Andvarrs

Andvarrs, in Norse mythology, refers to the dwarf Andvari (often rendered Andvarr) and to the treasure he possessed, collectively known as Andvarr's hoard. The hoard is most famous for a magical ring that is said to doom its owners to misfortune, a motif that recurs throughout the Norse mythic tradition.

The core tale, preserved in medieval Icelandic sources, centers on Loki visiting Andvari to seize his wealth. Andvari is forced to reveal and relinquish the treasure, but he curses it, especially the ring, so that anyone who takes it will suffer great misfortune and die along with their kin. This curse links a string of tragic events to the possession of the treasure and explains much of the doom that befalls those connected to it.

In the Völsunga saga, the Andvarr episode underpins the fate of the Volsung lineage. The ring and the gold pass through several hands, fueling treachery, battles, and betrayals that contribute to the downfall of heroes and kings associated with the saga. The Prose Edda and related sources also situate Andvari and his cursed hoard within the wider tapestry of myths about treasure and doom in the Norse world.

Scholarly note that the Andvarr narrative is one of the best-attested cursed-treasure motifs in Norse literature. It has parallels with other Germanic legends of stolen wealth and rings and has influenced later literary traditions, including adaptations that explore themes of greed, fate, and cursed objects. The figure of Andvari and the legend of Andvarr's ring remain central to discussions of mythic wealth and its peril.