Niflheim

Niflheim, or Niflheimr in Old Norse, is a realm in Norse mythology associated with cold, ice, fog, and mist. Its name derives from nifl- meaning “mist” or “fog” and heimr meaning “home” or “world.” It is typically described as a northern region and is contrasted with Muspelheim, the world of fire.

Cosmology and features: In Snorri Sturluson’s writings, the ice of Niflheim meets the heat of Muspelheim in Ginnungagap, the primordial void. From this encounter the primal beings Ymir the frost giant and Auðumbla the cow arise. In Niflheim lies Hvergelmir, a great well at the bottom of the world from which the Élivágar rivers originate; these rivers, in time, contribute to the formation of the world’s rivers and seas.

Relation to the underworld: Niflheim is often described as a cold, misty realm of the dead, but most sources distinguish it from Helheim, the realm of the dishonored dead ruled by the goddess Hel. In some medieval texts Hel and Niflheim are linked or conflated, but standard accounts usually treat them as separate domains.

Legacy and usage: In scholarly sources, Niflheim is regarded as a primordial, cosmological component of the Norse mythic world rather than a conventional afterlife destination. In modern fiction and popular culture, Niflheim is frequently depicted as a frostbound or shadowy realm, illustrating its enduring influence beyond ancient texts.