VALKYRIES

Valkyries were a part of Norse pagan culture from long before the Viking Age. The concept of powerful warrior maidens with supernatural powers dates back to the Germanic tribes that eventually moved north & settled in Scandinavia.
From the numerous mentions in the earliest Viking mythology sources like The Poetic Edda & in the Prose Edda, developed from an earlier concept of a death demon, it’s clear that Valkyries played a key role in the Vikings belief system.
In general, Valkyries symbolized various aspects of war, fate & destiny in Norse mythology.
They were revered for their strength, beauty & connection to the gods. Valkyries had superhuman strength that made them agile & skilled fighters but they weren't allowed to fight in the battles that they witnessed. They could move without being seen & shapeshift.
Valkyries were brewing & serving mead which had magical healing properties that improved memory, healed wounds & increased strength.
Valkyries controlled the fates of mortals with magical looms made with human heads for weights, intestines for threads, used arrows & swords for beaters. They used these materials to weave the destiny of each warrior into a tapestry that would predict the outcome of the battle.
Valkyries primary responsibility was to fly over battles & choose the most courageous fallen soldiers on the battlefield, pick them up & escort them to the hallowed halls of Valhalla ruled by Odin, where they would join the einherjar, an army that was put together for the apocalyptic battle of Ragnarok, the end of the world. This concept of death & rebirth was at the heart of what the Valkyrie stood for. They represented a cycle of life, death & renewal- a constant reminder that we must cherish every moment, because nothing lasts forever. If they didn’t want a particular warrior to die, Valkyries would protect them. The rest of the soldiers who died in battle went to the afterlife field called Fólkvangr, ruled by the goddess Freya.

Some Valkyries were associated with different animals & elements of nature.
Valkyries were often called Swan-maidens because they would disguise themselves as Swans so that they could fly away unnoticed.
Ravens would accompany the Valkyries on the battlefield. After the Valkyries chose & took away soldiers, Ravens would feast on the bodies of warriors they did not choose.
Valkyries were also connected with the animals they mounted on when going into battles, such as winged Horses, Boars & Wolves. According to some legends, instead of a Horse, Valkyries flew over the battlefield on their heavy, silvery wings.

Each Valkyrie had a name that was presumably linked to aspects of their powers, personality or both.

Algiz is the symbol for the Valkyries, led by Freyja, sent by Odin.