In Norse mythology, Lodurr or Lóðurr (pronounced LOAD-er) is one of the little-known Norse gods but is there a possibility that Lodurr was a great friend of Odin and also he was supposedly the creator of the universe. The meaning of the name Lodurr is unknown, although speculations linked to many other Old Norse languages suppose that the name Lodurr could mean different things like land fruit (lóð), to attract (laða), or people (ljóðar).
This obscure Norse god is said to have appeared with Odin’s friend, kenning, but nothing more about this is mentioned in Old Norse writings. It’s also been said that Lodurr was the god who created humanity, alongside Odin, who is known as the AllFather. Well, there isn’t much to prove any of these accounts. But in one text, Lodurr appears and is regarded as Odin’s friend. The truth, however, is that any of the other gods could have been Odin’s friends.
In Poetic Edda, specifically in Voluspa, Lodurr is mentioned and named the creator of all humanity. He is mentioned alongside Odin – the AllFather and Hoenir. The reason why this is one of the possible meanings of the name Lodurr and what the god did appears to be linked to discussions around two specific gifts associated with Lóðurr – the lá and the litu góða. In the debatable Völuspá context, lá translates to the film of flesh and/or blood. Note that there are many other potential possibilities, but these two are the main suggestions. The other phrase litu góða, is interpreted traditionally into good shape, good colors, or good looks. But in the 19th Century reading of litu góða by Viktor Rydberg, the Swedish Scholar, this phrase would be translated into ‘Shape of Gods’ with lines meant to indicate that the gods made humankind from their likeness/ image.
The Identity of Lodurr
The existing conflicting forces between Helheim and Niflheim was initially believed to have something to do with materiality, specifically when this great cow that was born in the primal zone ended up nourishing a proto-giant known as Ymir – this was the first race that evolved into holy being. Crawling from his body were the three brothers, Odin, Lodurr, and Hoenir. The three slaughtered Ymir – yet Ymir was their oldest ancestor, the god that set the world’s cosmological order. This was a big moment in Theogony when the proto beings – whom the gods evolved from led to the existence of the gods, giants, and men.
From surviving tales and lore, the identities of Odin and Hoenir are well known, but that of the third brother isn’t well known – even though he is the one who gave us the rushing blood and the good hue of living color, health, vitality, and our life force. Lodurr’s identity has, therefore, been contentious for several years – but there is a lot of evidence that shows that the third brother, Lodurr, is, as a matter of fact, Loki.
