Valknut Meaning: What the Knot of the Slain Really Tells Us
The valknut is a figure of three interlocked triangles found on a handful of Viking Age objects. Its original name and meaning are unknown; today it is usually read as a symbol of Odin, of death and passage, and of the bonds between worlds.
In short: The valknut ("knot of the slain") is three interlocking triangles. It appears on Gotland picture stones such as Stora Hammars I and Tängelgårda, on objects from the Oseberg ship burial and on an Anglo-Saxon ring, often in scenes linked to death and Odin. The name is modern and no Old Norse text explains the symbol, so its meaning as Odin's knot of binding, death and rebirth is a scholarly and modern interpretation, not a recorded fact.
What does the valknut mean?
The honest answer has two parts. What we know: the valknut is a geometric figure made of three interlocking triangles, it appears on a small number of Viking Age and earlier objects, and it often stands next to scenes that seem to involve death, warriors, horses and birds. What we do not know: what people called it at the time and what exactly it meant to them. No rune stone, poem or saga describes it.
From the contexts it appears in, most scholars link the valknut with Odin, the god of the slain, of poetry and of the dead, and with funerary beliefs. The folklorist Hilda Ellis Davidson suggested it may represent Odin's power to bind and unbind, including the "binding" of the mind in battle (fear, frenzy or paralysis). The historian of religion Rudolf Simek noted that its appearance on picture stones with Odin imagery and in burial goods may connect it with funeral rites. Both are careful interpretations, not proof.
Modern meanings
Today, the valknut is used with several overlapping meanings:
Odin and his followers. It is often called "Odin's knot" and used by modern heathens as a sign of devotion to Odin.
Death and passage. A memorial symbol for the honored dead and for the journey between life and what comes after.
Binding and release. The interlocked triangles stand for things that hold together and for the power to loosen what binds.
The nine worlds. Its nine points are read as the nine worlds of Norse cosmology, or as Odin's nine nights on the World Tree. These links are modern.
If you use the valknut, you are using a symbol whose meaning is partly reconstructed. That is fine, as long as you know which part is evidence and which part is interpretation.
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The three forms of the valknut
Three interlocking triangles (tricursal)
The best-known form is made of three separate triangles that pass over and under each other. Mathematically, it is a version of the Borromean rings: no two triangles are linked on their own, but all three together hold each other in place. This form appears on one of the Stora Hammars stones, on the Oseberg bedpost and on the Nene River ring.
One continuous line (unicursal)
The second form is drawn with a single line that loops around to make three triangles. It is the same knot as the triquetra, just with straight sides. This version appears on the Tängelgårda picture stone.
The modern "chain" form
Some modern designs show three triangles simply linked like a chain. This variant is a modern invention and does not appear in the historical finds.
How to draw a valknut
Draw a large upright equilateral triangle lightly in pencil.
Draw a second triangle of the same size, shifted down and to the right, so that its top corner falls inside the first triangle.
Draw a third, shifted down and to the left, so that the three triangles overlap in a symmetrical pattern with nine corners in all.
Decide at each crossing which line goes over and which goes under, alternating as you follow each triangle. This is what turns overlapping triangles into a true interlocked knot.
Thicken the lines into bands and erase the hidden parts under each crossing.
Valknut tattoo: what to consider
The valknut is one of the most popular Norse tattoo designs. Before you get one, think about three things.
Know what you want it to mean. Many people choose it as a memorial for someone who has died, as a sign of devotion to Odin, or as a symbol of courage and acceptance of mortality. Be ready to explain your meaning without claiming more history than there is.
Be aware of misuse. The Anti-Defamation League lists the valknut in its hate symbols database because some white supremacist groups use it, while also noting that it is widely used by people with no such views. Combined with certain other symbols or slogans, a valknut tattoo can be read the wrong way. On its own, in a Norse or memorial design, it rarely is.
Get the knot right. A correct valknut alternates over and under at every crossing. Ask your artist for the tricursal or unicursal form from the historical finds if you want an authentic look.
Placement is a matter of taste: the inner forearm, shoulder, chest and the back of the neck are common. The design combines well with ravens, wolves, Yggdrasil or a runic inscription; for rune ideas, see our guide to rune tattoo meanings. If you want runes in your tattoo, write them correctly with our name in runes translator.
How to use the valknut in practice
The valknut is not a rune and has no traditional ritual use that we know of, so any practice with it is modern. Here are ways it is used today:
Remembrance. Drawing or placing a valknut on a memorial altar with a candle for someone who has died.
