Valkyrja

valkyrja is a female figure in Norse mythology who selects which warriors will die in battle and which will survive, and who, in various accounts, escorts the slain to the afterlife. The name is commonly interpreted as “the chooser of the slain,” from Old Norse valr (the slain) and kyrja (to choose or pick), though exact etymology is debated.

In myth, valkyrjur are attendants of Odin and are often described as maidens who roam battlefields, deciding the fates of warriors. After selecting the slain, they are said to guide the worthy to Valhalla, Odin’s hall where the einherjar prepare for Ragnarök. Some sources also state that half of those slain go to Freyja’s hall at Fólkvangr, with the remainder going to Valhalla, reflecting a division of the dead between the gods.

The valkyrjur appear in both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, where they are depicted as intelligent and capable beings who interact with gods and mortals. Several valkyrjur are named in the sources; Brynhildr is one well-known example.

In later folklore and modern culture, the concept of the valkyrja has persisted as a symbol of fate and martial valor. The figure has influenced literature, art, and music, including operatic and cinematic portrayals, and the broader term “valkyrie” is used in various contexts to denote warrior-spirits or battle-associated feminine beings.