hagræddi

Hagræddi is a term used in some discussions of Norse and Icelandic folklore to describe a form of magical practice associated with the hag or witchcraft. The evidence for hagræddi is fragmentary and its exact meaning varies among scholars. In general, the term is linked to a body of alleged techniques, rites, or spells thought to influence people or events through hidden knowledge or ritual action.

The word is typically analyzed as a compound drawn from elements in Norse sources that connote witchcraft or secret craft, though precise etymology is uncertain due to limited and ambiguous attestation. Because references to hagræddi appear in a small number of medieval texts and later scholarly discussions, interpretations differ: some view it as a broad category of harmful magic or a specific type of spell, while others argue it denotes a particular ritual method or set of practices.

Practices attributed to hagræddi in the sources are described as involving preparation, invocation, and the use of symbolic objects, runes, or charms. Depictions often place such acts in a clandestine or gendered context, though researchers contest simple gendered readings and highlight varying social functions of witchcraft in folklore.

In modern scholarship and popular fantasy, hagræddi is sometimes cited as an example of historic magical traditions that illustrate how “witchcraft” terms are constructed in language and culture. See also: hag, witchcraft, runes, curses.