Vetrnaetr (Winter Nights) marked the start of winter in the Old Norse calendar in mid-autumn, attested in saga literature as an occasion for the Alfablot (sacrifice to the elves) and for veneration of the disir and ancestral spirits, alongside seasonal slaughtering and feasting. It was one of the three great seasonal blot observances of the pre-Christian Scandinavian calendar named in Ynglinga saga, alongside the midwinter and summer sacrifices.
Facts
Reckoning
Calendar SystemOld Norse and Germanic pagan calendar 1 Its own record states it marked the start of winter "in the Old Norse calendar," the calendar this enum value names. Fixed or MovableFixed date in its own calendar 1 Observance
Observance Type Observance TypeVeneration of a deity or holy figure 1 Observance Type Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Norse directly: "marked the start of winter in the Old Norse calendar in mid-autumn, attested in saga literature as an occasion for the Alfablot (sacrifice to the elves) and for veneration of the disir and ancestral..."
Belongs to Tradition
Related To
Sources
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.