Weapons of Heimdall Asgard Guardsman in Norse Mythology
One of the less known figures in Norse mythology was Heimdall the Guardsman of Asgard in Norse mythology. Although not many things about Heimdall were mentioned in the myth, he was an interesting character who worths our learning.
WHO WAS HEIMDALL?
Heimdall was the Asgard Guardsman who took the responsibility to observe and protect Asgard from those approaching. Heimdall was the son of Odin and the Nine Sea Maidens. On one beautiful day, Odin was wandering along the seashore when he happened to see 9 beautiful women playing along the shore. They were so beautiful that he decided to marry them all on the spot. Nine sea maidens then turned into one beautiful woman and got married to the Allfather. Together, they produced Heimdall their only son. But Heimdall stayed with mothers until he grew up to be a true warrior ready to join his father in Asgard.
The mothers of Heimdall brought him up with the earth's strength, sea's fluid and moisture, sky's wind and freshness, and the sun's light and heat. And Heimdall finally grew up to be a great man ready for Asgard. He came to join his father and brothers in Asgard very soon.
Heimdall blew his Gjallarhorn in Norse mythology
He was wise and possessed the ability to become the Asgard's guardsman. His eyes were sharp and he could observe anyone coming in all directions. His hearing was so excellent that he could hear the grass growing up from the dirt from the world below.
Heimdall was the one who came up with the solution to help Thor retrieve his Mjolnir hammer back when a giant stole it.
THE WEAPONS OF HEIMDALL
Indeed, the Aesir gods always prefered weapons. Each Aesir god would have for themselves a weapon, for example, Odin with Gungnir spear or Thor with Mjolnir hammer.
For Heimdall, the Guardsman of Asgard, he had Hǫfuð and Gjallarhorn.
We are yet to know how the Gjallarhorn came into being and how Heimdall came to possess the horn. But from the beginning, the horn was destined to be in the hand of Heimdall, saying "He was the owner of the trumpet". When Heimdall was offered to water from Well of Mimir, he used the horn to take the water and drank it from the Gjallarhorn. The sound of the Gjallarhorn could also be heard from all directions and from all worlds.
But in Norse mythology, the sound of the Gjallarhorn must be the sound that Aesir gods hated the most. Because in the prophecy, when Heimdall blew the Gjallarhorn, it meant he saw the giant army was approaching to Asgard. The sound woke up the warriors in Asgard to be ready to fight their final battle. Ragnarok was coming and the sound of Gjallarhorn meant the glory of Norse Pantheon was about to be destroyed.
Naglfar ship carrying the dead army of Loki to join their last battle of Ragnarok
Hofud was the name of Heimdall's sword. However, nothing much was known about this magical sword. "Hofud" meant "Man-head" and probably it referred to the position of Heimdall in Midgard. According to mythology, Heimdall was the one who established the three classes in Midgard. Viking enthusiasts also tended to believe that Heimdall used his magical sword to fight Loki in the battle of Ragnarok. They were fated to be sworn enemies and finally slew each other in this final battle.
