Heimdall

Heimdallr

Golden-toothed watchman of the gods, guardian of Bifröst and herald of Ragnarök

Heimdall, or Heimdallr, is the watchman of the Norse gods. In the Eddas he is the shining son of nine sisters, with teeth of gold, and he keeps guard over Bifröst, the rainbow bridge, from his hall Himinbjörg. He needs less sleep than a bird, sees a hundred leagues by night or day, and can hear grass grow. His horn, Gjallarhorn, will sound in every world when Ragnarök begins.

He stands for watchfulness, foresight and keen senses. He is known from the Poetic and Prose Eddas, written down in Iceland in the thirteenth century, and from Viking Age carvings. Scholars recognise him on the tenth-century Gosforth Cross in Cumbria, though the stone names no one. Today some modern Heathens (Ásatrú) honour him.

See the gallery

Heimdall an der Himmelsbrücke by E. Doepler, Published ca. 1905. Wikimedia Commons (public domain), Emil Doepler

How to recognise Heimdall

Golden teethA gentle half-smile with gold teeth showing marks him out, and gives him the name Gullintanni, 'Golden Teeth'.
GjallarhornA large curved horn held to his lips or carried at his side, the 'resounding' horn he will blow to call the gods at Ragnarök.
BifröstA rainbow arc or bridge behind or beside him recalls the burning bridge between Asgard and Midgard that he guards.
Far-seeing gazeAn alert, wide-awake, clear-eyed look shows the sleepless sentinel who sees a hundred leagues and hears grass grow.
Bright, radiant lookA tall, strong, youthful-to-mature figure, shining and watchful, reflects the epithets 'the shining god' and the 'bright' or 'white' god of Snorri's Prose Edda.
Plain swordA simple straight sword at the hip or in hand recalls the Prose Edda, which calls a 'head' Heimdall's sword.
Golden-maned horseHis horse Gulltoppr ('Gold-top'), when shown at all, stands smaller than him and in the background.

Names and titles

Watchman of the GodsBritannica describes him as the watchman of the gods, guarding the entry to Asgard
Golden TeethGullintanni, his name from the golden teeth Snorri describes
Son of Nine MothersIn the lost Heimdalargaldr he says he is the son of nine sisters, often read as the nine waves
Keeper of the Rainbow BridgeHe guards Bifröst, the burning rainbow bridge between Asgard and Midgard
Sounding the GjallarhornHe will blow the resounding horn to call the gods when Ragnarök begins