Who was the most powerful Norse god?
Thor (comics)
Thor, a founding member of the superhero group the Avengers, often battles his evil adoptive brother Loki, a Marvel character adapted from the Norse god of mischief. He is among Marvel's most powerful superheroes. Many recurring characters in his stories are based on Norse Mythology. Apart from this main superhero, Marvel features a number of characters based on him.
Giant
In Norse mythology, the Jotun ("jötnar" in Old Norse, a cognate with "ettin") are often opposed to the gods. While often translated as "giants", most are described as being roughly human sized. Some are portrayed as huge, such as frost giants ("hrímþursar"), fire giants ("eldjötnar"), and mountain giants ("bergrisar").
Dragon
In the Old Norse poem "Grímnismál" in the "Poetic Edda", the dragon Níðhöggr is described as gnawing on the roots of Yggdrasil, the world tree. In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr is a giant serpent that encircles the entire realm of Miðgarð in the sea around it. According to the "Gylfaginning" from the "Prose Edda", written by the thirteenth-century Icelandic mythographer Snorri Sturluson, Thor, the Norse god of thunder, once went out on a boat with the giant Hymnir to the outer sea and fished for Jörmungandr using an ox-head as bait. Thor caught the serpent and, after pulling its head out of the water, smashed it with his hammer Mjölnir. Snorri states that the blow was not fatal: "and men say that he struck its head off on the sea bed. But I think the truth to tell you is that the Miðgarð Serpent still lives and lies in the surrounding sea."
J. R. R. Tolkien's influences
Similarly, the Valar also contain elements of Norse mythology. Several of the Valar have characteristics resembling various Æsir, the gods of Asgard. Thor, for example, physically the strongest of the gods, can be seen both in Oromë, who fights the monsters of Melkor, and in Tulkas, the physically strongest of the Valar. Manwë, the head of the Valar, exhibits some similarities to Odin, the "Allfather".
Norse mythology
Most of the surviving mythology centres on the plights of the gods and their interaction with various other beings, such as humanity and the jötnar, beings who may be friends, lovers, foes or family members of the gods. The cosmos in Norse mythology consists of Nine Worlds that flank a central tree, Yggdrasil. Units of time and elements of the cosmology are personified as deities or beings. Various forms of a creation myth are recounted, where the world is created from the flesh of the primordial being Ymir, and the first two humans are Ask and Embla. These worlds are foretold to be reborn after the events of Ragnarök when an immense battle occurs between the gods and their enemies, and the world is enveloped in flames, only to be reborn anew. There the surviving gods will meet, and the land will be fertile and green, and two humans will repopulate the world.
Himinbjörg
In Norse mythology, Himinbjörg (Old Norse "heaven's castle" or "heaven mountain") is the home of the god Heimdallr. Himinbjörg is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled from earlier traditional sources, and the "Prose Edda" and "Heimskringla", both written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Himinbjörg is associated with Heimdallr in all sources. According to the "Poetic Edda", Heimdallr dwells there as watchman for the gods and there drinks fine mead, whereas in the "Prose Edda" Himinbjörg is detailed as located where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets heaven. Scholars have commented on the differences between the two attestations and linked the name of the mythical location to various place names.
North Germanic peoples
The North Germanic tribes practiced Norse paganism, a branch of Germanic paganism, which ultimately stems from Proto-Indo-European religion. Religion was typically practiced at outdoor temples, where sacrifices were held. The most famous of these was the Temple at Uppsala. Their art was intimately intertwined with their religion. Their stories and myths were typically inscribed on runestones or transmitted orally by skalds. According to North Germanic belief, those who died in battle were gained admittance to Valhalla, a majestic hall presided over by Odin, ruler of Asgard according to their cosmology and the chief god in the North Germanic pantheon. The thunder god Thor was popular with the North Germanic common people.
