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Nidavellir
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Featured November 7 , 2011
Realm of the Dwarves
According to Völuspá, Niđavellir or the "Dark fields" is one of the nine worlds of Norse cosmology and is a land inhabited by the dvergar or dwarfs. The realm is located to the east of Midgard. The Niđafjöll, or the Dark Fells, written in connection is a mountain chain in the underworld and may be related to Völuspá's mention of the well known dwarf Sindri where it says: 'North, on the Niđavellir, stands the dwelling place of Sindri's kin, covered with gold.' There is a long list of dwarf lineage connected to Niđavellir and it is from here that the author J.R.R. Tolkien used some of their names in his works of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings triology. Dvergatal, The Catalog of Dwarfs From Völuspá, Stanszas 9-16, quotes the following list of well known dwarfs. the holy hosts, and held converse: who the deep-dwelling dwarfs was to make of Brimir's blood and Blain's bones. Mótsognir rose, mightest ruler of the kin of dwarfs, but Durin next; molded many manlike bodies the dwarfs under erath, as Durin bade them. Nýi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri, Austri and Vestri, Althjóf, Dvalin, Nár and Náin, Níping, Dáin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nóri, Án and Onar, Ái, Mjóthvitnir. Veig and Gandálf, Vindálf, Thráin, Thekk and Thorin, Thrór, Vit, and Lit, Nár and Regin, Nýráth and Ráthsvith; now is reckoned the roster of dwarfs. Fíli, Kíli, Fundin, Náli, Heptifíli, Hanar, Svíur, Frár, Hornbori, Frćg and Lóni, Aurvang, Jari, Eikinskjaldi. The dwarfs I tell now in Dvalin's host, down to Lofar- for listening wights- they who hied them from halls of stone over sedgy shores to sandy plains. There was Draupnir and Dólgthrasir, Hár and Haugspori, Hlévang, Gloi, Skirvir, Virvir, Skafith, Ái, Álf and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi, Fjalar and Frosti, Finn and Ginnar. Will ever be known, while earth doth last, the line of dwarfs to Lofar down. The Dvergar {dvergr} are associated with stones, the underground and forging and apart from the Eddas, they notably appear in the fornaldarsagas. The Norse concept of dvergar is also unlike the humourous image of dwarfs we have today. Prior to the 13th century they were seen as being of normal human height. A scene carved in wood on the Sigurd Portal in Hylestad Stav Church, in Setesdal, Norway, depicts the saga hero Sigurđr along with his foster father Reginn who was a Dvergr. Both are normal human height and it is thought that some latter day story tellers may have added the short and ugly dwarf characteristics for generating interest and humour.  Yet contradictory to that is the the Proto-Germanic word dweraz, from the Proto-Indo-European dhwergwhos meaning something tiny. This suggests that dwarfs may have in fact been widely accepted as small and that it was of no importance to storyline descriptions. The sagas do however, describe dvergar as having pale skin "fölr" like that of a corpse with black hair "svartr", giving rise to an image of a vampire and Dvergar were said to be pale because sunlight was lethal to them. The Völuspá however, divides the dwarfs into what may be three tribes, lead respectively by Mótsognir, their first ruler; secondly Durinn, and finally Dvalinn, who according to the Hávamál brought them the art of rune writing. In Teutonic myth, he is the dwarf who invented runes. He also made the beautiful golden wig to replace Sif's own hair when it was cut off by Loki. It was he who also made the spear of Odin, Gungnir, and the ship called Skidbladnir owned by the god Frey. Skidbladnir was so large that it could hold on board all the Aesir gods with all their weapons, arms, and horses. Yet it had been so cleverly constructed by the dwarfs that when it docked and was no longer needed, it could be folded up and put in the god's pocket. Of interest, Völuspá does not mention the origin of the Dvergar, which remains unknown. Like the Vanir and the Álfar, the Dvergar simply preexisted. Their role at Ragnarök is also not entirely clear, and Völuspá only mentions this: how fare the elves? All Jotunheim groans, the gods are at council; Loud roar the dwarfs by the doors of stone, The masters of the rocks; would you know yet more?"
Credits:
Wikipedia Catalog of Dwarfs From Völuspá, Stanzas 9-16 Scandanavian Myth {Bulfinch} 
Elenwe Yngling
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