To some, ravens conjure scenes of battle with mobs of winged shadows flocking to feast upon the fallen. Hunched darkly, they perch on the shafts of bloodied spears, crimson beaks glistening. In the medieval era ravens were birds that were aligned firmly with ill-omen and bad luck*. In Western societies a group of ravens is still called ‘an unkindness’. However, this hadn’t always been the case.
Many will be familiar with imagery of the Norse god Odin, with a raven upon each shoulder. One of his many names was Hrafnaguð, ‘God of Ravens’. Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory) scouted the lands, bringing Odin news and extending his knowledge. A fragment from the poem Grímnismál reveals that:
Hugin and Munin fly each day over the earth.
I am worried about Hugin, that he not come back,
And yet more worried about Munin.
Why should Odin fret about losing his memory? In a society where a person’s roots were an important aspect of their identity, this would be catastrophic. Tribes could trace their lineages back to their great ancestors, and sometimes to the gods themselves. These genealogical histories were a way that people kept their place within the ancient world. In them a sense of place and time could be derived. Sagas, legends and fate were interwoven .
Medallions of the Migration Period depict portraits with bird headdresses. Sometimes, birds frame a figure’s profile. From the same period, helms have been found with raven-headed terminals. They suggest a link with the double-raven aspect of Odin. While impractical in battle, this ceremonial garb was most likely worn by followers of Hrafnaguð. The imagery echoes the link between raven and mind.
No doubt their presence was witnessed on the battlefield as they reddened their beaks upon the slain. One kenning for raven was nàs gaukr – ‘corpse cuckoo,’ they were the sworn brothers of eagles and ‘going to feed the ravens’ was another way of saying you were heading to battle. In the skald known as the Hrafnsmál (Raven’s Song), a Valkyrie greets a raven and they discuss the exploits of the king Harold Fairhair. The gore-stained raven possessed much insight into the King’s recent battles. It’s no wonder the God of Battle kept such birds by his side.
The Celtic god Lug (Lugh) parallels Odin in many ways. He kept two ravens that did his bidding and came to warn him of his enemy’s approach. It may well be this god’s image that adorns a carving from in Moux, France. Two ravens sit upon a man’s shoulders, their heads turned to face him. Although Lug isn’t a god of war as-such he is many-skilled. Like Odin, he wields a magical spear.
Ravens were also possessed of prophetic powers in Celtic myth – as personified in the tale of Brânwen the Daughter of Llyr in the Welsh Mabinogion. In this tale Brânwen (White Raven), sister of Brân (Raven), was married to an Irish king and taken to Eire. Her husband mistreated her but she managed to send a message across the sea to her brother, pleading for help. Brân led an expedition to save his sister but during the attempt he was fatally wounded and Brânwen died of a broken heart. Brân instructed his warriors to cut off his head and take it back to Wales. Even so his head sang and made prophecies.
The Carmina Gadelica is a collection of old verse from the Highlands of Scotland. Though Christianised, echoes of older beliefs are evident within them. They were recorded in the 1800s by Alexander Carmichael. In doing so he preserved a rapidly disappearing tradition. In a couple of lovely verses, the raven is invoked for their wisdom and their power to bring good luck. In one poem the bird forms a triad alongside the eagle and the serpent.
In Grecian myth, ravens are associated with Apollo. They were the God’s messengers in the mortal world, bringing luck to those who beheld them. To the tribes of the Pacific Northwest coast, including the Innuit, Haidas and Koyukons, Raven is a creator and a trickster. In Europe, by the time the practice of alchemy was reaching its zenith, the raven was symbolic of darkness and putrefaction – however negative that might appear, this was a necessary step in alchemical processes.
Ancient peoples, living closer to the animal kingdom, must have had intimate knowledge of the natural world. We see this reflected in their myths and legends. Today we know that ravens are incredibly clever creatures. Their brain size is one of the largest in the bird kingdom and they have a great potential and ability for problem solving, mimicry and insight.
Note:
*The main source of this change from bird of fortune to one of ill-omen is perhaps unsurprising. In the Bible (Leviticus 11:13), Yahweh reveals to Moses and Aaron the animals that they can and cannot eat. Along with the osprey, vulture, kite and ossifrage, the raven and their kind are counted as ‘abominations’. Given the influence of the book it’s likely that the raven’s character was thus tarnished.
References:
Celtic Symbols – Sabine Heinz
Alchemy And Mysticism – Alexander Roob
The Encyclopaedia Of Celtic Mythology And Folklore – Patricia Monaghan
Norse Mythology – Peter Andreas Munch
Norse Mythology – John Lindow
Sir Gawain & the Green Knight – Translated by Burton Raffel
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Some of those black birds that would follow me as I walked along country roads, many decades ago, were awfully big. Especially when I was a kid, they'd scare me as they'd flap from perch to perch on power lines, always keeping an eye on me. I could never tell if I was looking at ravens or crows.…Ravens aren't that common where I grew up (not far from Duluth); they're pretty much unheard of around the Twin Cities.