Gungnir
Odin's weapon
NORSE MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
Gungnir is the name of Odin’s spear, and his weapon of choice. The name translates from Old Norse to English as “The swaying one”, “The rocking one” or “The shaking one”.
A powerful weapon which can pierce anything. It was forged by the sons of Ívaldi, the same dwarves who made Sif’s golden hair and Freyr’s ship Skíðblaðnir. According to the Prose-Edda the spear is gifted to Odin by Loki. Odin’s spear is both a claimer of sacrifices to Odin and a starter of war.
GUNGNIR'S ABILITY
Gungnir’s ability is mentioned in Gylfaginning. There it says in Old Norse “geirrinn nam aldri staðar í lagi” translated to English it can mean “the spear never stopped in its thrust” or alternatively “the spear always pierced through”. This vague description has opened it’s ability up to some interpretation. Some have suggested that it means that is never misses it’s target, however that’s arguably not what the Old Norse literature source says. A more plausible meaning is that nothing can stop the spear in it’s path when thrusted or thrown. Piercing what ever lays in between it and the target, whether it may be armor, shield or something else. However, due to the vague wording and scarce mentions of Gungnir’s ability, it’s not crystal clear what to read from the phrase above.
Mentions of Gungnir in the sources
Odin’s spear is mentioned in both prose and poetry in the Old Norse literary sources. Even though he is strongly associated with the spear, it is not often mentioned by name. Only in Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, Háttatal, Sigrdrífumál and in a poem by the skald Bragi Boddason is Gungnir mentioned by name. However, in Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, Hávamál, Völuspá, Gautreks saga and Styrbjarnarþáttr Odin’s spear often plays significant role, although it isn’t specified whether it is Gungnir.
