Prophets of Doom

Freyja’s roaming fortune tellers show her magical side

As a goddess of aeiðr, Freyja was seen as the archetype of the Völva, a Norse seer. Seiðr was a type of sorcery that could be used to see into the future and was practised by a number of Freya’s followers, who travelled from place to place delivering their prophecies. Freyja herself was a representation for the wandering seiðr, as she supposedly roamed the earth in search for her husband, Oðr, who had vanished.

Völvas held a very prestigious position in society and were treated with great respect. Their status can be confirmed through the Völva graves that have been excavated, with the riches inside demonstrating that the women were indeed wealthy. Among some of the most common possessions to be discovered in Völva graves are magical staffs or wands, made from wood, iron or bronze. This is a reflection of the title ‘Völva’ itself, which means ‘wand’ in Old Norse.

In Sweden, a Völva was found buried with a piece of silver jewellery in the shape of a woman, wearing a necklace. It has been assumed that the necklace is a reference to Freyja and her Brísingamen necklace, which is stolen by Loki in the poem Húsdrápa in the Prose Edda.