Norse mythology refers to the Scandinavian mythological framework that was upheld during and around the time of the Viking Age (c. 790- c. 1100 CE). Complete with a creation myth that has the first gods slaying a giant and turning his body parts into the world, various realms spread out beneath the World Tree Yggdrasil, and the eventual destruction of the known world in the Ragnarök, the Nordic mythological world is both complex and comprehensive. Its polytheistic pantheon, headed by the one-eyed Odin, contains a great number of different gods and goddesses who were venerated in customs integrated into the ancient Scandinavians' daily lives.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 800 - c. 1050Approximate timespan of the Viking Age.
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c. 1220The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson is written.
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c. 1270The Poetic Edda is written. It contains poetry that dates further back, though.
