ai probably means a person of the same name and not the dwarf. Óin is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
24 Mjödwitnir Mjöðvitnir 1 the meager?, the mead witness?, the mead wolf? The name suggests someone who is keen on mead. He is also called in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
25th Wegg, Wig, Weig Veggr, Vi (g) gr, Veigr 1 the wedge ?; the horse?
26th Gandalf Gandálfr 1 the enchanting elf The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Gandalf is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
27 Windalf Vindálfr 1 the diaper ?; the crooked dwarf? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
28 Thorin Þorin (n) 1 the Brave Þorinn is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Thorin is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
29 Thror Þrór 1 the stubborn ?; the thriving one? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Thror is also an Odin name and also the name of a boar in the Þulur.
30th Thrain , Throin Þráinn, Þróinn 1 Thrain: the menacing ?; the stubborn? / Throin: the grown one Thrain is also the name of a dwarf who is only known: "Thrain's saying is a difficult dream." (Forspjallsljóð = Hrafnagaldr Óðins 3)
31 Counter Þekkr 1 the popular one The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Thekk is also an Odin name (Grimnismál 46).
32 Lit. Liter 1 the colored one A dwarf who runs at Thor's feet when Balder and Nanna are buried in a pyre. He kicks it with his foot into the fire, where Lit burns ( Gylfaginning 49). The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
33 Wit Vitr 1 the clever, the radiant The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
34 Nyr Nýr 1 the new The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
35 Nyrad Nýráðr 1 the new advice ?; the new one? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
36 Reginn , Rekk Reginn, Rekkr 1 Reginn: the councilor, the mighty / Rekkr: the warrior Brother of the dragon Fafnir , who kept the treasure of Andwari (No. 64). Instructs his foster son Sigurd ( Siegfried the Dragon Slayer ) to slay Fafnir ( Fáfnismál , Reginsmál , Skáldskaparmál 39–40). The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
37 Radswid Ráðsviðr 1 the cunning, the shrewd, the shrewd, the clever advisor The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
38 Fili, Vili Fíli, Víli 2 (1) the file, the file ?; the one who hides something ?; dwarf hiding the skaldemet? Fíli is also called a dwarf name in the Þulur . Fili is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
39 Kili Kili 2 (1) the wedge? the wedge smith ?; long narrow bay? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Kili is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
40 Fundinn Fundinn 2 (1) the one found The name may also be a kenning for Odin. Fundin is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
41 Nali, Wali Nali, Váli 2 (1) Nali: the needle, the needle smith, the needle-little one / Wali:? Maybe a dead demon, compare gothic naus , dead '. Wali is also the name of an Ase who avenges Balder . Wali is also the name of Loki's son (e.g. Gylfaginning 50).
42 Hepti (heptifili) Hepti (heptifili) 2 Hepti: the handle / Heptifili: the smoothing handle Heptifili is also called a dwarf name in the Þulur .
43 Swiurr, Swid, Swiarr Svíurr, Svíarr, Sviðr 2 the vanishing one
44 Billing Billingr 2 the twin, the hermaphrodite Billing is also the name of the father of a girl whom the supreme god Odin wanted to seduce ( Hávamál 96-102). It is uncertain whether the father is the dwarf or a giant of the same name, because Odin otherwise only associated with giant daughters.
45 Bruni Brúni 2 the brown one Bruni is also an Odin name in the Þulur.
46 image Pic 2 the bloodletting knife, the thorn, the sting
47 Buri Buri 2 the son; the producer, the father; the resident? Buri is also called a being at the beginning of creation.
48 Frar Frár, Frór 2 the nimble one
49 Hornbori Hornbori 2 the horn piercer? the horn blower ?; the one conceived in the corner? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
50 Ask Frægr 2 the famous
51 Loni Lóni 2 the shining one; the lazy
52 Aurwang Aurvangr 2 the gravel meadow The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
53 Jari Jari 2 the contentious Jari is not identical to Jarl (Rigsþula 32–39).
54 Eikinskjaldi Eikinskjaldi 2 the oak shield Double nomination (see No. 71). It is not certain whether it is a dwarf name or just a name for several dwarfs in a row. However, the name is also used in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Thorin Eichenschild is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world .
55 Draupnir, Draufnir Draupnir, Draufnir 3 (2) the dripper, the dripper The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Draupnir is also called Odin's ring, from which 8 rings of equal weight drip off every 9th night.
56 Dolgthrasir, Dolgthwari Dólgþrasir, Dolgþvari 3 (2) Dolgthrasir: the quarrelsome, the enemy fighting / Dolgþvari: the enemy drill Thrasurr: also Odin's name .
57 Har, Haurr Hár, Horr, Haurr 3 (2) Har: the gray-haired / Haurr:? Har is also an Odin name .
58 Haugspori, Hugstari Haugspori, Hugstari 3 (2) Haugspori: the hill walker / Hugstari: the great thinker (thinker star) Hugstari is also called a dwarf name in the Þulur .
