Norse Mythology · realm

Ginnungagap

Ginnungagap
realmthe voidthe primordial gap

The yawning void between fire and ice — the primordial space from which the first beings emerged.

GI
The account

Who they are

Ginnungagap is the 'yawning gap' at the center of Norse creation: Niflheim (ice) lay to the north, Muspelheim (fire) to the south, and between them the void where rime and frost formed [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗. From this gap, the first living being — the ice-giant Ymir — and the cow Auðhumbla emerged [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗. Ginnungagap is not a 'place' so much as the primordial condition of the world before it had shape [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Worth knowing
  • Between Niflheim (ice) and Muspelheim (fire) [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
  • The rime that dripped from it became Ymir [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Relationships (2)

Connections

Creation

CREATEDYmir — Ginnungagap's rime and frost formed Ymir.[S2]
CREATEDAuðhumbla — Ginnungagap's rime formed the cow Auðhumbla.[S2]
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Their corner of the divine world

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FocusGinnungagapNorse
NORSE · 40variantvariantvariant♥♥♥♥♥♥BrísingamenGjallarhornDraupnirGungnirSkíðblaðnirMjölnirAngerboagiantthe giantess mother of the monsters4 relationsAuðhumblacreaturethe primordial cow2 relationsBestlagiantthe giantess mother of the gods3 relationsBúrideitythe first god3 relationsFriggdeitymarriage2 relationsGerðrgiantthe giantess beloved of Freyr2 relationsGinnungagaprealmthe void2 relationsHöðrdeitythe blind brother of Baldr4 relationsHrungnirgiantthe giant of the iron head2 relationsJárnsaxa (Járnsaxa)giantthe giantess mother of Thor's sons2 relationsLokitrickstercunning11 relationsMuspel (fire)realmfire0 relationsNannadeitythe wife of Baldr3 relationsNiflheim (ice)realmice0 relationsNjorddeitythe sea3 relationsSídgiantthe giantess who bore Sleipnir (in one accou…2 relationsSifdeitythe wife of Thor2 relationsSkaðideitythe huntress1 relationsSurtgiantthe fire-giant3 relationsTýrdeitywar1 relationsYmirgiantthe primordial giant5 relationsBorrdeitythe ancestor of the gods4 relationsFenrirmonsterthe great wolf8 relationsFreyjadeitylove3 relationsFreyrdeityfertility7 relationsHeldeitythe dead3 relationsJörmungandrmonsterthe world-serpent4 relationsSleipnircreaturethe eight-legged horse of Odin2 relationsOdindeitywisdom15 relationsVédeityone of the three brothers who made the world5 relationsVilideityone of the three brothers who made the world5 relationsBaldrdeitylight10 relationsHeimdalldeitythe watchman3 relationsThordeitythunder10 relationsVálideitythe avenger of Baldr2 relationsVíðarrdeitysilence2 relationsFosite (Forsétir)deitypeace3 relationsMagnideitystrength3 relationsMóðideitystrength4 relationsUllrdeitythe archer1 relations
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