An altar is a space that you create for yourself that will represent your relationship with the gods. Our Norse ancestors had altars within their homes, often referred to as a Ve. It is a place where you and other members of your household can worship and honor Gods and Goddesses, perform rituals, and meditate.
You may choose to have an inside or an outside altar. Many pagans have both. Archaeological evidence suggests that ancient heathens used natural formations like groves, springs, and stone circles, as well as constructed spaces within homes and temples. Your modern altar continues this tradition by creating a dedicated space for worship, offerings, and spiritual work.
The Norse cosmos operates on principles of reciprocity and relationship. Your altar serves as a bridge between the nine worlds, allowing you to maintain connections with the Æsir and Vanir gods, your ancestors, and the land spirits (landvættir) that inhabit your local area.
The following is a basic guide to setting up a Norse or Asatru altar. Keep in mind - there is no right or wrong. I’m going to give you suggestions and you can decide what feels right for you.
This isn't merely decorative—it's a functional workspace for building and maintaining these crucial relationships.
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Step 1. Placement of Your Altar
Inside Altar
The first step is to decide on a location and set up your altar. You can set up your altar in any room you are comfortable with. You will want to leave enough space so household members can comfortably gather around.
The top of a small table or shelf often works well. You may wish to place a few cushions on the floor in front of an altar that’s on an end table. If you prefer to stand a mantle makes a great altar space.
You will want to have a storage area for altar items. As you gather more things you will want to change them around for different seasons, needs, or rituals. I have my inside altar on a dresser and I use one of the drawers for storage.
Consider the cardinal directions when positioning your altar. North holds special significance in Norse tradition, associated with the realm of the gods and the axis mundi. However, east (associated with new beginnings and the dawn) and south (linked to warmth and life) are also meaningful choices. Let your intuition guide you, but ensure the space feels right for regular use.
Outside Altar
If you have an outside place where you wish to worship then you will want something flat to place your ritual items. This can be a small outdoor table, stump, altar stone, or a flat rock you can conveniently place at the bottom of a tree.
If you live in an apartment or urban area you may want to create a travel altar that you can take with you into the woods or to the beach to practice.
You can check out our article Altars: A Beginners Guide to learn more about altar placement
On a Budget?
Remember your altar does not have to be completed in 24 hours. You will have a lifetime to add to it when you find meaningful pieces. Don’t feel like you have to go out and buy everything all at once.
I started my altar when I was in college and struggling to make ends meet. My girlfriend loved to go to flea markets and Goodwills to look for inexpensive clothes. I found these to be great places to pick up a cool offering dish or carving.
On a budget? Include family items you may have. These two chalices were my grandfathers and bring special meaning to my altar space. Photo by Erik Olsen
Step 2. The Basics
Add the basic things you want to place on your altar.
Altar Cloth
The first thing, if you choose to use one is an altar cloth. An altar cloth has two main purposes.
First, it protects the altar which is especially helpful if you have your altar on a piece of wooden furniture. It can protect from candle wax drippings and the occasional sloshing of mead.
Second, the cloth helps to increase the power of your intentions or magic. You can use a single color or a print. I have one that is the Tree of Life and I feel it gives me a natural connection.
You may choose a color to symbolize a god. For the God Odin, you would use a deep blue or grey altar cloth.
Candles
Candles are often an important part of worship and rituals. Have a variety of colors on hand as they have different meanings.
My preference is beeswax candles because they are more sustainable, connect you to the natural world, and are free of chemicals. I have found candles at local farmers’ markets and it is nice to support a local artisan.
I typically have a white candle on my altar at all times and add in other colors depending on what I am doing. For example, if I’m doing a ritual involving Freyja I would use yellow candles.
Here’s my video for a basic altar set up.
Candles can also be an offering and they represent the element of fire. They come in a variety of sizes as well. I usually use taper and pillar candles for my inside altar and votive candles to take with me outside.
Candle safety is important to consider. The National Candle Association offers some great tips on maintaining your candles and using safe practices.
Offering Dishes
The other basic setup for an altar is dishes that you will use to place offerings. These can be anything from the standard dishes you use to something pretty or meaningful that you pick out for the purpose.
