A representation of Aegisyalmur
The helmet of worship / inspiration / awe, also called originally Aegis (w) yalmur. Found and described in Iceland through, mysterious with little information about it.
Aegisyalmur is mentioned in the Sigurd saga when Sigurd cuts down Fafnir to take the riches of the Niflongs. One of the treasures is precisely Aegisyalmur – it is rather transcendental, immaterial, something that gives its carrier tremendous power – enemies to fear, honor and obey.
Power is concentrated between the eyes and is associated with snakes that use poison to paralyze their prey. It is interesting that this concept is on the Indo-European line, before the runes were transferred to the Northern countries. Therefore, it is used as a symbol of patronage, and after the advent of Christianity in Iceland, it is called the “Seal of Solomon”.
Sigurd kills Fafnir, carving, Hylestad Stave Church
In one of the poems of Poetic Edda, Fafnir attaches great importance to Aegisyalmur for his strength:
“The helmet of awe
I bring before the sons of men,
to protect my riches;
Almost everyone, I was the strongest,
that’s how I thought,
because I didn’t find it equal “
According to runologist Steven Flowers, the original meaning of hjalmr is “cover / protection”, and he speculates:
“This magical symbol was originally a sphere of magical power to drive fear into the enemy. It is associated with the power of the snake, which injects poison into its prey to paralyze it (hence the relationship with Fofnir). “
