Idunn: Goddess of Youth

Idunn and the Apples of Youth by George Percy Jacomb-Hood 

Idunn is a Germanic Goddess of the Norse Pantheon. She grows an orchard of golden apples which enable the Gods to stay youthful or immortal by varying accounts. She is married to Bragi, the god of Poetry. Idunn's name means "ever young" or "the rejuvenating one."

There has been some speculation about the origins of the Idunn, and possible links to much older cultures than that reflected in surviving Norse myths. Baskets of apples and nuts have been found in many Germanic burial sites, including the famous Oseberg ship burial. Nuts are also associated with Idunn, as a result of the famous story in which Loki was forced to rescue her from the giant Thiazi by transforming himself into a bird and Idunn into a nut.

Idunn's association with burials may reflect earlier connections of Idunn with death as well as youth and rejuvenation. Though it is speculative, perhaps her function in this regard was as a source of immortality for the dead, which would explain the offerings found in burial sites. It is also important to note that apple trees are not native plants in Germanic lands, and those which are found there often produce small, bitter fruits. This may indicate that Idunn's origin traveled into the Germanic lands through culture blending in prehistoric times.

There are also strong connections between apples and fertility, evidenced both in surviving myth of the Norse as well as European culture in general. The apple is often called the witch's fruit, as it reveals a five pointed star when sliced in half. Apples have also long been associated with many forms of love magic, which makes sense given its longstanding association with fertility in general.

I have often speculated on the marriage of Idunn and Bragi and it symbolic meanings. In the Lokasenna Idunn defends Bragi by stating that "all living things love him." The art of poetry in Norse tradition is one of great significance, and is often synonymous with knowledge or wisdom. It always seemed to me an odd paring, the often flighty naivete of youth and the experienced wisdom of poetry and knowledge. But I always felt that somehow this was a very happy marriage intuitively.

Idunn and Bragi by Hanz Frolich

Perhaps the marriage of youth and wisdom is symbolic of the journey of life, a reflection of wholeness of self. In essence capturing both the spirit and energy of youth along with the wisdom and experience of age. It is also interesting to speculate about the connections between the tale of Adam and Eve and the Tree of Knowledge. Perhaps the tale of Idunn and Bragi is a more positive twist on the general theme, a marriage of youth and knowledge with a positive result. Of course this is simply speculation, but it is interesting to note the similarities between these stories as well as the differences.

It is my opinion that the apple is a representation of spirit and knowledge. The five pointed star within, the deep red color, the round shape, they remind us of fertility, life, love, and spirit. It is this knowledge that keeps the gods alive and makes Idunn, atleast in my opinion, the guardian of both youth and knowledge.

In Frith,
Cena