The Binding of Fenrir

“The Binding of Fenrir” has become one of the most popular tales in Norse mythology. Fenrir is a large wolf, and the offspring of the god Loki. Fenrir lived with the gods in Asgard, but as Fenrir continued to grow and grow into a monstrously large size, the gods knew he posed too much of a threat to continue his residence in Asgard. So, the gods executed a plot to bind Fenrir and remove him from Asgard.

The gods bound Fenrir with various chains as a test of Fenrir’s strength. Each time, Fenrir answered the challenge and was able to break free of every chain presented to him. However, in secret, the gods sent a messenger to Svartalfheim, the home of the dwarves, master craftsmen who forged a magical binding which could not be broken. They named this magical chain Gleipnir.

When presented with the magical Gleipnir, Fenrir detected something was up, and requested one of the gods place their hand in his mouth as an assurance that this was no trick. Every god refused knowing full well that this would mean the loss of their hand to the mighty Fenrir. Only Tyr, bravest of the gods, was willing to offer his hand to Fenrir.
After being bound by Gleipnir and discovering that he was indeed trapped and unable to free himself, Fenrir took his revenge and bit off the hand of Tyr. The gods promptly hauled Fenrir away to a far away place where he remains until Ragnarok.

The symbolism of the brave Tyr sacrificing his hand to the powerful Fenrir is reflected in this artwork.

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Ēostre

Ēostre was an ancient heathen goddess of the dawn. Her name is where we get the name “Easter” today. Ēostre (or Ostara in Old High German) represents the coming of the spring and the beginning of a new season of growth and fertility. Even though the old heathen customs were adopted into Christianity, the modern Easter is still flush with symbols of the old Easter. Easter bunnies, decorating eggs, tulips, and other spring time motifs are still very much with us today.

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Skál

Almost all cultures have special words or toasts to acknowledge the activity of bonding with others over drinks. The Celtic and Norse tribes were no exception. Fermented beverages played an important role in rituals and sacrifices. It brought people together to help create a sense of comradery and community. Mead and ale took on an almost supernatural power as they are often referenced in sagas and mythology. Mead was referred to as the “nectar of the gods.” Much of the Saxon epic poem Beowulf is set in a mead hall. So raise your drink, and toast to the long held traditions of the past. Skál! Sláinte! Cheers!

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Boar War Pig

The boar has played a prominent role in Celtic and Germanic culture since antiquity. This image was inspired by a well known Pictish carving stone dating to the 7th century. The Orkney Islands in Scotland take their name from Celtic word for boar. The boar was also used by the Vikings with the mythological Gullinbursti being the war pig of Norse god Freyr.

Huginn & Muninn, Odin's Ravens

Huginn and Muninn (“Thought” and “Memory” respectively) are pet ravens of the Norse god, Odin. Odin’s ravens fly all over Midgard (Earth) collecting all of the information they can in order to report it back to Odin. In my interpretation, Huginn and Munnin are surrounding a magical stave named Ægishjálmr (Helm of Awe or Helm of Terror). It’s one of the most mysterious and powerful symbols in Norse mythology.

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Thor Odinson, God of Thunder

Thor, son of Odin, god of Thunder, protector of Midgard. Thor was a popular Norse god among the common farmers of Scandinavia and other Germanic speaking cultures as he was a protector of the people. Thor’s magical war hammer, Mjölnir, is the centerpiece of my artwork here. Mjölnir pendants were worn by many including the Vikings in the Middle Ages as a symbol of Thor’s protection and strength. Thor continues to be a popular figure in modern culture.

Fenrir Viking Shield

This Viking shield design builds on my most popular artwork of the wolf Fenrir. Fenrir is an enormous, monster wolf from Norse mythology, and is the father of all wolves. You’ll see Fenrir painted on the circular Viking shield. The shield is accented with two heavy-duty Viking axes that are decorated with wolves and Viking-style knot work. The shield is also accented by knot work and Elder Futhark runes.

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Odin the Wanderer

One of the personas of Odin is when he disguises himself and travels Midgard in search of knowledge and wisdom. As this persona, he is often portrayed as a wizard-like character. In fact, J.R.R. Tolkien used Odin the Wanderer as the foundation for the Gandalf the Wizard character in Lord of the Rings. This is my portrait of Odin as his Wanderer persona riding his horse, Sleipnir, who has eight legs in the mythology. Odin carries a magical spear named Gungnir. 

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Dragon Slayer

The "Dragon Slayer" design is in a Norse style depicting a dragon with a sword running through it. The runes on the dragon's body spell out "DRAGON SLAYER."

Gold Dragon available here.

Green Dragon available here.

Grey Dragon available here.

Mjölnir: Odin vs Thor

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THREADLESS

REDBUBBLE

DESIGN BY HÜMANS

TEEPUBLIC

Vikings and Norse warriors would wear the Mjölnir (Thor's Hammer) amulet to invoke the thunder god's strength and protection. In Norse mythology, Odin, the Allfather, is the father of Thor. This depiction of Mjölnir is adorned with Odin and Thor locked in battle. What's causing this domestic dispute? I'm not sure. Maybe Thor drank Odin's last bottle of mead!

Fenrir: Ragnarok Viking Monster Wolf

Fenrir: Ragnarok Viking Monster Wolf

Fenrir (or Fenris) is a gigantic, monster wolf of Norse Viking folklore. Fenrir is a child of the Norse god Loki, and is responsible for gobbling up the god Odin WHOLE during the events of Ragnarok. Fenrir is so ferocious that only a magical chain forged by the dwarves can bind him. The god Tyr (represented by the rune that looks like an arrow in this image) had his right hand bitten off by Fenrir. This image shows Fenrir breaking free of the magical dwarven chains that bind him.

Fenrir Men's Tee. Much more apparel and accessories available in the online store!

