A völva (lit. "prophetess") was a seeress of the Norse of Eydraumr, a woman that was believed to be able to divine the future and receive messages from gods and spirits. Though almost exclusively female, there were a few male völva. It was not unusual for a völva to be the finest dressed, and finest served, person at any occasion. Her position was marked with a staff or wand, fine robe, elaborate cosmetics, and delicate jewelry. A völva would be sought for her council, and for this council to be given honestly and freely.
Sources:
- Kurz, Keneva. 2000. "Eirik the Red's Saga" (trans.) in The Sagas of Icelanders, pp. 653-674. Penguin Classics. ISBN 978-0-14-100003-9
- Guðbrandur Vigfússon. 1874. An Icelandic-English Dictionary. Oxford at Clarendon Press.
- Kurz, Keneva. 2000. "Eirik the Red's Saga" (trans.) in The Sagas of Icelanders, pp. 653-674. Penguin Classics. ISBN 978-0-14-100003-9
- Simek, Rudolf. 2007 [1993]. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Boydell & Brewer Ltd.
Anatomy of a Völva (German) by Unknown
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