Ymir is killed by the sons of Borr in this artwork by Lorenz Frølich

In Norse mythology, Ymir, also named Aurgelmir (Old Norse gravel-yeller) among the giants themselves, was the founder of the race of frost giants and an important figure in Norse cosmology. Snorri Sturluson combined several sources, along with some of his own conclusions, to explain Ymir's role in the Norse creation myth. The main sources available are the great Eddic poem Völuspá, the question and answer poem Grímnismál, and the question and answer poem Vafþrúðnismál. According to these poems, Ginnungagap existed before Heaven and Earth. The Northern region of Ginnungagap became full of ice, and this harsh land was known as Niflheim. Opposite of Niflheim was the southern region known as Muspelheim, which contained bright sparks and glowing embers. Ymir was conceived in Ginnungagap when the ice of Niflheim met with Muspelheim's heat and melted, releasing "eliwaves" and drops of eitr. The eitr drops stuck together and formed a giant of rime frost (a hrimthurs) between the two worlds and the sparks from Muspelheim gave him life. While Ymir slept, he fell into a sweat and conceived the race of giants. Under his left arm grew a man and a woman, and his legs begat his six-headed son Þrúðgelmir. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (902x1060, 299 KB)Ymir gets himself killed by Odin and his brothers. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (902x1060, 299 KB)Ymir gets himself killed by Odin and his brothers. ... Borr or Burr (sometimes anglicized Bor) in Norse mythology was the son of Búri and the father of Odin. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Old Norse is the Germanic language spoken by the inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300. ... The giants Fafner and Fasolt seize Freyja in Arthur Rackhams illustration to Richard Wagners version of the Norse myths. ... Norse cosmology, as it is described in Norse mythology, recognizes the existence of multiple worlds and the World Tree Yggdrasill. ... Snorri Sturluson (1178 – September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. ... Völuspá (The Prophecy of the Seeress) is the first poem in the Poetic Edda. ... Grímnismál (Sayings of Grímnir) is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. ... In Norse mythology, Vafþrúðnismál (Vafþrúðnirs sayings) is the third poem in the Poetic Edda. ... In Norse mythology, Ginnungagap (seeming emptiness or gaping gap) was a vast chasm that existed before the ordering of the world. ... Niflheim (Land of Mists) is the realm of ice and cold in Norse mythology. ... Muspelheim (Flameland), also called Muspel (Old Norse Múspellsheimr and Múspell, respectively), is the realm of fire in Norse Mythology. ... Eitr is a mythical substance in Norse mythology. ... In Norse mythology, hrimthurs (rime giant) is any one of the particular tribe of giants who are made of ice and inhabit a land of eternal cold. ... Þrúðgelmir (anglicized Thrudgelmir or Thrúdgelmir) is a giant in Norse mythology. ...

Ymir fed from the primeval cow Auðhumla's four rivers of milk, who in turn fed from licking the salty ice blocks. Her licking the rime ice eventually revealed the body of a man named Búri. Búri fathered Borr, and Borr and his wife Bestla had three sons given the names Odin, Vili and Vé. Auðumbla licks Búri out of a stone while four rivers of milk flow from her udders in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... Búri is licked out of a salty ice-block by the cow Auðumbla in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... Borr or Burr (sometimes anglicized Bor) in Norse mythology was the son of Búri and the father of Odin. ... In Norse mythology, Bestla was an ancient frost giantess, a daughter of Bolthorn. ... For other meanings of Odin, Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... Vili was one of the Æsir and a son of Bestla and Borr in Norse mythology. ... In Norse mythology, Ve was one of the Æsir and a son of Bestla and Borr. ...

The sons of Borr killed Ymir, and when Ymir fell the blood from his wounds poured forth. Ymir's blood drowned almost the entire tribe of frost giants. Only two giants survived the flood of Ymir's blood, one was Ymir's grandson Bergelmir (son of Þrúðgelmir), and the other his wife. Bergelmir and his wife brought forth new families of frost giants. In Norse mythology, Bergelmir was a son of Thrudgelmir. ...

Odin and his brothers used Ymir's body to create Midgard at the center of Ginnungagap. His flesh became the earth. The blood of Ymir formed seas and lakes. From his bones mountains were erected. His teeth and bone fragments became stones. From his hair grew trees and maggots from his flesh became the race of dwarves. The gods set Ymir's skull above Ginnungagap and made the sky, supported by four dwarves. These dwarves were given the names East, West, North and South. Odin then created winds by placing one of Bergelmir's sons, in the form of an eagle, at the ends of the earth . He cast Ymir's brains into the wind to become the clouds. Midgard (the common English transliteration of Old Norse Miðgarðr), Miðgarður (Icelandic), Midjungards (Gothic), Middangeard (Old English), Midgård (common Danish and Swedish), Midgard or Midgård (Norwegian) and Mittilagart (Old High German), from Proto-Germanic *medja-gardaz (*meddila-, *medjan-, projected PIE *medhyo-ghartos), is an old... Look up maggot in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In Norse mythology, the dwarves (Old Norse: dvergar, sing. ...

