Svartalfaheimr (Old Norse: Svartálfaheimr) is one of the Nine Realms in Norse mythology.
Attestations[]
Svartálfaheimr ("world of black-elves") appears in the Prose Edda twice, in each case as the place where certain dwarfs can be found to be living: In Gylfaginning 33, the "world of black-elves" is where the dwarfs are sought by the gods to craft the fetter Gleipnir to bind the wolf Fenrir. And in Skáldskaparmál, 39, the "world of black-elves" is where Loki encounters the dwarf Andvari.
Theories and interpretations[]
Scholars have commented that, as both attestations mentioning the beings and location appear to refer to dvergar, svartálfr and dwarf may simply be synonyms for the same concept. Scholar John Lindow comments that whether the dökkálfar and the svartálfar were considered the same at the time of the writing of the Prose Edda is also unclear.
In films[]
The Dark Elves from Svartálfaheimr will appear in the Marvel film Thor: The Dark World under command of Malekith the Accursed, who is not in Norse Mythology.
| Locations in Norse mythology | |
|---|---|
| Underworld | Helheimr • Éljúðnir • Gjallarbrú • Nástrǫnd • Niflheimr • Niflhel • Niðafjǫll |
| Rivers | Élivágar • Gjǫll • Ífingr • Kerlaugar • Kǫrmt and Ǫrmt • Slidr • Vadgelmir • Vimur |
| Other locations | Amsvartnir • Andlàngr • Barri • Bifrǫst • Bilskirnir • Brávellir • Brimir • Fensalir • Fjǫturlundr • Fólkvangr • Fornsigtuna • Fyrisvellir • Gálgviðr • Gandvik • Gastropnir • Gimlé • Ginnungagap • Glaðsheimr • Glæsisvellir • Glitnir • Gnipahellir • Heiðr • Himinbjǫrg • Hindarfjall • Hliðskjálf • Hnitbjǫrg • Hoddmímis holt • Iðavǫllr • Járnviðr • Mímameiðr • Munarvágr • Myrkviðr • Nóatún • Okolnir • Sessrúmnir • Sindri • Singasteinn • Søkkvabekkr • Svartálfaheimr • Þrúðheimr • Þrúðvangr • Þrymheimr • Útgarðr • Valaskjálf • Valhǫll • Víðbláinn • Vígríðr • Vingólf • Wells (Hvergelmir • Mímisbrunnr • Urðarbrunnr) • Ýdalir • Yggdrasill |
| Realms in Norse mythology | |
|---|---|
| Álfheimr • Ásgarðr • Jǫtunheimr • Miðgarðr • Múspellsheimr • Mímisbrunnr • Niðavellir (Svartálfaheimr) • Niflheimr • Vanaheimr | |