The dishes don’t have to be large. Small bowls used for deserts or salad are a good size. If you are baking a dish to offer to the gods make sure your offering dish will handle hot foods.
I like to use wooden bowls because I like the natural feel of them but they are more suitable for cool foods. A container for drinks is often used as well. This may be a glass, shot glass, mug, or chalice. (More about chalices below).
When you choose your dishes you will also want to consider the ease of cleaning. Sometimes a dish that is very ornate may be a pain to get clean when you are done with making an offering.
Hammerstone
This hammerstone represents Thor on my altar even though it’s from the Native American culture. Photo by Erik Olsen
The Norse Pagan Altar
In addition to the basic altar items mentioned above, you will also want to add things that are more Nordic. Below are some ways you can specifically embrace the Norse pantheon.
Statues/Representations
You can place statues of the gods and goddesses on your altar or maybe a representation of them. Many Norse pagans invest in a nice statue of Odin but it’s not necessary to communicate with the gods.
For example, a piece of quartz can be used to represent Thor or some water in a glass for Njord. I often use small animal figurines to represent the gods. Since they are both tricksters I use a fox figurine to represent Loki.
There is no one God to honor in Norse practice. Pick a god or goddess you relate to or admire and focus on them for a month. Read their stories and study their attributes so that you may learn from them.
As Nordic pagans, we may also choose to honor /worship our ancestors, the Jotunn or the Vaettir. Remember this is not about right and wrong. This is about growing closer to, learning about, and communicating with our shared deities.
Drinking Horn
The drinking horn, like the Chalice, is often used to make offerings of libations. A libation is when the drink is poured on the ground as an offering to a deity or to honor a deceased ancestor.
The drinking horn is not just a modern fad. It has its roots in Nordic history. Some have been found in archaeological sites that are 2600 years old. This makes sense as the horn is a part of the animal you can’t eat so using it for a household item is efficient.
In addition, we believe that slain warriors were offered a drink from a drinking horn when they arrived at Valhalla.
Runes
Whether carved in wood, stone, or metal, runes serve both as alphabet and divination system. A set of runes on your altar allows for regular spiritual consultation and connects you to this powerful Norse magical tradition. The Scandinavian version is called futhark.
Runes are very old and date back to 150 AD. They are a popular form of divination.
Many Norse pagans like to keep a set of runes on their altar. Runes come in many forms. You can also make your own runes. If you are on a budget simply use a marker on heavy card stock. You can also purchase small rounds of wood and paint a rune symbol on each one.
Chalice
A chalice is a “fancy” cup used to make offerings. Traditionally in Norse Paganism, we use mead or beer but any alcoholic drink is sufficient. Those on a budget may wish to get the little sample bottles they sell as alcohol has gotten quite expensive.
If you are a minor or don’t drink alcohol, no worries, juice or even soda can be offered and the gods will understand! In fact, I often make up an herb tea especially for the Valkyrie, Eir.
Havamal
The Hávamál, ‘Words of the High One’, is a poem attributed to Odin. It is not a sacred text but has meaningful advice, stories about Odin, and a collection of charms often referred to as the Song of Spells.
Along with the Poetic Edda, the Havamal is an important text to read to understand our shared history. It’s always beneficial to read the original translations which can be found online.
Jackson Crawford, an American Norse scholar, has a translation in everyday language that is accompanied by the classic translation. I personally found it very helpful to see the classic Old Norse translation next to a contemporary translation. His book is called The Wanderer’s Havamal.
Book of Blots
Another worthwhile book to put on your wishlist is a Book of Blots. The Asatru UK organization just came out with a great version called The Asatru UK Book of Blōts. The lead author is Dan Coultas, a well-respected Asatru authority in the United Kingdom.
Feathers represent air and the goddess Freyja. Photo bt Erik Olsen
Natural Objects
You may find natural objects when you are hiking or outside. Bring these in and add them to your altar. Remember don’t rip leaves or branches from a tree. Gather those that have fallen.
Nature is very important in Norse Paganism and these connections bring us closer to the deities.
