"In the Beginning Was the Ring: Mythological Echoes and Heroic Allusions in the Origin of the 'Nibelungen Hort' "

In Germanic medieval tradition, as in many cultures, countless stories deal with a wide range of objects having magical powers. Among these, rings or bracelets have a special place, as can be seen in the Hausmärchen heritage handed down by the Grimm brothers. One of the most famous rings in old Germanic literary tradition is Draupnir, whose name is self-evident witness of its main characteristics. Only Snorri’s Edda Skáldskaparmál gives relevant details of how it was originally wrought to replace the damage caused to Síf’s hair by Loki. Another well-known object showing similarities to Draupnir is the ring Andvaranautr, a magical gold-producing ring that Loki extorts from its previous owner, and which could possibly be connected with the previous myth