The Triskele, also known as the Triple Horn of Odin is a symbol consisting of three interlocked drinking horns, commonly worn or displayed as a sign of commitment to the norse faith.
The Triskele commemorates Odin’s quest for the Óðrerir, the mead of poetry, a magical drink that made anyone who drank it become a skald or scholar, able to recite any information and solve any question.
In order to acquire such prize, Odin disguised himself as humble worker, agreeing to perform the work of nine slaves for one season to the owner of the mead, the giant Suttungr. However, Odin was cheated, being denied even a sip form the beverage.
Undaunted, the Allfather resorted to subterfuge. Taking advantage of Suttungr’s absence, Odin decided to spend the next three nights with his daughter, the giantess Grunlöd. Each night, Odin drank a full, giant sized, horn of the mead of poetry. After the third night, noticing the return of Suttungr, Odin transformed himself into an eagle and flew away. Suttungr in anger, also transformed himself into an eagle and flew after Odin. The other gods, knowing that Odin was returning with such mighty prize and realizing that the Allfather could not land, arranged several bowls in Odin’s path, so he could spit the mead into these bowls, thus sharing the poetry with gods and poets alike.
The Triskele symbolizes Odin’s gift of knowledge to mankind, each one a hard earned sip from the mead of poetry, paid with hard work, cunning intellect and a fair amount of giant(ess) love.
