Necklace / Jewellery
Brísingamen
Freyja's gold necklace — the most beautiful jewel ever forged, obtained at the price of four nights.
Brísingamen (Old Norse: Brísingamen, 'the necklace of the Brísings') is the great gold necklace of Freyja, goddess of love, beauty, and magic. It is said to be the most beautiful object ever made, its craftsmanship beyond anything wrought in Asgard.
Freyja came upon four dwarves — Álfrigg, Dvalinn, Berlingr, and Grérr — who had just completed the necklace. She offered them gold and silver, but they wanted none of it. Their price was one night each in her company. Freyja accepted, spent four nights with the four dwarves, and claimed the necklace on the fifth morning.
Loki discovered this arrangement and reported it to Odin. Odin commanded Loki to steal the necklace while Freyja slept. Loki transformed into a fly, found a gap in her locked bower, changed into a flea, and bit Freyja so she rolled over in her sleep — exposing the clasp. He stole it, brought it to Odin, and Odin returned it only on the condition that Freyja stir up war between two great kings, to be fought forever unless a Christian hero ended it.
Freyja wears Brísingamen as a mark of her power. When the giant Thrym stole Mjölnir and demanded Freyja as his bride, it was Brísingamen that was placed around Thor's neck when he went in disguise — the necklace an essential part of making the ruse believable.
Freyja came upon four dwarves — Álfrigg, Dvalinn, Berlingr, and Grérr — who had just completed the necklace. She offered them gold and silver, but they wanted none of it. Their price was one night each in her company. Freyja accepted, spent four nights with the four dwarves, and claimed the necklace on the fifth morning.
Loki discovered this arrangement and reported it to Odin. Odin commanded Loki to steal the necklace while Freyja slept. Loki transformed into a fly, found a gap in her locked bower, changed into a flea, and bit Freyja so she rolled over in her sleep — exposing the clasp. He stole it, brought it to Odin, and Odin returned it only on the condition that Freyja stir up war between two great kings, to be fought forever unless a Christian hero ended it.
Freyja wears Brísingamen as a mark of her power. When the giant Thrym stole Mjölnir and demanded Freyja as his bride, it was Brísingamen that was placed around Thor's neck when he went in disguise — the necklace an essential part of making the ruse believable.
Owner / associated beings
Myths featuring this artefact
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Loki and Idunn
The giant Thjazi forced Loki to lure Idunn from Asgard — without her apples the gods began to age.
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Thor's Hammer is Stolen
The giant king Thrym stole Mjölnir and demanded Freyja as his bride — Thor solved it disguised as a bride.