Disir & Disablot

The dísir are among the most frequently referenced spiritual beings in Norse literature. They possess a broad definition and varied roles. Fundamentally, dísir seem to denote female spirits in general. However, in many sources, they are depicted as ancestral figures. Occasionally, they are linked to the protection of their descendants. At times, goddesses, norns or valkyries are also referred to as dísir. Throughout this chapter, we will present quotations from the sources along with brief explanations to enhance understanding.

The Disir

First, we will briefly discuss the etymology. The term dísir (plural) comes from the Old Norse dís (singular), which translates to “lady,” “goddess,” or “female guardian spirit.” The etymology and related terms in Germanic languages indicate significant cultural and linguistic ties. The Proto-Germanic root is dīsi- (“woman,” “lady”), which likely originates from an earlier Proto-Indo-European root *dhīs- (the precise meaning is debated). This may be connected to concepts of fertility or maternal roles, as some scholars suggest a link to a root meaning “to suckle” (Indo-European *dhē(i)-).

Disir Norse Only?

The dísir were recognized not only by the Norse but also appear in much older Germanic texts. One of the earliest references to the dísir is found in the Merseburg charms, which are the only surviving examples of pre-Christian pagan poetry in Old High German literature. These charms were documented in the 10th century by a cleric near Fulda, Germany. One of the two charms is a "Lösesegen" (blessing of release), which describes how a group of "Idisen" freed warriors from their shackles who had been captured in battle.

From even older times, the Old Saxon idis is referenced in the 9th-century Hildebrandslied, where idisi (plural) are called upon as fate-weaving spirits akin to the norns. Additionally, in the Old English poem Beowulf, the term ides is used several times to refer to female figures. In line 1074 and again in line 1117, the queen Hildeburh is referred to as an "ides" as she grieves for her kin after the Battle of Finnsburg. In line 620, Hrothgar's wife, Wealhtheow, is identified as the "ides of the Helmings," and again in line 1168 as the "ides of the Scyldings." Furthermore, in line 1259, the mother of the monster Grendel is introduced as an ides. This is strange how both ladies and even a supposed monster of Grendel's mother can be referred to by this term.

Eiris sazun idisi,
sazun hera duoder;
suma hapt heptidun,
suma heri lezidun,
suma clubodun
umbi cuoniouuidi:
insprinc haptbandun,
inuar uigandun.

"Once sat women(idisi),
They sat here, then there.
Some fastened bonds,
Some impeded an army,
Some unraveled fetters:
Escape the bonds,
flee the enemy!"

-Merseburg charm 1, 9th century (Giangrosso translation)

Disir Norse Mythology

Moving on to the Norse sources, there are many conflicting ones that show how broad the term dísir could be. In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson’s use of Vanadís as an epithet for Freyja and and öndurdís ("snow-shoe dís") as a name for Skaði, suggests that the term dísir was not strictly limited to one category of spirits but could also be applied to goddesses. This aligns with the idea that the dísir were powerful female entities with divine or semi-divine qualities.

"Freyja has many names, and the reason therefor is that she changed her name among the various nations to which she came in search of Oder. She is called Mardol, Horn, Gefn, and Syr. She has the necklace Brising, and she is called Vanadis."

-Prose Edda, ch. 10

Aside from that, there are few references to the dísir in the Prose Edda, while the Poetic Edda has significantly more mentions. However, a major issue exists: translators frequently provide misleading translations of the Old Norse texts. For instance, Bellows translates the word dísir as "norns," even though the norns are named in the very next stanza. This raises an important question about the flexibility of these concepts in Norse belief. Therefore, I will include the Old Norse texts alongside the English translations throughout this chapter, as it is crucial to convey the correct meaning.

Hamðir kvað:
28. "Af væri nú höfuð,
ef Erpr lifði,
bróðir okkarr inn böðfrækni,
er vit á braut vágum,
verr inn vígfrækni,
- hvöttumk at dísir, -
gumi inn gunnhelgi,
- gerðumk at vígi -."
Sörli kvað:
29. "Ekki hygg ek okkr
vera ulfa dæmi,
at vit mynim sjalfir of sakask
sem grey norna,
þá er gráðug eru
í auðn of alin.

