Today if one thinks of either elves or dwarves, the first thing to come to mind is likely to be the works of J.R.R Tolkien. Thanks to him, fantasy fiction goes hand in hand with elves and dwarves. Yet what many people do not realize is that he took his inspiration for them from Norse mythology. Both elves and dwarves played important roles in Norse mythology. Several Norse myths feature dwarves crafting precious objects, while Old Norse poems feature elves accompanying the gods. Here is everything you need to know about the elves and dwarves of Norse myth.

Origins of Dwarves in Norse Mythology

In fantasy fiction, dwarves are predominantly associated with craftsmanship and smithing, as well as dwelling deep beneath the earth under mountains. Appearance-wise, they are usually depicted as being short and unattractive.

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This matches how they are portrayed in Norse mythology . While the old myths do not go into much detail as to their appearance, they are described as “dvergr of voxt” (short like a dwarf). The dvergar, or dwarves, of Norse mythology do have one ability not shared with their modern counterparts however: the ability to shapeshift.

Read more: Ancient Origins