59 Hlewang, Hledjolf Hlévangr, Hleðjolfr 3 (2) Hledjolf: the shield wolf ?; the wolf at the hatch?
60 Gloi, Gloinn Glói (nn) 3 (2) the glowing, the shining; the staring one? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Gloin is also the name of a character from Tolkien's world (father of Gimli).
61 Dori Thóri 3 the pest, the harmful ?; the boring ?, the protruding ?; the fool? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Dori is also the name of a son of Aces ( Fjölsvinnsmál 34).
62 Ori Óri 3 the numbing ?; the quarrelsome, the defiler ?; The Mad? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. / Ori: also name for the snake (Þulur).
63 Duf Dúfr 3 the crooked (crook)? the sleepy? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
64 Andwari Andvari 3 the cautious? the gentle wind ???; the life protector? Andwari was the owner of a pot of gold and the Andwaranaut ring . Loki took both away from him , whereupon the dwarf cursed the treasures. They should bring death to their owner. Andwari's treasure eventually became the treasure that the dragon Fafnir tended until it was defeated by Sigurð ( Siegfried the Dragon Slayer ). ( Reginsmál 1–5, Skáldskaparmál 39, Völsunga-Saga ) By identifying Sigurðs with Siegfried the dragon slayer, the Nordic dwarf Andwari corresponds to the Nibelung dwarf Alberich . The name Andvari is mentioned in the Þulur as Heiti for fish and dwarf.
65 Skirfir Skirfir 3 the spitter? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
66 Wirwe, Wirfir Virwir, Virfir 3 the dyer? Virfir is also called a dwarf name in the Þulur .
67 Skafid Skafiðr 3 the crooked tree? the good tree? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.
68 Ai Ai 3 the (great) grandfather, the progenitor Double nomination (see No. 23).
69 Alf Álfr 3 the Elf, Alf, Alb, Elbe The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Alf is also the name of Hialpreks ( Sinfiötlalok ), Hrodmars ( Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar 39) and Hunding's son ( Helgakviða Hundingsbana fyrri 14).
70 Yngwi, Ingi Yngvi, Ingi 3 the Ing follower? the Ingaevone ? The name seems to suggest the god Ing / Yngvi , the meaning of which is unclear. → Yngvi: nickname of the god Freyr = Yngvi-Freyr ( Ynglinga saga 10 f.) And the name of Hring's son ( Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar 52).
71 Eikinskjaldi Eikinskjaldi 3 the oak shield Double nomination (see No. 54).
72 Fjalar , Falr Fjalarr, Falr 3 Fjalar: the defiled, the defiled; the Verberger / Falr: the Verberger The brothers Fjalar and Galar killed Kvasir to get his wisdom. They mixed his blood with honey and created from it the poet's met, which turns everyone who drinks from it into a scholar. Odin stole the potion from the giant Suttung ( Skáldskaparmál 1). Fjallar is also the name of a giant ( Hávamál 14, Hárbarðslióð 26) and a red rooster ( Völuspá 42).
73 Frosti Frosti 3 the frost (ige) The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Frosti is also called a giant.
74 Finn, Fid Finnr, Fiðr 3 Finn: the Finn ?; the magician, the magician ?; the troll? The dwarf is also called in the Þulur . The name could be related to the Irish hero Finn or Finn . In the Nordic Middle Ages, the Finns were considered to be magical. Finn is also a giant name and a male personal name (11th century).
75 Ginarr Ginnarr 3 the cheater?; the magician? the sorcerer? The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name. Ginarr is also Odin's name .
76 LOFAR Lofarr 4th the praiser? the laudable warrior ?; made from blood? Progenitor, ancestor of all dwarfs. The name is also mentioned in the Þulur as a dwarf name.

literature

In the order of the year of publication.

  • Edgar C. Polomé: Notes on the dwarfs in Germanic tradition. In: Einar Ingvald Haugen, Einar Haugen, Stig Eliasson, Ernst Håkon Year: Language and Its Ecology: Essays in Memory of Einar Haugen. Verlag Walter de Gruyter, 1997, ISBN 978-3-11-014688-2 , pp. 441-450. Online excerpt . (Extensive discussion of the Dverga valley and the dwarf names.)
  • Andy Orchard: Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. London 1998, ISBN 0-304-35134-2 . (Translations of the dwarf names.)
  • Anders Hultgård: The creation of man. In: Johannes Hoops (Ed.): Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde. Vol. 27, 2nd edition. Verlag Walter de Gruyter, 2004, ISBN 978-3-11-018116-6 , pp. 253-255. Online excerpt . (To ask whether the Dverga Valley is an afterthought to the Völuspá and to what extent it is related to the creation of man.)