Next, the sons of Borr took sparks from Muspelheim and dispersed them throughout Ginnungagap, thus creating stars and light for Heaven and Earth. From pieces of driftwood trees the sons of Borr made men. They made a man named Ask and a woman named Embla. On the brow of Ymir the sons of Bor built a stronghold to protect the race of men from the giants. Look up ask in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ask and Embla were the first two humans created by the gods of the Norse Mythology (analogy with Adam and Eve). ...

Two other names associated with Ymir are Brimir and Bláinn according to Völuspá, stanza 9, where the gods discuss forming the race of dwarfs from the "blood of Brimir and the limbs of Bláinn". Later in stanza 37, Brimir is mentioned as having a beer hall in Ókólnir. In Gylfaginning "Brimir" is the name of the hall itself, destined to survive the destruction of Ragnarök and providing an "abundance of good drink" for the souls of the virtuous. Beer in a glass Schlenkerla Rauchbier direct from the cask Beer is the worlds oldest[1] and most popular[2] alcoholic beverage. ... Odin is depicted falling with his spear Gungnir while Surtr brandishes his sword. ... External links Original text English text Categories: Mythology stubs | Medieval literature | Sagas of Iceland | Norse mythology | Nordic folklore ... Odin is depicted falling with his spear Gungnir while Surtr brandishes his sword. ...

Ymir and Yama

Main article: Yama

In a disputable etymology, W. Meid (1992) has linked the names Ymir (which can be reconstructed in Proto-Germanic as *umijaz or *jumijaz, in the latter case possibly deriving from Proto-Indo-European *ym̩yos) and the name of the Indic death deity Yama, reconstructed in PIE as *yemos, from the root yem "twin". Yama shares with Ymir the characteristics of being primeval and mortal, but in other respects is a very different character, the first of mortal men and kings who after death becomes ruler of the realm of the dead. A modern depiction of Yamarajas Court, by Dominique Amendola Tibetan Dharmapala at the Field Museum in Chicago 19th century kagamibuta netsuke depicting Enma This article is about the deity Yama. ... Map of the Pre-Roman Iron Age culture(s) associated with Proto-Germanic, c. ... Proto-Indo-European (PIE) may refer to: Proto-Indo-European language the hypothetical common ancestor of the Indo-European languages Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language Proto-Indo-European roots, A list of reconstructed Proto-Indo-European roots Categories: | ... Death god redirects here. ... A modern depiction of Yamarajas Court, by Dominique Amendola Tibetan Dharmapala at the Field Museum in Chicago 19th century kagamibuta netsuke depicting Enma This article is about the deity Yama. ...

In popular culture

• Ymir has been adapted by Marvel Comics, principally as an enemy of Thor.
• Ymir is Monster in My Pocket #52. In the comic book, he is allied with the evil monsters.
• In the PC game Age of Mythology: The Titans, the Norse Titan is based on Ymir, although looking like a troll. The Titan can be created as a strong character to defend the Norse civilization and attack others.

These versions of Ymir appear to be composed largely of ice. The Monster in My Pocket character also has large red eyes, while the Marvel character typically carries a club made of ice. In the PC game, Ymir wields a large ice hammer. Ymir, as represented in the universe of Marvel Comics, is a gigantic character of awesome power, one of the greatest threats to the gods of Asgard. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... It has been suggested that Ultimate Thor be merged into this article or section. ... Monster in My Pocket was a toy line developed by Morrison Entertainment Group, headed by Joe Morrison and John Weems, and released by Matchbox in 1990 consisting of small, soft plastic monsters from religion and mythology, literary fantasy, and unexplained phenomena. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Age of Mythology (AoM) is a real-time strategy computer game in the popular Age of Empires series. ...

• The first boss in Final Fantasy VI is named Ymir. Its name was changed to Whelk for the original US release on the Super NES but restored in the Game Boy Advance version. He shares no relation to the Norse giant, however.

• In the PC game Disciples 2, the most powerful upgrade of the frost giant tech tree is called the Son of Ymir. They are huge 2 spacer frost giants with great single melee attack that is capable of causing frost bite to their targets.

Final Fantasy VI ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1994 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. ... Disciples II: Dark Prophecy is a PC game by Strategy First that was released on January 24, 2002. ...

See also

• Purusha
• Cipactli
• Tiamat

In Hinduism, Purusha ([Cosmic] Man) is the self which pervades the universe. ... In Aztec mythology, Cipactli was a vicious primeval sea monster, part crocodile and part fish. ... Tiamat is a mother goddess in Babylonian and Sumerian mythology, and a central figure in the Enûma Elish creation epic. ...

References

• Branston, Brian: Gods & Heroes from Viking Mythology. Eurobook Limited, 1978.
• Meid, W.: 1992. Die Germanische Religion im Zeugnis der Sprache. In Beck et al., Germanische Religionsgeschichte – Quellen und Quellenprobleme, pp. 486-507. New York, de Gruyter.*Page, R.I.: Norse Myths. Bath Press, 1990, University of Texas Press, 1996.
• Turville-Petre, O. E. G.: Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1964.
• Winterbourne, Anthony: When the Norns have Spoken. Rosemont Publishing & Printing Corp., 2004.
• Young, Jean I.: The Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson: Tales from Norse Mythology. Bowes & Bowes, 1954.

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