Warriors Funeral, Nilfeheim

warrior’s funeral

The Nilfeheim funeral rituals find their origin in the Norse funerals, or the burial customs of Viking Age North Germanic Norsemen (early medieval Scandinavians), are known both from archaeology and from historical accounts such as the Icelandic sagas, Old Norse poetry, and probably from the account of Ahmad ibn Fadlan.

Throughout Scandinavia, there are many remaining tumuli in honour of Viking kings and chieftains, in addition to runestones and other memorials. Some of the most notable of them are at the Borre mound cemetery, in Norway, at Birka in Sweden and Lindholm Høje, and Jelling in Denmark.

A prominent tradition is that of the ship burial, where the deceased was laid in a boat, or a stone ship, and given grave offerings in accordance with his earthly status and profession, sometimes including sacrificed slaves. Afterwards, piles of stone and soil were usually laid on top of the remains in order to create a tumulus.

Due to the lack of wood on Nilfeheim, the symbolic stone ship funeral is the most common one for warriors. To honor the highest and most respected society memebers. A full warriors funeral is ordered by the Circle of Elders. Meaning a wooden Dragon boat is ordered (usually from New Sweden ) and the honored dead is laid board and the ship is set ablaze and sent out to sea.

For a Neo Viking warrior death is nothing to be feared, and should a warrior have lived a true and honorable life his burial would reflect his success. You see in old Norse times to die in battle, being brave and strong was a true honour. Your comrades and friends would be proud of you, and you would have gained entry to Valhalla, the Norse stronghold in Odin’s realm that only accepted true Viking warriors.

So with the constraint of fear removed, Neo Viking warriors were capable of true freedom in battle, the fear of death was absent for them. Should they die on the battlefield, they know that their death would only lead them to Valhalla or even Folkvangr should they be chosen by the Goddess Freya. Either way is preferable to Helheim a place for the weak to visit in their afterlife.