muninn

Muninn is a figure in Norse mythology, one of the two ravens that accompany the god Odin. The name Muninn derives from Old Norse and is commonly interpreted as memory or mind, contrasting with Huginn, which means thought. Together, the pair symbolize Odin’s connection to knowledge, speech, and foresight.

In myth, Odin sends his ravens to fly over the world and observe events. Each day they roam to distant lands, and at the end of their circuits they return to Odin and whisper what they have seen and heard. Through their reports, Odin gains information about people, battles, and distant happenings, supporting his role as god of wisdom, war, and poetry.

The two ravens are attested in the Old Norse sources, notably the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda compiled by Snorri Sturluson. In these texts, Huginn and Muninn are presented as Odin’s constant watchers, the means by which he learns from the world.

Scholars interpret Muninn and Huginn as symbolic representations of memory and thought, emphasizing the Norse interest in knowledge, consciousness, and prophecy. In modern culture, Muninn frequently appears in works inspired by Norse myth, alongside Huginn, as a motif of surveillance and wisdom.