Who are the Vanir gods? The Vanir gods are a subgroup within the Norse pantheon that represent wealth, fertility, peace, and the natural world. By contrast, the Aesir gods, such as Odin or Thor, are more militaristic in nature and embody concepts such as justice, victory in war, strength, etc. The domain of the Vanir …
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Who is Njord in Norse mythology? Njord is the god of the sea, seafaring, commerce, and wealth in Norse mythology. Because of his extensive powers and vital importance of the sea navigation for the Norse, Njord is one of the most important gods in the Norse pantheon. Njord is a Vanir god. Njord is a …
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Who are Aegir and Ran from Norse mythology? In Norse mythology, Ægir and Rán are two jötunns (giants), husband and wife, believed to personify different aspects of the sea and with powers that are almost as strong as those of the gods themselves. The Norse saw the sea as a mighty being, and not as …
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What are jotunns in Norse mythology? The Jotnar (singular Jotunn) are human-shaped beings from Norse mythology that are commonly described as giants. The origin of the name “jotunn” is uncertain, but it most likely derives from the Proto-Germanic “itunoz” meaning “giant” or “monster” or as a compound word meaning “immense eater”. As the name implies, …
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Who is Ullr? Ullr (pronounced “ULL-er”), is the god of archery, snow, hunting and skiing in Norse mythology. The origin of his name is unclear and is still under debate, with the most likely origin is that his name derives from the old Proto-Germanic *Wulþuz, meaning “glory”. As for his appearance, the Norse Eddas describe …
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Who was Ask and Embla? Ask and Embla are the first two humans in Norse mythology and have a very similar role to that of Adam and Eve in Christianity and Judaism. Unfortunately, the Norse mythological texts almost never mention these two enigmatic figures, with the exception of their creation story and how they and …
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Modern depictions of Thor show him as being tall, blond, muscular, and chiseled (and one time when Thor has a beer gut) or as short, red headed, stocky, and muscular, but with a big “beer belly”. These depictions come from the Marvel movies and the game God of War Ragnarock, respectively. This raises some questions: was …
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Yggdrasil is a giant mythical tree that serves as the center of the Norse cosmology in Norse mythology. It is an immense ash tree that is said to connect the nine worlds of Norse cosmology. Each of these nine worlds is inhabited by various beings, including gods, humans, and elves. The roots of Yggdrasil extend …
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Fenrir, a huge wolf in Norse and Germanic mythology, was the son of Loki and Angurboda. His size was so great, the gods attempted three times to bind him. He easily broke two strong chains, but he mistrusted the magic silken cord, Gleipnir. He insisted that Tyr place a hand in his mouth during the …
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What is Jormungandr? Jormungandr (vast serpent) or Miðgarðsormr (world serpent) is a giant snake in Norse mythology that coils around the Earth (Midgard) and holds it in place, protecting the world of men from the sea and all the chaos that lay beyond it. For the Norse, the sea had many symbolic meanings, but it …
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