Svölðr

Meaning of Old Norse word "svölðr" (or svǫlðr)

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

svölðr (svǫlðr)

f. a local name of a current (not an island) near Hiddense (Héðins-ey) west of Rügen; prob. a rendering of a Wendish name, the Swelchie, whirlpool (?); fyrir Svölðar minni, before the mouth of S.; and ‘fyrir Svölð,’ Edda 83, also Knytl. S. ch. 120, 122; see the conclusive essay on the place and date of this battle by Mr. Jörgensen, in Aarb. for Nord. Oldk. og Hist. 1869; to which add, that ‘Héðins-ey’ actually occurs, although disguised, in Hallfred’s poems, composed immediately after the battle, viz. ‘á víðu sundi Héðins-eyjar’ for ‘Héðins-meyjar’ of the MSS.; and breiðan bekk Héðins ‘rekka’ of the same poem (FS. 218, 219, verses 12, 15, being a local name, not a kenning).

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, svölðr may be more accurately written as svǫlðr.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᛋᚢᚢᛚᚦᚱ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements