Eiríks saga rauða describes a travelling seeress with special clothing, a staff, and an elevated seat. The text is late but offers a rare coherent portrayal of a völva.
Iron staffs occur in several richly furnished female graves. Some scholars interpret them in connection with seiðr, yet grave goods alone do not prove a definite profession or fixed religious role.
The völva is therefore neither pure fantasy nor fully reconstructable. Only the combination of text, object, date, and archaeological context permits a cautious historical approach.