This is my original sketch of this design.

BERSERKER!

 "Odin's men went without their mailcoats and were mad as hounds or wolves, bit their shields...they slew men, but neither fire nor iron had effect upon them..."

Final "Berserker" Image

One of the most famous and popular icons from the heathen Viking age is that of the berserker. The beserkers, referred to as "Odin's men" were Viking shock troops that were renown for their ferocity in battle. They are also associated with shamanism and would use various hallucinogenic plants, alcohol, and ritual practices to work themselves into a battle frenzy where they were reported by several historians to display feats of super human strength, and, reportedly, felt no pain. They would also not be able to distinguish friend from foe, killing indiscriminately. 

"MJÖLNIR MEAD"

CLOSE UP VIEW OF THE "MJÖLNIR MEAD" DESIGN

Mjölnir, the mightiest of all mythological weapons. The war hammer of the god of thunder, Thor! The powerful symbol of the strongest of war implements has been worn by warriors and those looking for strength and protection for centuries.

"Forging Mjölnir, Thor's Mighty Weapon"

Most are familiar with Thor, god of thunder, and his war hammer, Mjölnir, but from whence did this mighty, magical mallet materialize?

Mjölnir was forged by two bristly dwarf brothers who lived deep in the caverns of the dwarf homeland, Svartalfheim.

The dwarf brothers, Sindri and Brokkr, were exceptional metal workers, and they are responsible for the creation of several magical items throughout Norse mythology. Unfortunately for the brothers, the notorious trickster god, Loki, paid them a visit and taunted the poor brothers. They were going about their dwarf lives not bothering anyone, and Loki decides to start talking trash about how they can’t make stuff as good as the other dwarves , and the stuff they do make is crap, and on and on. Loki even went so far as to bet his own head on the fact that the brothers could not manufacture a single piece worth a jotun’s dung!

New Mjölnir Design!

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The Norse/Germanic god of thunder, Thor was one of the most popular deities in the Medieval world. His popularity continues to the present day. In fact, you may even say that Thor is seeing a resurgence of popularity, and not just because of the Marvel movies that portray him as a sort of awkward frat boy from outer space. TV shows such as the Vikings, Game of Thrones, The Last Kingdom, etc. have stirred an interest in Thor and the other gods of old.

Jörmungandr

Jörmungandr

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Jörmungand (pronounced YOUR-man-gand), or Jörmungandr in Old Norse is the "Midgard (Earth) Serpent". He is a tremendous snake whose body is so long that it stretches around the Earth completely! Jörmungandr lurks beneath the waters of Midgard where Norse hero Thor is in constant pursuit of this slippery beast.

New "Fenrir: The Monster Wolf of Norse Mythology" Design

Initial Sketch

COMPLETED DESIGN

"Fenrir: The Monster Wolf of Norse Mythology

The legend of Fenrir has many interesting  stories attached to it, but perhaps the most well known is how Fenrir came to bite off the hand of the Nordic god, Týr (from whom we get "Týrsday, or Tuesday as it is now known). Týr was brave enough to place his hand INSIDE the mouth of Fenrir while the other Nordic god's bound Fenrir with a magical ribbon made by the dwarves. Fenrir, who was able to break every other chain up until the magical dwarf ribbon was unable to free himself, and bit off Týr's hand in a rage! Týr is now most commonly depicted as missing a hand.

New Odin on Sleipnir Design!

Brand new original artwork now available on all of Celtic Hammer Club's quality apparel.

This design has Norse god, Odin riding on his faithful eight legged steed, Sleipnir. It also has Mjölnir, the magical hammer of the Norse god, Thor.

This is original artwork and is only available at Celtic Hammer Club

A close up look at the design:

Celtic Cross - Hammer!

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   I've always thought Celtic crosses looked cool. The image of stone crosses with the intricate medieval ornamentation dotting the rolling hills of Britain and Ireland is almost eerie. It makes me think of a time when the "magic" of the old pagan ways was just meeting the new Roman Christianity. They are like a window into the past; remnants of an older, mysterious world. Not to mention the artwork on the crosses is incredible.

   I have also been captivated by the art work of the Vikings and Medieval Germanic peoples. Their interaction with the Celts over previous centuries led to similar styles in ornamentation (for example, when you see Celtic artwork that incorporates animal motifs, this is actually Germanic/Norse in origin rather than Celtic, but the Celts adopted the style and used it extensively in their own works. These motifs are now often identified as Celtic as much as they are Norse/Germanic).

   I have also been particularly captivated by the Mjolnir symbol worn since the Vikings were haunting the high seas. I love it's simplicity and the strength and protection that it represents.

   So, I am always looking for ways to emulate the Celtic and Norse styles into my own designs. The new design below is no different. It combines the Celtic symbol of the Celtic cross with the Nordic symbol of Mjolnir to create a powerful image that pays homage to the past while keeping the spirit of the symbolism alive in the present day.

The Men's tee is pictured below, but, as always, we have styles for the girls and zip hoodies available HERE!

Celtic Cross/Hammer Combo Tee

"BERSERKER TRAINING!" Gear

Go BERSERK in the gym with some Celtic Hammer Club "Berserker Training" gym apparel.

Viking "Berserkers" were an elite group of Viking warriors. Known as "Odin's special warrirors", they fought with such insane ferocity that they didn't even distinguish between friend or foe! Basically, anything that came near a Berserker while in a trance-like fury was about to become hamburger meat!

Celtic Hammer Club has used the legendary intensity of the Berserker warriors to create this line of gym apparel for those of you who like to go berserk in the gym! There are tanks, muscle shirts, and t-shirts featuring a very intense, over-the-top Berserker getting his swole on.

CHC "BERSERKER Training" Gear

"His (Odin's) men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them."