  • Rudolf Simek : Middle Earth - Tolkien and the Germanic mythology. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 978-3-406-52837-8 . Online excerpt (About the dwarf names Tolkien took from the Völuspá.)
  • Rudolf Simek: Gods and Cults of the Teutons. 2nd Edition. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2006, first edition 2004, ISBN 978-3-406-50835-6 . (Generally about dwarves in Norse mythology.)
  • Rudolf Simek: Lexicon of Germanic Mythology (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 368). 3rd, completely revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-520-36803-X (short articles on the individual dwarf names, as well as a general article under the keyword dwarfs).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See: Anders Hultgård (2004) p. 253 f.
  2. ↑ These are the Völuspá manuscripts in the Codex Regius and in the Hauksbók , as well as the Völuspá quotations contained in the copies of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda .
  3. ^ Rudolf Simek: The Edda. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-56084-2 , Online , p. 49
  4. ↑ Anders Hultgård (2004) p. 253 f. - Different view: Rudolf Simek: The Edda . Beck, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-406-56084-2 , Online , p. 49 - see also the brief discussion on this by Anders Hultgård: The Askr and Embla myth in a comparative perspective. In: A. Andren, K. Jennbert, C. Raudvere: Old Norse Religion in Long Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions, an International Conference in Lund, Sweden, June 3-7, 2004. Nordic Academic Press, 2006, ISBN 978-91-89116-81-8 , online , p. 58.
  5. ↑ a b Guðrún Nordal: Tools of literacy: the role of skaldic verse in Icelandic textual culture of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. University of Toronto Press, 2001, ISBN 978-0-8020-4789-2 , p. 5
  6. ^ Sigurður Nordal, Ommo Wilts: Völuspá. 2nd edition, 1952. Translation, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1980, ISBN 978-3-534-04430-6
  7. ^ Rudolf Simek (Lexikon 2006) p. 503 f.
  8. ↑ Arthur Häny: The Edda. (Translation). 3. Edition. Manesse Verlag, Zurich 1989, ISBN 3-7175-1731-7 , Prophecy of the Seer: Note No. 8, p. 543 f.
  9. ↑ Carolyne Larrington: Myth and the Psychology of Memory. In: A. Andren, K. Jennbert, C. Raudvere: Old Norse Religion in Long Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions, an International Conference in Lund, Sweden, June 3-7, 2004 . Nordic Academic Press, 2006, ISBN 978-91-89116-81-8 , Online , p. 274.
  10. ↑ Simek (GuK 2006) 92 f. - Simek (Lex 2006) p. 503 f. - Simek (Middle Earth 2005) p. 62
  11. ^ Pro: Rudolf Simek (Lex 2006) p. 505. Contra: Polomé (1997) p. 448.
  12. ↑ In the modern literature little attention is paid to these characteristics by which the dwarfs are structured. Different dwarf lineages are based today: Henry Adams Bellows: The Poetic Edda - The Mythological Poems. (Translation). Courier Dover Publications, USA 2004, ISBN 978-0-486-43710-1 , p. 7 Notes 12 and 14. Older literature: Hermann Lüning : Die Edda. A collection of old norse songs for gods and heroes. Original. Zurich 1859, p. 42: “And [the dwarfs] are divided into three divisions under three chiefs, Motsognir, Durin and Dvalin; the dwarfs of Dvalin's flock strive to the surface of the earth, and they are the origin of Lofar's numerous race. "
  13. ↑ a b Lieder-Edda: Völuspá 14th text edition after Titus Projekt, URL: http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/germ/anord/edda/edda.htm , accessed on November 27, 2009.
  14. ↑ a b c Translation after Arnulf Krause: The songs of gods and heroes of the Elder Edda. Philipp Reclam jun. Verlag, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 978-3-15050-047-7 .
  15. ↑ Simek (Lex 2006) pp. 33, 230
  16. ^ Prose Edda: Gylfaginning 13
  17. ↑ a b Prosa-Edda: Gylfaginning 13th text edition according to CyberSamurai, URL: Archive link ( Memento of the original from January 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed November 27, 2009. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.cybersamurai.net
  18. ↑ a b translation after Arnulf Krause: The Edda of Snorri Sturluson. Philipp Reclam jun. Verlag, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 978-3-15-000782-2
  19. ↑ Lieder-Edda: Völuspá 14
  20. ↑ Lieder-Edda: Völuspá 10; Prose Edda: Gylfaginning 13
  21. ↑ Arthur Häny: The Edda. (Translation). 3. Edition. Manesse Verlag, Zurich 1989, ISBN 978-3-7175-1731-3 , Prophecy of the Seer: Note No. 9, p. 544
  22. ↑ Lieder-Edda: Völuspá 16th text edition based on the Titus Project, URL: http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/germ/anord/edda/edda.htm , accessed on November 27, 2009.