glasmyndun

Glasmyndun is a medieval Icelandic translation of the Latin term "glassio" or "mirror". In Old Norse, it refers to a type of polished stone or metal surface used for divination and geomancy. The term can also be related to scrying or the practice of gazing into a reflective surface for mystical or prophetic purposes.

According to the Heimskringla, a collection of sagas by Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson, King Harald Fairhair owned a glesmyndun which he used for "seeing the will of the gods". The sagas describe the mirror as a symbolic tool for gaining insight and foresight.

In the context of pre-Christian Norse culture, the concept of glesmyndun overlaps with the notion of " seidhr", a form of divination that involves gazing into natural or artificial reflective surfaces such as still water pools, mirrors or polished stones. Seidhr were believed to allow practitioners to access prophetic knowledge and communicate with the spirits.

There is no direct evidence that the term "glesmyndun" was used in Iceland during the Viking Age. However, archaeological discoveries of polished stone mirrors in various parts of Europe suggest that similar divination tools were used in pre-Christian European cultures. The significance of glesmyndun as a concept remains speculative and may be subject to ongoing scholarly debate. Nonetheless, it represents a significant aspect of pre-Christian Norse culture and provides insight into the various forms of divination and spiritual practices that coexisted in medieval Europe.