Sol is the personification of the sun. Her role is crucial in the Norse cosmological framework, where she is responsible for driving the sun’s chariot across the sky, bringing light and warmth to the world.
Sol is often depicted as a radiant and powerful figure, embodying the life-giving and sustaining aspects of the sun. She is frequently portrayed with a halo of bright flames surrounding her head, symbolizing her connection to the sun’s energy and power. In Norse art, she is shown driving her chariot across the sky, pulled by her two horses, Árvakr (“Early Awake”) and Alsviðr (“Swift”), who are equipped with special gear to protect them from the sun’s intense heat.
Sol’s daily journey across the sky is not just a celestial event but a fundamental aspect of her mythological narrative. She is pursued by the wolf Sköll, who seeks to devour her, a pursuit that is destined to succeed during the apocalyptic event of Ragnarök. This chase adds a layer of tension and drama to her daily routine, symbolizing the constant struggle between order and chaos, light and darkness.
Her journey is a reminder of the reliability of the natural world and the structured progression of time, which were crucial for the agricultural society of the Norse people. The reverence for Sol is also reflected in the naming of Sunday (“Sunnudagr” in Old Norse), a day dedicated to honoring her.
While specific rituals and the extent of her cultic worship are not extensively documented, Sol’s influence is evident in various archaeological finds, such as the Trundholm sun chariot, which suggests that the sun was a venerated celestial body in ancient Scandinavian culture.
According to Norse mythology, Sol’s fate is intertwined with Ragnarök, where she is prophesied to be swallowed by Sköll. However, this is not the end of her influence or her legacy. It is believed that after the destruction, a new world will emerge, and Sol will have a daughter who will take up her mother’s mantle, driving the sun across the new sky.