In Norse mythology, Midgard is portrayed as the realm of humans, situated at the center of the cosmos. According to the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, Midgard was created by the gods Odin, Vili, and Vé from the body of the primordial giant Ymir. They used his flesh to form the earth, his blood to create the seas, his bones to shape the mountains, and his hair to make the trees. The gods then raised Ymir's skull to form the dome of the sky, held aloft by four dwarves named Norðri, Suðri, Austri, and Vestri, representing the four cardinal directions.
The sagas and eddas describe Midgard as a circular plane surrounded by a vast ocean, in which dwells the Midgard Serpent, Jörmungandr. This enormous creature encircles the world, grasping its own tail in its mouth. The Poetic Edda, particularly in the poem Grímnismál, depicts Midgard as connected to Asgard, the realm of the gods, by the rainbow bridge Bifröst. The texts also mention that Midgard is protected from the chaotic forces of the outside world, known as Útgarðr or Jötunheimr, by a wall built from the eyelashes of Ymir. This cosmological structure emphasizes Midgard's central position in Norse mythology, serving as the stage for many of the interactions between gods, giants, and humans.
Midgard, in Norse mythology, is one of the Nine Worlds and the realm inhabited by humans. Its name literally means "middle enclosure" in Old Norse.
According to Norse cosmology, Midgard was created by the gods Odin and his brothers, Vili and Vé, from the body of the primordial giant Ymir:
Midgard is conceptualized as a disc-shaped realm, suspended in the branches of Yggdrasil, the world tree:
Midgard plays a central role in Norse mythology: