Northern Black

News & Insights

Welcome to the Northern Black blog - where ancient myths meet modern mischief. From runes to ravens, we're all about the stories, symbols, and spirit of the North. Whether you're deep into Norse lore or just like your style with a bit of bite, you’re in the right place

Fantasy tarot-style character artwork featuring a warrior, a fire mage, a rune sorcerer, and an enchantress casting magic

MEET THE NORSE GODS: LEGENDS OF THE ÆSIR AND VANIR

The Norse gods have an annoying habit of refusing to stay politely in the past. They appear in sagas, on stones, in half-remembered folktales… and increasingly on people’s biceps. Whether...
Isar Oakmund
Illustrated tarot-style card featuring a red-haired woman standing beside a Viking longship

THE DOOR TO HEL STANDS OPEN: DEATH AND THE AFTERLIFE IN THE VIKING AGE

In the Viking Age, death was an expected visitor. Burial mounds stood in the fields, and more than a few families worked their land under the steady gaze of their...
Isar Oakmund
NORSE GODMASKS: FAQS, HISTORY, AND SYMBOLISM

FAQ sur le masque de Dieu

Peter Oakmund répond aux questions brûlantes d'Internet sur God Mask

Peter Madsen
Samhain-themed wreath decorated with candles, autumn leaves, pumpkins, acorns, crystals, mushrooms, and a central pentacle charm on a dark textured background

SAMHAIN AND ÁLFABLÓT: PARALLEL RITES OF THE PAGAN HALLOWEEN SEASON

The wheel turns, the shadows lengthen, and we reach the ancient threshold between light and dark. For many paths, this is Samhain — the festival that closes the bright half...
Isar Oakmund
Harvest fruits and autumn leaves on altar

MABON: REFLECTING ON THE AUTUMN EQUINOX AND THE BALANCE OF LIGHT AND DARK

Explore the meaning of Mabon, the pagan sabbat of balance, harvest, gratitude, and seasonal rituals on the autumnal equinox.
Isar Oakmund
John Bauer’s Freyja

FREYA: LADY OF LOVE, WAR, AND A PAIR OF CATS

Discover Freya, Norse goddess of love, war, magic, and cats — fierce, powerful, and still inspiring. Shop our Freya collection.
Isar Oakmund
Tattoo machine with needles, ink cups, and Norse runes

5 VIKING TATTOOS YOU SHOULD NOT GET (AND WHY)

Have you ever thought about what tattoos we seem to think are viking tattoos but are completely made up? Today we go through some examples and tell you the real meaning behind them.

Isar Oakmund
Taggué: Tattoos
VIKING JEWELLERY

VIKING JEWELLERY: THE ARTEFACTS OF MAGIC, WEALTH AND STATUS

In the Viking Age, jewellery was never just jewellery. A brooch, bead, or arm ring carried meaning. It could bind a man to his lord, show the wealth of a...
Isar Oakmund
Lughnasadh offering table with fresh bread, sunflowers, apples, marigolds, and candles arranged with wheat stalks

LUGHNASADH & LAMMAS: THE FIRST PAGAN HARVEST

Lughnasadh, sometimes called Lammas, is the first of the harvest festivals in the Pagan Wheel of the Year. Celebrated around August 1st, it marks the start of the grain harvest...
Isar Oakmund
Wheel of the Year with carved seasonal names and natural decorations, surrounded by pinecones, greenery, a red candle, and a wicker star ornament on a dark background

THE PAGAN WHEEL OF THE YEAR THROUGH CELTIC AND NORDIC TRADITIONS

This guide offers a grounded look at each point on the wheel as it appears through the lens of Celtic, Norse, and folk European traditions.
Isar Oakmund
Runes, Sigils and Bindrunes book including Viking, Norse and Icelandic magical bind runes for love, marriage, wealth and protection. Also includes full bind runes list using the Elder Futhark

FAQ sur les runes, les sceaux et les Bindrune

Peter Oakmund répond aux questions brûlantes d'Internet sur Bind Rune
Isar Oakmund
Taggué: Runes & Sigils
Yule enjoy learning about Pagan Origins of Christmas traditions!

Yule enjoy learning about Pagan Origins of Christmas traditions!

Join us as we highlight pagan traditions that Christianity took and altered to be a part of what we now know as Christmas.
Isar Oakmund
Northern Black

PAPER & INK

Viking books that dive deeper than surface legend. This collection is steeped in Norse mythology, tattoo artistry, and raw northern symbolism.