The Odin Code links Norse and Azerbaijani cultures in Brussels

An evening of mythology, culture, and history came to life when The Odin Code, a documentary by Swedish photographer and filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg, was screened at Flagey Cultural Centre in Brussels. The film explores the intriguing connection between Scandinavian and Azerbaijani culture, inspired by the theories of adventurer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl during his lifetime.

Hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Belgium, the event drew a diverse audience, including diplomats, cinema lovers, students, and members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Belgium.

“Today this film will take us on a cinematic voyage through the Nordic countries and the Caucasus, linking the ancient symbolism of Odin with timeless landscapes and stories,” said Vaqif Sadıqov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Belgium. “The Odin code invites us to reflect on the universal search for meaning. It also reminds us that art can build bridges where politics sometimes cannot.”

The documentary follows Silkeberg’s travels through Azerbaijan and the Scandinavian countries, exploring cultural and historical parallels between the two regions. Inspired by Heyerdahl’s controversial theory that Odin, a central figure in Norse mythology, migrated from Azerbaijan to Scandinavia, Silkeberg investigates potential links between the ancient peoples of the Caucasus and the Vikings. The film features interviews with historians and archaeologists highlighting similarities in ancient petroglyphs and oral traditions, though Silkeberg notes the evidence remains speculative.

“Thor Heyerdahl has always been a hero for me, and I was surprised that he wrote this book (The Search for Odin). He was really criticised about it, and he really provoked the academic world in a way I never understood,” Silkeberg shared.

Odin is one of the main gods in Norse pagan mythology. Known also as the “Allfather,” Odin is the god of wisdom, death, poetry, and magic. Heyerdahl speculated that Odin was a real person who became the ancestor of the Norwegian-Swedish royal line. This idea was based on the Prose Edda, a 13^th-century work of myth and history by the Icelandic chieftain Snorri Sturluson. According to Sturluson’s account, a chieftain named Odin led a migration from a land called Aesir, located east of the River Don, into Sweden. Heyerdahl imagined that ‘Aesir’ might be Azer[baijan] and Odin might be a corruption of ‘Udin’ or ‘Uti’, an ancient people of the Caucasus.

“It is interesting because you see how climate change and migration of nomadic people can be perceived,” noted Silkeberg. The filmmaker did not make any direct connection, because he outlined that there is not “anything solid.” 

The Odin Code is Silkeberg’s second movie, focusing on Azerbaijan’s ties to Sweden. His first, The Legend of Khari Bulbul, explores cultural intersections between the two regions. It intertwines a classic Danish fairy tale, works by modern author Hokan Sedin, and the 16th-century poem Leyli and Majnun by Muhammad Fuzuli. Both films reflect Silkeberg’s passion for uncovering cultural similarities and showcase his love for Azerbaijan.

The screening was followed by loud applause, and viewers had the opportunity to speak with Silkeberg and share their impressions. For him, however, exploring a different culture through the lens of his own fosters mutual understanding and pride in his own background.