InNordic mythology,Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri (Old Norse pronunciation:[ˈɔustre,ˈwestre,ˈnorðre,ˈsuðre])^{[citation needed]}; are fourdwarfs who hold up the sky after it was made by the gods from the skull of thejötunnYmir. They are referred to both inGylfaginning in the Prose Edda and in kennings. They have been further linked todvergar ("dwarfs"), supports for the main beam of some halls, that are likely named due to the roof being seen as a reflection of the sky inOld Nordic religion.

Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri have been variously translated as "The one in the East, West, North and South" and "East, West, North and South".^[2][3] The names derive fromOld Norse:austr,vestr,suðr andnorðr, meaningeast,west,south andnorth respectively.^[4]

The longest description of the dwarfs is given inGylfaginning from theProse Edda, when after the death ofYmir,Odin (in his guise asÞriði) describes the creation of the sky:

In theskaldHallfreðr vandræðaskáld'sÓláfsdrápa Tryggvasonar, thekenningníðbyrðra Norðra ("Burden of the relations of Norðris") is used to refer to the sky.^[6] InSkáldskaparmál,Snorri Sturluson says that one can refer to the sky or the heaven with kennings such asOld Norse:erfiði eða byrði dverganna ("Toil or burden of the dwarfs") andhjálm Vestra ok Austra, Suðra, Norðra ("Helm of Vestri and Austri, Suðri, Norðri").^[7][8] An example of this is quoted from the work ofArnórr jarlaskáld.^{[7][note 1]}

The four dwarfs are listed in the section ofVöluspá, Dvergatal.^[9]

Scholars have proposed that Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri are depicted holding up the sky on ahogback stone inHeysham inLancashire, although this interpretation remains debated.^[6][1] Although it has been argued that the dwarfs are depicted out of proportion and in a bestial manner, it has been noted that they closely resemble the human on the other side of the stone and it was unlikely that the carver intended to depict them as looking differently to humans.^[10] It has been suggested that the role of the dwarfs in holding up the heavens would imply they were thought to be very tall; however, it has been noted that the sky could have been conceived of as being close to the earth at the horizon. Judgements on their size cannot be supported either way by the hogback stone as the size of the hogback stone imposed physical limitations on the size of depictions.^[11]

It has been noted that the beams that support the roof of the house are known asdvergar ("dwarfs") inOld Norse. This has been connected by some scholars to Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri, suggesting that, as in other cases, the home acts like a microcosm, in which the roof is equated with the sky.^[6]

It has been noted that the small wooden blocks that held up the main beam of the roof (Old Norse:ás) were known asdvergar ("dwarfs"). This is first recorded in the 12th centuryÍslensk hómilíubók but likely reflects earlier naming practices, and is also seen in Denmark and Norway in later times.^[12] The term is widely believed by scholars to originate in the traditions of Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri, whose roles parallel the holding up of the main roof beam.^[6][13] This supports the idea thatNorth Germanic heathens saw the hall as representative of the wider world, with the roof equating to the heavens. It is further to be noted that the term for the main roof beam is the same in its singular form asás, a member of theÆsir (though they differ in plural form).^{[14][note 2]}

It has been argued that this mirroring of the world by the hall is further built up by the design of the hall and the imagery contained within it, such as in the use of pillars that reflect thecentral treeYggdrasil. This phenomenon has been seen more widely in other cultural spaces, such asChristianchurches,Navajohogans andCree tents.^[15]

• Anemoi, wind gods in Greek mythology assigned to the cardinal directions
• Atlas, a titan who holds up the sky in Greek mythology
• Four Heavenly Kings, beings in Buddhist tradition that watch over the cardinal directions
• Four Holy Beasts, beings in Chinese tradition assigned to the cardinal directions
• Royal stars, guardians of the corners of the sky in Persian tradition

• Sturluson, Snorri (2018).The Prose Edda. Translated by Brodeur, Arthur Gilchrist. Franklin Classics Trade Press.ISBN 9780344335013.
• "Gylfaginning (Old Norse)".heimskringla.no. Retrieved4 October 2022.

• Gould, Chester Nathan (1929)."Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion".PMLA.44 (4):939–967.doi:10.2307/457704.ISSN 0030-8129.JSTOR 457704.S2CID 163540054.
• Gunnell, Terry Adrian (2005)."Hof, Halls, Goðar and Dwarves: An Examination of the Ritual Space in the Pagan Icelandic Hall".Cosmos 17:3–36.
• Mikučionis, Ugnius (2017). "Recognizing a dvergr: Physical Status and External Appearance of dvergar in Medieval Nordic Sources (8th-13th century)".Roda da Fortuna: Electronic Journal About Antiquity and Middle Ages.6 (1).S2CID 221713017.
• Scheuer, Jensen Connor (2017).Dvergatal, Shorthand for a Universe: The Dwarfs of Vǫluspá (Thesis). University of Oslo.
• Simek, Rudolf (2008).A Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Hall, Angela. BOYE6.ISBN 9780859915137.

• Norse dwarves
• Ymir

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