Gjallar

Gjallar is a term from Old Norse that is most commonly encountered as part of the name Gjallarhorn, the horn of the god Heimdallr in Norse mythology. The root gjalla or gjall- is associated with loud calling or roaring, and appears in various Germanic languages with the sense of shouting or thunderous sound. The exact etymology is uncertain, but the element in Gjallarhorn is interpreted as indicating a loud, resonant sound.

In Norse myth, Gjallarhorn is described as a magical horn kept by Heimdallr at Himinbjǫrg, at the border between the realms. When Ragnarök begins, Heimdallr will blow Gjallarhorn to announce the catastrophe, and its blast is said to be heard across the nine worlds, waking the gods and signaling the assembling of forces for the final battle. The horn thus functions as a cosmic alert, marking the onset of the end-times and the subsequent renewal of the world.

Beyond the compound Gjallarhorn, Gjallar as an independent term is not widely attested in surviving mythic narratives. It is principally of linguistic and philological interest, illustrating how the Old Norse root for loud sound appears in mythic naming rather than representing a separate character or narrative element.

See also: Gjallarhorn; Heimdallr; Ragnarök; Old Norse language. References to primary sources include the Prose Edda (Gylfaginning) and related scholarly discussions of the term’s etymology and usage.