Meditation. Tracing the three triangles with your finger or eyes, one at a time, while you reflect on past, present and future, or on what binds you and what you want to release.
Devotion. Modern heathens may wear it or place it on an altar dedicated to Odin.
Art and design. As a decorative Norse motif on jewelry, leather, wood and textiles.
It is not a protection symbol in the usual sense. If you want a sign for protection, Algiz, the Helm of Awe or a personal bindrune is a better fit; see our overview of Norse protection symbols and the bindrune generator.
Common myths about the valknut
"It is an ancient rune." It is not a rune and has no sound value.
"The Vikings called it the valknut." The name is modern.
"Only warriors ready to die may wear it." There is no historical rule like this; it is modern folklore, possibly from fiction and online forums.
"It symbolizes the nine worlds." This is a modern reading of its nine points, not a recorded Norse belief.
"It appears on many rune stones." It is actually rare: only a few objects show it clearly.
What is known from the finds
Only a handful of objects show the valknut clearly. Here is what each tells us.
Gotland picture stones
The island of Gotland in the Baltic has many carved picture stones. Two in Lärbro parish show the valknut prominently. On Stora Hammars I, it appears in a scene that researchers commonly read as a sacrifice, with a bird and armed figures nearby. On the Tängelgårda stone, the unicursal valknut appears among riders and warriors holding rings. These stones are usually dated to around the 8th century, before or at the start of the Viking Age. The figures are often interpreted as Odin, the dead on their way to Valhalla, or both, but the stones carry no text that explains them.
The Oseberg ship burial
The Oseberg ship, buried in Norway in 834 AD with two women and rich grave goods, contained a carved bedpost decorated with the valknut. Fragments of the Oseberg tapestry, which shows a procession of people, horses and wagons, also include valknut-like figures. Because these are burial goods, they support the idea that the symbol had something to do with death and funerary ritual.
Other finds and comparisons
The Nene River ring, an Anglo-Saxon gold ring from England dated to around the 8th–9th centuries, carries the tricursal valknut.
The Snoldelev stone in Denmark (9th century) shows three interlocked horns, which are often compared to the valknut.
Hilda Ellis Davidson noted similar three-cornered signs near wolves and ravens on cremation urns from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in East Anglia.
Hrungnir's heart
In the Prose Edda (13th century), Snorri Sturluson describes the giant Hrungnir's heart as made of hard stone with three sharp corners, like a carved sign that was called "Hrungnir's heart". This shows that a three-cornered carved symbol existed and had a name in medieval Iceland. Whether it was the valknut is a reasonable guess, but still a guess.
Where the name "valknut" comes from
"Valknut" is a modern word, built from Old Norse "valr" (the slain, those fallen in battle, as in Valhalla and Valkyrie) and "knútr" (knot). In modern Norwegian "valknute" can also refer to other looped knot figures. So "knot of the slain" is a fitting modern name based on where the symbol appears, not a name recorded from the Viking Age.
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FAQ about the valknut
What does the valknut symbolize?
No source from the Viking Age explains it. Because it appears on picture stones next to scenes read as sacrifice or the journey of the dead, and in the rich Oseberg burial, scholars connect it with Odin and with death. Modern readers often add binding and unbinding, the passage between life and death, and the nine worlds (from its nine points).
Is the valknut a rune?
No. The valknut is a figure made of triangles, not a letter of any runic alphabet. It is sometimes carved alongside runes in modern designs, but it has no sound value and does not appear in the Elder or Younger Futhark.
Is the valknut a bad or cursed symbol?
No historical source calls it cursed. The idea that only someone ready to die for Odin should wear it is modern folklore. Its links to death come from the scenes it appears in, which in Norse thought also concern honor and the journey after death.
Is a valknut tattoo offensive?
For most people it reads as Norse or heathen. The Anti-Defamation League lists it in its hate symbols database because some white supremacist groups use it, while noting that it is also widely used without any such meaning. Context matters: what it is combined with and how you explain it.
What is the difference between the valknut and the triquetra?
The triquetra is made of three interlaced arcs (leaf shapes) and is common in Celtic and Christian art. The valknut is made of straight-sided triangles. The single-line form of the valknut is topologically the same knot as the triquetra, but it looks quite different.
Why does the valknut have nine points?
Three triangles have nine corners in total. Modern interpretations link the nine points to the nine worlds of Norse cosmology or to Odin's nine nights on the tree. These readings are modern and are not attested in Viking Age sources.
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Written by Julia, rune reader since 2020. More about me →