Hamther spake:
28. "His head were now off
if Erp were living,
The brother so keen
whom we killed on our road,
The warrior noble,--
'twas the Norns [dísir] that drove me
The hero to slay
who in fight should be holy.
29. "In fashion of wolves
it befits us not
Amongst ourselves to strive,
Like the hounds of the Norns,
that nourished were
In greed mid wastes so grim.

-Hamðismál, Poetic Edda (Bellows translation)

In Hamðismál, the dísir are portrayed as harsh and inescapable forces of fate, who weave the destinies of gods and men. Sörli’s lament about their cruelty suggests that the dísir were not merely protective spirits but also arbiters of destiny who could lead individuals toward ruin. His belief that their influence caused him to kill Erpr—thus dooming his mission—emphasizes their role in shaping events, whether through direct intervention or by influencing emotions and decisions.

Another similar account is in Grímnismál, when the wise Grímnir (Odin) predicts king Geirröðr's death, which he attributes to the wrath of the dísir. Again, dísir is used as a synonym for the norns:

Eggmóðan val
nú mun Yggr hafa,
þitt veit ek líf of liðit;
úfar ro dísir,
nú knáttu Óðin sjá,
nálgastu mik ef þú megir.

“53. Thy sword-pierced body | shall Ygg have soon,
For thy life is ended at last;
The maids are hostile; | now Othin behold!
Now come to me if thou canst!"

-Grímnismál, Poetic Edda (Bellows translation)

Both sources indicate that the Norns can be viewed as a type of dísir, though they may also be understood in a much wider context. The majority of references to dísir are found in the Sigurd cycle/Helgi lay poems within the Poetic Edda. These heroic poems depict the dísir as entities linked to death and battle, functioning similarly to valkyries. In Reginsmál, for instance, the unmarried Lyngheiðr is referred to as dís ulfhuguð (dís/lady with the soul of a wolf) in a derogatory manner. Later in the same poem, a stanza describes the dísir as female spirits who accompany a warrior, ultimately leading to his death in battle, a role that aligns them closely with valkyries.

"Þat er fár mikit
ef þú fœti drepr,
þars þú at vígi veðr,
tálar dísir,
standa þér á tvær hliðar
ok vilja þik sáran sjá.

Foul is the sign
if thy foot shall stumble
As thou goest forth to fight;
Goddesses [dísir] baneful
at both thy sides
Will that wounds thou shalt get."

-Reginsmál, Poetic Edda (Bellows translation)

An additional instance where dís is synonymous with valkyrie is the skaldic poem Krákumál, composed supposedly by the legendary Ragnarr Loðbrók while awaiting his death in a snake pit. It features the line: Heim bjóða mér dísir (the dísir invite me home), as one of several poetic circumscriptions for what awaits him.

Fýsumz hins at hætta.
Heim bjóða mér dísir,
þær er frá Herjans höllu
hefr Óðinn mér sendar.
Glaðr skal ek öl með ásum
í öndvegi drekka;
lífs eru liðnar vánir;
læjandi skal ek deyja.

"I wish to make an end. Dísir are welcoming me home, the ones Óðinn has sent me from the hall of Herjan= Óðinn [= Valhǫll]. I shall gladly drink ale with the gods in the high seat; hopes of life are past; I’ll die laughing."

-Krákumál

As we transition from the eddic poems to the saga literature that illustrates historical events, the dísir are increasingly depicted as deceased spirits or guardian-like entities. In Þiðranda þáttr ok Þórhalls, which is preserved in the Flateyjarbók, the dísir are presented in a notably dualistic manner—manifesting both as benevolent, white-clad spirits and as foreboding, black-clad figures. The narrative centers on Þiðrandi, a young man forewarned by the seer Þórhallr that disaster looms ahead. Despite his doubts, Þiðrandi is ultimately confronted by supernatural women—both the protective and destructive dísir make their appearance, but it is the black-clad ones who determine his fate. The story is often seen as a metaphor for the conflict between paganism and Christianity. The kind dísir, associated with the fylgjur, may symbolize the enduring protective spirits of ancient traditions, while the black-clad spirits represent the harsh consequences faced by those who resist change.

One source seems to describe the Dísir as the ghosts or spirits of dead women. In Atlamál, believed to have been written in Greenland in the twelfth century, the character Glaumvör warns her husband Gunnar that she had a dream about the Dísir.

