The sky is periphrased as Ymir's skull, the dwarfs' burden, the helm of the cardinal dwarfs (Austri, Vestri, etc.) and the land of the sun and moon. Twelve verse examples range from heathen cosmology to Christian periphrases of heaven as God's 'world-tent' and 'sun-helm'.
Hvernig skal kenna himin? Svá, at kalla hann Ymis haus ok þar af jötuns haus ok erfiði eða byrði dverganna eða hjálm Vestra ok Austra, Suðra, Norðra, land sólar ok tungls ok himintungla, vagna ok veðra, hjálmr eða hús lofts ok jarðar ok sólar. Svá kvað Arnórr jarlaskáld:
How shall the sky be periphrased? Thus: by calling it Ymir's skull, and thence a giant's skull, and the toil or burden of the dwarfs, or the helm of Vestri and Austri, Suðri, Norðri, the land of the sun and moon and heavenly bodies, of chariots and winds, the helm or house of the air and earth and sun. Thus spoke Arnórr jarlaskáld:
Ok enn sem hann kvað:
And again as he spoke:
Svá kvað Böðvarr balti:
Thus spoke Böðvarr balti:
Ok sem kvað Þjóðólfr inn hvinverski:
And as Þjóðólfr of Hvinir spoke:
Svá sem kvað Ormr Barreyjarskáld:
As Ormr Barreyjarskáld spoke:
Svá sem kvað Bragi skáld:
As the skald Bragi spoke:
Ok sem Markús kvað:
And as Markús spoke:
Svá sem kvað Steinn Herdísarson:
As Steinn Herdísarson spoke:
Ok sem kvað Arnórr jarlaskáld:
And as Arnórr jarlaskáld spoke:
Ok enn kvað Arnórr:
And again Arnórr spoke:
Ok sem kvað Hallvarðr:
And as Hallvarðr spoke:
Sem Arnórr kvað:
As Arnórr spoke:
Skaldic quotations
Arnórr jarlaskáld (himmel = Ymis haus, Ymirs skalle)
Ungr skjöldungr stígr aldri jafnmildr á við skildan þess var grams, und gömlum, gnóg rausn, Ymis hausi.
Never shall so open-handed a young king tread the planked ship beneath Ymir's old skull [the sky]; that king's magnificence was ample.
Arnórr jarlaskáld (himmel = erfiði Austra, Austris möda)
Björt verðr sól at svartri, sökkr fold í mar dökkvan, brestr erfiði Austra, allr glymr sjár á fjöllum.
The bright sun turns black, earth sinks into the dark sea, the toil of Austri [the sky] bursts, all the sea roars over the mountains.
Böðvarr balti (himmel = sólar grund, solens grund)
Alls engi verðr Inga undir sólar grundu böðvar hvatr né betri bræðr landreki æðri.
Under the sun's ground [the sky] there is no land-ruler braver in battle or better than Ingi's brother.
Þjóðólfr inn hvinverski (himmel = mána vegr, månvägen)
Ók at ísarnleiki Jarðar sunr, en dunði, móðr svall Meila blóða, mána vegr und hánum.
The son of Jörð [Þórr] drove to the iron-play [battle], and it thundered; the wrath of Meili's brother [Þórr] swelled; the moon's road [the sky] resounded beneath him.
Ormr Barreyjarskáld (himmel = vagnbraut, vagnvägen)
Hvégi er, Draupnis drógar dís, ramman spyr ek vísa, sá ræðr, valdr, fyr veldi, vagnbrautar mér fagnar.
However it may be, O dís of Draupnir's thread [lady of gold]: I learn the prince is mighty; that ruler governs the realm; the chariot-road [the sky] greets me.
Bragi inn gamli (himmel = mundlaug vinda, vindarnas tvättfat; Óðinn kastar Þjazis ögon)
Hinn er varp á víða vinda Öndurdísar of manna sjöt margra mundlaug föður augum.
He [Óðinn] who cast the eyes of the ski-dís's [Skaði's] father [Þjazi] up onto the wide wash-basin of the winds [the sky], over the dwellings of many men.
Markús Skeggjason (himmel = élkers botn, stormkärlets botten)
Fjarri hefir, at fæðisk dýrri flotna vörðr á élkers botni, háva leyfir hverr maðr ævi hringvarpaðar, gjalfri kringðum.
Far from it that a dearer guardian of seafarers should be born on the bottom of the storm-vessel [the earth beneath the sky]; every man praises the high life of the ring-caster [the generous prince].
Steinn Herdísarson (himmel = heimtjald, världstältet — Gud)
Hás kveð ek helgan ræsi heimtjalds at drag þeima, mærð tésk fram, en fyrða fyrr, því at hann er dyrri.
I call the holy ruler of the high world-tent [heaven — God] into this poem; the praise proceeds; he is more precious than men, for he is dearer.
Arnórr jarlaskáld (himmel = dags grund — Gud)
Hjalp þú, dýrr konungr, dýrum, dags grundar, Hermundi.
Help, O dear king of the day's ground [heaven — God], the worthy Hermundr.
Arnórr jarlaskáld (himmel = sóltjald, soltältet — Gud)
Saðr stillir, hjalp þú snjöllum, sóltjalda, Rögnvaldi.
True prince of the sun-tents [heaven — God], help the valiant Rögnvaldr.
Hallvarðr háreksblesi (himmel = salr fjalla, fjällens hall)
Knútr verr jörð sem ítran alls dróttinn sal fjalla.
Knútr defends the land, as the Lord of all defends the glorious hall of the mountains [heaven].
Arnórr jarlaskáld (himmel = sólar hjalmr, solhjälmen — Gud/Krist)
Míkáll vegr þat er misgért þykkir mannvits fróðr ok allt it góða; tyggi skiptir síðan seggjum sólar hjalms á dæmistóli.
Michael, wise in understanding, weighs what seems misdone and all the good; then the prince of the sun's helm [heaven — God] apportions among men upon the judgment-seat.