HORN IN SCANDINAVIAN CULTURE

In a hall with other warriors, in a ceremony where the völva offers you a hot and fermented drink, under the porch watching the sun go down... Your hand holds the horn filled with beer or mead, you smile thinking how many drinks were served in horns, how many stories were told, how many pacts were closed, how many friends toasted and how many loves were sealed. The horn has been a very important element in Norse culture since ancient times. Drinking horns were passed down from generation to generation, and each member of the family carved an element into the horn making it unique and a true family legacy. The horns were made from the cattle they raised on their farms, usually cows and aurochs. It was a way of honouring the animal, taking advantage of everything that came from it, wasting anything was an offence to nature and the gods. The capacity of the horns was about 1/2 litre and the horn was never put on the table until the drink was finished. It was therefore traditional for the horn to be passed from hand to hand, sharing the drink with friends and guests. Most of the horns found in excavations were in women's graves, because in Viking society women were in charge of serving mead and beer, they were the carriers of the drink of the gods. And there stands the Valkyrie waiting at the entrance to the Valhöll, with a horn full of mead in her hand. She smiles at you as you approach, and as you take your first sip the taste of the old sweet waves invades you, the warmth runs through your body, a smile appears on your face and something tells you that you have arrived at your destination. Skål! Horn crafted by @gjallarhorn_heathencraft

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