The gods were very important to the Vikings.
They loved to talk about them, worship them and argue about which was their favourite!
The Chief god was Odin.
He created Midgard, the home of the humans, and Asgard, the home of the gods.
Thor was the god of thunder, who fought with a mighty hammer so powerful it could crush mountains.
He rode a chariot pulled by two goats, which he often ate and then brought back to life!
The Norse people loved Thor, because he was the god who protected them and their world.
His goats might not have been so keen on him though! Loki was a trickster and he loved making trouble.
He also had the rather cool power of being a shape-shifter.
Eventually Loki went too far with his pranks and the gods punished him severely!
There were other gods too like Frigg, the wife of Odin, and Mani the god of the Moon.
There were also gods for things like peace, winter and even old age!
The Vikings believed that they might wander the world as ghosts if they weren’t given the right type of funeral.
And important Vikings, such as chiefs, wanted to be just as powerful in the afterlife, so they were often cremated on a burning ship along with their favourite treasures, weapons, pets and even servants.
If Vikings died bravely in battle they might be selected by Odin to go to great feasting halls such as Valhalla.
Flying warrior maidens called Valkyries would escort them from Midgard to the afterlife.
There they would fight, drink and eat all day and night with the gods - and Thor’s goats, of course.
Which gods did the Vikings worship and why?
Find out about their powers, what the Vikings believed and why these beliefs were so important to how they lived, and died, in Viking society.
Teacher Notes
- Find out what pupils already know about certain Viking gods.
- Allow the pupils to research them then present their findings to the class in a format chosen by them.
- Pupils can write character profiles and a glossary of Viking gods. They could also learn about Viking gods and re-tell their stories.
Curriculum Notes
This short film is relevant for teaching History at KS2 in England and Wales, KS2 in Northern Ireland and second level in Scotland.
More video clips on The life of the Vikings:
A Viking grave. video
An archaeologist explains to children visiting a museum why the discovery of a Viking grave is important.
The importance of Lindisfarne for the Vikings. video
Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, was one of the first landing sites of the Vikings. However, the Vikings committed terrible violence against the Monks at Lindisfarne.
Viking clothing. video
A description of the sort of clothes the Vikings wore, which were handmade out of materials available at the time.
Viking food. video
Presenter James MacKenzie is shown the types of food that the Vikings ate, how it was prepared and cooked.
