The world map of the Nordic myths
Jotunheim, Jotunhem or Giant Home is in Norse mythology the world of giants and other evil powers, located beyond Asgard and Middle-earth.
An interpretation of the world of giants:
Between Asgard and Jotunheim flows the river Ifinger (Vimur, Danube), which separates the worlds of Midgard (central Europe) and Jotunheim (the mighty Roman Empire). Beyond Elivågor (“the storm-whipped waves”, Gulf Stream) is the castle Utgård (Vinland/Venland = side land, America). Asgard is Scandinavia itself.
Similarities between Idavallen and Gladsheim with the mountains of Ida and Greece.
In Norse mythology, Idavallen is a beautiful plain in Asgard (actually in Jotunheim):
Before Asgard was built, the gods met on Idavallen to decide the fate of people and the state of things. When Asgard was completed, Idavallen was inside the wall that surrounded the abode of the gods, and after Ragnarök, the surviving gods met on Idavallen. Some of them are Vale and Vidar who take over Odin’s chores and Thor’s sons Mode and Magne who have with them the hammer Mjolnir.
Gladsheim (Gladsheimr, “the joyful world”, Graceful Land) is, according to the Edda poem Grímnismál, the name of the area in Asgard where Valhalla (Colosseum) is located. But according to Gylfaginning (“the great elusive bay”) in Snorri’s Edda, Gladsheim is a court that the gods had erected on Idavallen in the middle of Asgard. This was their first work since Asgard had been built, writes Snorri Sturlasson. The court was completely as if of gold through and through. There were twelve high seats for the gods, in addition to the seat of the All-Father, which was the highest of them all. In addition to the court, a temple was also built for the goddesses.
Mount Ida, Crete, Greece:
Crete’s Mount Ida is the highest peak of the island, sacred to the goddess Rhea, and there is the legendary Idaian Cave (Ἰδαίον ἅντρον), where the child Zeus was hidden from his father Cronus. It is one of a number of caves that are believed to have been the birthplace or hiding place of Zeus.
Nifelhem/Nilfheim:
Nifelhem or Nivelhem (Old Icelandic Niflheim, “the fog-shrouded world”) is the name of a mythological ice kingdom in the north. Metaphorically, it is also used as the name of the underground realm of the dead (Africa), also called Niflhel. (in the map is misspelled Nilfheim, which is not entirely wrong in this case).
