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The Valknut, or "folk knot" is found on old Norse stone carvings and funerary stelés, where it is known as the knot of the slain, probably a symbol of the afterlife.It is often called "Hrungnir's heart," after the legendary giant of the Eddas. It is also found in use as a protective charm, as on a bedpost found in the Oseburg Viking Ship.
With nine points suggestive of the nine worlds (and the nine fates) of Norse mythology, it is also an important symbol to many follwers of the Asatru faith. Like other symbols of immortality and rebirth, the valknot is drawn unicursally, and can be traced in one continuous movement.
The three main shapes of the valknut are suggestive of related Celtic symbols of motherhood and rebirth- it may have been a goddess symbol at some point in history. The nine points have an obvious correlation with childbirth; the placement of the symbol on funeral monuments mark it as a sign of rebirth of reincarnation.
Another style of Valknut (sometimes, 'Walknut') is the triceps, best known today as the logo of the car maker Mitsubishi:
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