Viking Jormungand Tattoo - Ouroboros Tattoo

Posted by Ms Elly on July 13, 2018

Viking Jormungand Tattoo - Ouroboros Tattoo

The word "Jormungand" might sound similar to many while "Ouroboros" can be a strange term. The fact was that these two words are closely intertwined with each other. Jormungand was a Norse example of Ouroboros symbol.

Jormungand in Norse mythology

Jormungand was the son of Loki and giantess Angrboda. He was the brother of two notorious Norse figures: Wolf Fenrir - Odin's slayer and Hel the Queen of the Dead. Soon after being born, Jormungand was banished into the dark deep ocean and lying there until the day of Ragnarok. He quickly grew up to an incredible size that he could encircle the whole Midgard with his body. We literally meant Jormungand encircling the whole Midgard, his mouth holding his own tail. As Ragnarok was to begin, Jormungand would rise above the waves and join the army of his father and brother (Loki and Fenrir).

Ouroboros symbol

Ouroboros was the term that could even encompass Jormungand. It meant that Jormungand was just one of many embodiments of the Ouroboros symbol.

Ouroboros or Uroboros was a very ancient image referring to a dragon or serpent eating its own tail. The first compound "oura" meant "tail" and the second compound "boros" meant "eating". Generally, the word meant "The One That Eats Its Tail" or "The Tail Eater".

Based on different viewpoints and the different course of the history, the circle in Ouroboros symbol had different ways of interpretation. However, the most common way of understanding this symbol was Ouroboros represented the eternal circle of being born, life, and death, or the endless circle of creation and destruction. Overall, the Ouroboros symbol was the infinity symbol that represented the creation of life through the death in the Universe. In the modern sense, the meaning of Ouroboros stays much the same.

Jormungand was indeed a good example of Ouroboros. Because he once took part in the war Ragnarok that put an end to the glorious period of Norse pantheon and the end to the whole cosmos as well. However, Ragnarok was also a beginning to a new cosmos. And then life rose upon death.

In this day and age, Jormungand or Ouroboros has become a favorite and somewhat trendy tattoo. Because not only did it refer to a big figure in Norse mythology (for those who love) but it also presents a hope of creation and life after suffering and death. We can easily see the similarity between the meaning of Jormungand Tattoo and Valknut Tattoo which also represents the death and the afterlife. The Jormungand tattoo can either stand alone or be depicted with other Viking Tattoos, such as Helm of Awe tattoo, Valknut Tattoo, Rune Tattoo, Vegvisir Tattoo, etc.

Image of Viking Jormungand Ouroboros tattoo