"I thought dead women
came hither into the hall,
not poorly decked out.
They wished to choose you,
would've invited you quickly
to their benches;
I declare of no value
these dísir to you."

-Atlamál (Lindow translation)

Similarly, in Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka, the warriors invoke the dísir as protectors of their clans during disputes. This not only reinforces their significant role as ancestral spirits but also highlights their deep connections to family lines and the rich traditions of warrior culture that are central to their identity. The dísir in this source are depicted as fylgja which we will cover later in this chapter. This invocation suggests that the dísir were not just abstract supernatural beings but were actively called upon for guidance, protection, and perhaps even vengeance in times of conflict.

 

Disablot

Finally we must speak about dísablót. This would have been a sacrifice to the dísir. We will go into the specifics of dísablót in chapter 5, but for now there are a few final things that we can learn about the dísir from this seemingly important annual sacrifice.

When is Disablot?

Dísablót is mentioned in Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks konungs, Landnámabók, Víga-Glúms saga, Egils saga, and the Heimskringla. According to Víga-Glúms saga it was held at Vetrnaetr("Winter Nights.") In Hervarar saga, the dísablót is also held in autumn, and is performed by a woman, the daughter of King Álfr of Álfheim. This links the dísir to various ancestral practices that were observed in early winter, a time when many cultures believe the barrier between our world and the next is at its thinnest.

Disablot Ritual

In contrast, in the Saga of St. Olaf in Heimskringla, the dísablót was celebrated at Gamla Uppsala during Gói, in late February or early March, alongside the Thing of all Swedes and a yearly fair. With the arrival of Christianity, the assembly and market were shifted to a Christian feast in early February.

"In Svithjod it was the old custom, as long as heathenism prevailed, that the chief sacrifice took place in Goe month at Upsala. Then sacrifice was offered for peace, and victory to the king; and thither came people from all parts of Svithjod. All the Things of the Swedes, also, were held there, and markets, and meetings for buying, which continued for a week: and after Christianity was introduced into Svithjod, the Things and fairs were held there as before. After Christianity had taken root in Svithjod, and the kings would no longer dwell in Upsala, the market-time was moved to Candlemas, and it has since continued so, and it lasts only three days. There is then the Swedish Thing also, and people from all quarters come there."

-St. Olav's saga, ch. 76 Heimskringla

Disablot Date

The name Dísaþing (now Disting) is still used, and the Fair is held annually in Uppsala on the first Tuesday in February. It may be one of Sweden's oldest. Naming the festival after the dísir in early spring connects it to other spring fertility rituals, like the Anglo-Saxon Ēostre, indicating that the dísir might have been associated with fertility as well. One can see how there may have been a connection to Freya and fertility practices as suggested in earlier sources. Dísablót is one of the more challenging festivals to pinpoint with certainty. Top scholar on the pre-Christian calendar Andreas Nordberg places it on the third full moon after the Winter Solstice, which this year falls in early March. 

 

Conclusion & Disir Jewelry

The dísir occupy a uniquely broad and flexible role within Norse and Germanic spirituality, encompassing everything from ancestral guardians to battle spirits and fate-weaving entities. While the term dísir is often used in a way that overlaps with other supernatural female beings, such as the norns, valkyries, and fylgjur, its fundamental meaning seems to be that of a powerful female spirit, one that could either protect or harm, guide or punish. This fluidity suggests that rather than being a singular category of beings, the dísir represented a broad spectrum of spiritual forces, each with their own specific functions depending on the context in which they appeared.

Unlike the gods, who were primarily worshipped at major festivals or in times of great need, the dísir were deeply intertwined with the daily lives of individuals and families. They were believed to influence health, fertility, luck, and even success in battle, making them an essential part of Norse spiritual practice. Their presence in both private family rituals and larger communal gatherings, such as the dísablót at Gamla Uppsala, demonstrates that they were honored at every level of society. Whether appearing as ancestral spirits guiding their descendants, as battlefield specters choosing the slain, or as household protectors ensuring prosperity, the dísir were ever-present forces that connected the living with the spiritual world. Their veneration reflects a worldview in which the bonds between the past and the present, the seen and the unseen, were always active and essential to maintaining the balance of life.

 

Check out our collection of jewelry inspired by historical finds of disir here!