One of the first dwarfs, created from Ymir's flesh.
Durinn (Old Norse Durinn) is one of the very first dwarfs in the Norse cosmogony. According to Völuspá 10-11, the gods created dwarfs from Ymir's flesh and blood, and Durinn is named as one of the foremost among them. Gylfaginning 14 states that Motsognir was the mightiest and Durinn the second mightiest of the dwarfs.
Durinn's name appears in the long catalogue of dwarfs (Dvergatal) in Völuspá 10-16, which also inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's naming of the dwarves in The Hobbit. Beyond this mention, no independent narratives about Durinn survive in the preserved Norse sources.
Sources in the Eddas
- Völuspá 10-11
- Durinn is named among the first dwarfs in Dvergatal, created from Ymir's flesh.
- Gylfaginning 14
- Snorri names Durinn as the second mightiest dwarf after Motsognir.
Interpretive traditions
A What we know
Durinn is one of the first dwarfs, attested in Völuspá 10-11 and Gylfaginning 14.
He ranks as second mightiest after Motsognir.
B What we think we know
Whether Dvergatal in Völuspá is an original part of the poem or a later addition is debated.
C What we do not know
Durinn's possible role in older myths beyond name-lists lacks attestation.