In Skáldskaparmál it is attested that the two groups of Gods in old Norse mythology, the Æsir and the Vanir, were at war but came to the agreement to make peace. The symbol of this peace was a vessel which both groups spat into. Since the gods did not want the symbol of this peace to go to waste they created the being Kvasir from the spit in the vessel. Kvasir was very wise wise and one could not ask him a question he did not know the answer to. And he would travel around the world in an attempt to educate humans. However, one day he was invited into the home of two dwarves, Fjalar and Galar, who killed him and drained his blood into three objects, one pot called Óðrerir, and two vats called Són and Boðn. They then mixed the blood with honey and created a mead that would make anybody who drank it a poet or scholar, know colloquially as “The Mead of Poetry”. The mead would eventually be given to Suttungr, a giant, as the compensation for the death of his parents at the hands of Fjalar and Galar. It lastly ends up in the hands of Odin after he works for Baugi, Suttungr’s brother, in exchange for a sip of it, but when Suttungr eventually denies him a sip, Odin steals it all, bringing it back to the other Gods.

A common belief is that the symbol might reflect the three vessels which the mead of poetry was stored. However, the connection between the symbol and poetry might go deeper than this. For example, the Snoldelev Stone refers to Gunnvaldr who is the “þulaʀ á Salhøgum”, translated as “the thyle of Salhaugar”. A thyle – deriving from the old English word þyle meaning orator, or the old Norse þulr meaning a sage, a poet or wise-man – is believed to have been either a historian or some sort of skald in the service of a king. The symbol is therefore very likely directly related to wisdom and poetry.

For the Vikings, possessing skills in poetry and oration was highly esteemed, reflecting a person’s intellect, eloquence, and social standing. Skalds and those with poetic or intellectual gifts were believed to have been blessed with a sip from the mead, a special gift handed down from the gods themselves. As such, Odin’s horns symbolize the pursuit of knowledge and the importance of wisdom. Based also on the story from which the symbol derives the interconnected horns represent not only the physical containers of mead but also the trials and sacrifices associated with the pursuit of knowledge and the poetic arts.

Deriving also from story of Kvasir, the symbol will have an equally strong interpretation related to the building of bonds and peacemaking, a context in which mead played a pivotal role to the Vikings. When rival clans sought to resolve disputes or solidify alliances, they often shared mead in a ceremonial manner, symbolizing the restoration of harmony and mutual respect. The act of drinking mead together, usually from a common vessel, served as a binding contract, an unspoken agreement to bury past grievances and forge a new, peaceful relationship. Odin’s horns this way also become a strong symbol of peace building and interconnectedness.

Wearing Odin’s horns is an aspiration to the qualities of wisdom, creativity, and articulate expression, signifying a journey towards enlightenment and understanding. It also embodies the concept of unity and the resolution of conflict, representing a personal or communal commitment to resolving disputes, building harmonious relationships, and fostering a collective sense of security and mutual respect.