Selecting among half of those who die in battle (the other half go to the goddess Freyja's afterlife field Fólkvangr), the valkyries take their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin. In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ( / v æ l ˈ k ɪər i, - ˈ k aɪ r i, v ɑː l-, ˈ v æ l k ər i/ from Old Norse valkyrja, 'chooser of the slain') is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. The 'valkyrie from Hårby', silver-gilt figurine depicting a female with a sword and shield, often interpreted to be a valkyrie
