Learnings: The Freewomen

A pair of Scandinavian keys / c. Viking Age

Women wore keys like these at their hips to symbolize their authority.

As the keepers of hearth and home, women were responsible for keeping both home fires—the cooking fire, and the vital force of the family—burning strong and bright. If the latter fire went out, the harmony of the clan would be threatened. For this reason, the hearth was sometimes associated with Yggdrasil, the Cosmic Tree and the pillar that upheld the order of the universe. If the home fire flickered or Yggdrasil crumbled, order and harmony would shatter.