Vegvísir

A vegvísir (Icelandic for 'sign post, wayfinder') is an Icelandic magical stave intended to help the bearer find their way through rough weather. The symbol is attested in the Huld Manuscript, collected in Iceland by Geir Vigfusson in 1880 (but consisting of material of earlier origin).

The vegvísir according to the Huld manuscript

A leaf of the manuscript provides an image of the vegvísir, gives its name, and, in prose, declares that "if this sign is carried, one will never lose one's way in storms or bad weather, even when the way is not known".[1]

The vegvísir is mentioned in two sources, the Huld Manuscript compiled by Geir Vigfusson in Akureyri in 1860 and the Galdrabók, a magical grimoire.[2]

The vegvísir is often confused to be a Viking symbol. There is however no evidence of this, and the Huld Manuscript, where it is mentioned, was collected eight centuries after the end of the Viking Age.[3]

Etymology

Vegvísir is derived from two Icelandic words, vegur and vísir. Vegur means 'way, road, path', and vísir means 'path, guide'.

Vegur is derived from the Old Norse vegr, Proto-Germanic *wegaz, or the Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-. Vísir is derived from the Old Norse vísa meaning 'to show, point out, indicate', or the Proto-Germanic wīsōną or wisaz, meaning 'to visit'.[4][5][6][7]

Vegur ('way') + vísir ('pointer') derives its meaning from the same word as the English wise. It points someone the right way.[8]

See also

References
  • Flowers, Stephen (1989). The Galdrabók: An Icelandic Grimoire. Samuel Weiser, Inc. ISBN 087728685X
  • Justin Foster Huld Manuscript of Galdrastafir Witchcraft Magic Symbols and Runes - English Translation (2015)
  • Geirsson, Olgair (2004). Galdrakver: A Book of Magic. Landsbokasafn Islands Haskolabokasafn ISBN 9979800402
  • Skuggi J Eggertsson Galdraskraeda The Sorcerer's Screed ISBN 9935908984

Notes
  1. Flowers (1989:88).
  2. "Berloga Workshop Vegvisir the Viking compass".
  3. "THE VEGVISIR".
  4. "Vegvisir Path Guide Justin Foster 2013 - 2015".
  5. "Wiktionary visir".
  6. "Wiktionary vise".
  7. "Wiktionary wisona".
  8. Magnússon, Ásgeir Blöndal (1989). Íslensk orðsifjabók (Icelandic Etymological Dictionary). Orðabók Háskólans.
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