In Germanic and Norse (Scandinavian) myth, Valhalla was the enormous golden hall of Odin in Asgard, which served as the afterlife for valiant warriors who died in conflicts with giants who lived forever.
The warriors feast on the flesh of a boar that is killed every day and made whole again each evening in the magnificent palace that is shown as Valhalla and has shields covering its roof. They engage in daily combat as their sport and consume alcohol that comes from goat udders.
It featured 540 doors, each of which could accommodate 800 soldiers marching through it in a single line. As a form of entertainment, the heroes fought viciously every day, and amazingly, their injuries recovered.
Even though they may be dead and have left the world of the living, their days are not yet over. The Einherjar have serious tasks to do, not just lounge around on clouds playing lutes. They must get ready for Ragnarök’s happenings.
Another well-known but misunderstood Norse notion is ragnarök, which is akin to armageddon or the end of the world. Typically understood to imply “the final destiny of the gods,” a number of things, such as natural calamities and the planet becoming inundated with water, are predicted.
A major conflict occurs between the gods of Asgard and the Jötnar, or giants, on one side, with all the dead coming back to life in particular.
Many of the well-known gods, including Loki, Heimdall, Odin, and Thor, pass away. The world is renewed and refreshed after Ragnarök. Two survivors return to the world after the meeting of the living gods.
Content for this question contributed by Peggy Johnson, resident of Kane County, Utah, USA
