Home

Skadi

Skadi, also known as Skaði, is a figure in Norse mythology associated with winter, skiing, mountains, and hunting. She is described as a jötunn (giantess) and the daughter of the giant Thjazi. In the Norse corpus, she is counted among beings who interact with the Æsir and is often interpreted as a personification of winter and rugged mountain landscapes.

Her story centers on compensation after Thjazi’s death. Skadi travels to Asgard to mourn and demand reparation

Skadi appears in both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, where her tale illustrates themes of

for
her
father’s
demise.
The
gods
offer
a
settlement
in
the
form
of
a
husband
chosen
by
Skadi,
provided
she
selects
him
by
his
feet
while
her
eyes
are
closed.
She
chooses
Njord,
the
god
of
the
sea,
and
they
marry.
The
union
is
marked
by
a
lasting
incompatibility,
as
Skadi
prefers
the
mountains
and
fjords
while
Njord
favors
the
sea.
To
appease
both
spouses,
Njord
and
Skadi
live
in
separate
realms:
he
stays
at
Noatun
by
the
sea,
she
in
the
mountains.
Eventually
their
marriage
is
commonly
regarded
as
nonprocreative
and
they
part
amicably,
with
Skadi
remaining
in
the
mountainous
realm.
kinship
with
giants,
the
consequences
of
divine
settlements,
and
the
geographic
symbolism
of
winter.
In
later
periods,
she
has
been
interpreted
as
a
symbol
of
winter’s
harshness
and
the
alpine
landscape.
Modern
references
to
Skadi
appear
in
literature,
art,
and
games,
where
she
is
often
depicted
as
a
winter-associated
goddess
or
giantess.