Seasonal Elements: Incorporating items that reflect the current season helps maintain connection to natural cycles. This might include flowers in spring, grain in harvest season, or evergreen branches in winter. These elements keep your practice grounded in the rhythms that shaped ancient heathen life.
Specific Deity Considerations
Different gods appreciate different types of offerings and altar arrangements. If you're particularly devoted to specific deities, tailor your altar to honor them appropriately.
Odin: Odin's altar should emphasize knowledge-seeking and sacrifice, core themes in his mythology. The foundation colors are deep blue and grey, representing his association with the twilight realms between worlds and his role as psychopomp guiding souls between life and death.
Central to Odin's altar are symbols of his wisdom-quest and shamanic practices. Include books as Odin traded his eye for wisdom and discovered the runes through self-sacrifice. He appreciates offerings of poetry—whether ancient skaldic verse or your own compositions—read aloud at his altar. Representations of his eight-legged horse Sleipnir, his spear Gungnir, his ravens Huginn and Muninn or wolf imagery representing his companions Geri and Freki.
The All-Father appreciates offerings of mead, wine, and honey. Bread, particularly dark rye or pumpernickel, connects to his role as provider and wanderer. Leaves from the ash tree.
Thor: The thunder god enjoys ale, bread, and hearty foods. Red is his color, and his hammer Mjolnir should feature prominently. Oak leaves or acorns connect to his sacred tree.
Freya: The goddess of love and fertility appreciates flowers, honey, wine, and beautiful objects. Gold, amber, and cat imagery honor her, along with symbols of fertility and abundance. Freya appreciates bird feathers.
Tyr: The god of justice and warfare values weapons (even symbolic ones), items representing honor and duty, and offerings of meat or strong drink.
Frigg: Odin's wife and queen of the gods appreciates domestic items, spinning wheels or thread, and offerings related to home and family protection.
Remember that you don't need to honor every god—focus on those who call to you or with whom you feel a strong connection.
Working with Your Altar
Your altar becomes sacred through regular use, not just its physical setup. Establish routines that bring you into contact with the divine forces you honor. This might include daily greetings to the gods, weekly offerings, or seasonal celebrations.
Daily Practices: Simple daily acknowledgments help maintain your spiritual connections. This might involve lighting a candle each morning, offering a few drops of your coffee or tea, or simply taking a moment to greet the gods and ask for their guidance throughout the day.
Weekly Offerings: More substantial weekly rituals allow for deeper connection. Prepare proper offerings of food and drink, speak prayers or poems, and spend time in meditation or communion with the gods. Friday (Freya's day) is traditional for many practitioners.
Seasonal Celebrations: Use your altar as the centerpiece for celebrating the ancient festivals. Dísablót (honoring female spirits), Winter Nights, and Midsummer all provide opportunities for major ritual work and community celebration. We have articles on these sacred days.
Divination and Magic: Your altar serves as an ideal space for runic divination, seidr work, or other forms of Norse magical practice. The sacred space helps focus your intentions and provides a clean environment for spiritual work.
Maintaining Sacred Space
Keep your altar clean and energetically clear through regular maintenance. This involves both physical cleaning and spiritual cleansing practices.
Physically, dust the altar regularly, replace offerings before they spoil, and keep the space organized. Water offerings should be refreshed frequently, and food offerings should be consumed or disposed of respectfully and sustainably.
Energetically, cleanse the space through smoke (herbs like juniper or mugwort work well), sprinkling with blessed water, or simply through focused intention during cleaning. Some practitioners perform a brief blessing each time they approach the altar.
Author Erik Olsen recently graduated college with a degree in Anthropology. While in school he completed an internship with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History which led him to his current museum position.
Erik desires to be a Viking when he grows up and has worked in Outdoor Adventure leading hikes and rafting trips. A solitary Wiccan, Erik writes about Wicca, Norse religion, and making altars.
For additional reading, check out the blogs below.
Norse religion, also known as Germanic paganism or Heathenry, is a spiritual path that has deep roots in the traditions of Scandinavian and Germanic peoples, dating back to roughly the 1st century CE.
Far from being a primitive belief system, Norse religion is a sophisticated worldview that continues to shape the lives of modern practitioners across the globe.