Odin Tryptich

Odin's Wolves: “Geri and Freki the war-wont sates, the triumphant sire of hosts;”

– Grímnismál, Bellows Translation

Odin’s wolves are Geri and Freki. Their names mean the “ravenous or greedy one.” Odin gives them all his meat and table scraps. There are many connections between Odin and wolves, both as a god of the dead and the god who looked after young war bands often called “wolf packs."

Odin's Wine: “But on wine alone does the weapon-decked god, Othin, forever live.”

– Grímnismál, Bellows Translation

Odin’s only nourishment is wine or mead. The runes on his staff spell out “Gungnir,” the name of his spear that never misses. I also wanted to feature a Viking style eagle on his drinking horn, due to Odin’s connection with the great bird.

Odin's Ravens: “Two ravens sit on his (Odin’s) shoulders and whisper all the news which they see and hear into his ear; they are called Huginn and Muninn. He sends them out in the morning to fly around the whole world, and by breakfast they are back again. Thus, he finds out many new things and this is why he is called ‘raven-god.’”

– Prose Edda, Angela Hall Translation

Odin’s two ravens Thought (Huginn) and Memory (Muninn) travel the Nine Worlds and bring all that they see back to Odin. In this depiction you can see the two birds resting in a tree, as Odin and his two wolves walk through a snow covered Midgard.