Þórður kakali Sighvatsson
A year later, 1245, Kolbeinn the Young died, and Brandur Kolbeinsson took command of the Ásbirningar family. Meanwhile, the forces of Þórður continued to grow, and he confronted Brandur in 1246 in the Battle of Haugsnes, the bloodiest conflict ever to be fought in Iceland, where about 100 men perished. The battle's outcome was in the favor of Þórður, which made him the most powerful man in Iceland. In 1250, however, Þórður was called back to Norway by King Haakon IV, as he wanted to have the most powerful Icelander of the time within reach. Six years later Þórður died in Norway, after having received the news that he would, after all, be sent back to Iceland.
Óðr
In Norse mythology, Óðr (Old Norse for the "Divine Madness, frantic, furious, vehement, eager", as a noun "mind, feeling" and also "song, poetry"; Orchard (1997) gives "the frenzied one") or Óð, sometimes anglicized as Odr or Od, is a figure associated with the major goddess Freyja. The "Prose Edda" and "Heimskringla", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, both describe Óðr as Freyja's husband and father of her daughter Hnoss. "Heimskringla" adds that the couple produced another daughter, Gersemi. A number of theories have been proposed about Óðr, generally that he is somehow a hypostasis of the deity Odin due to their similarities.
Dark Gods (Marvel Comics)
The first Dark God, Perrikus, appears when accidentally freed from a prison in Asgard by the Thunder God Thor. Not knowing what has occurred, Thor departs and Perrikus brings his brethren to Asgard. The core group are Perrikus (god of "Power Unlimited and Energy Infinite"); Majeston Zelia (the leader and Perrikus' mother); Adva (god of Portals and Knowledge); D'Chel (god of Illusion); Tokkots (god of Rhyme) and Slototh (god of Filth). With an army they invade and overrun Asgard, capturing Odin, Thor's father and the ruler of the Norse gods.
Thor (Ultimate Marvel character)
In the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Thor (Thorlief Golmen) is a fictional superhero based on the Marvel Universe version of Thor. Thor is the Asgardian God of Thunder based on the deity of the same name of Norse mythology and a founding member of the Ultimates.
Vanir
In Norse mythology, the Vanir (; singular Vanr) are a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future. The Vanir are one of two groups of gods (the other being the Æsir) and are the namesake of the location Vanaheimr (Old Norse "Home of the Vanir"). After the Æsir–Vanir War, the Vanir became a subgroup of the Æsir. Subsequently, members of the Vanir are sometimes also referred to as members of the Æsir.
Megingjörð
In Norse mythology, the megingjörð (meaning "power-belt" in Old Norse) is a belt worn by the god Thor. The Old Norse name megin means power or strength, and gjörð means belt.
Tyr (album)
In Norse mythology, Týr is the god of single combat and heroic glory, and the son of Odin.
List of characters in mythology novels by Rick Riordan
As a son of the god of fertility, Magnus does not excel in offensive power. Instead, he usually thinks strategically to safely escape from danger. When he does have to attack, he mainly uses the Sword of Summer, Jack, who attacks autonomously. Magnus' demigod abilities concern healing and warmth: through concentration, Magnus is able to heal even the mortally injured as well making a mortal see through Ginnungagap and thus the Norse world, though doing so often causes him to read the subject's memories.
Surtr
In Norse mythology, Surtr (; Old Norse "black" or "the swarthy one") is a jötunn. Surtr is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as being a major figure during the events of Ragnarök; carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir, he will do battle with the major god Freyr, and afterward the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth.
Stolt Herr Alf
The Norse god Odin is appealed to with an epithet which has aroused scholarly interest, and he is called "Oden Asagrim", meaning "Odin, leader of the Æsir". The suffix -"grim" is a virtually unique word for "leader" which is otherwise only attested in the runestone Sö 126, but in the earlier form "grim". It is not attested as a noun in the sense "leader" in West Norse sources. In Old Norse, the basic meaning of the adjective "grimmr" is "heartless, strict and wicked", and so "grimmr" is comparable in semantics to Old Norse "gramr" which meant both "wrath", "king" and "warrior".
Hammer of the Gods (video game)
"Hammer of the Gods" is an empire-building game with a focus on military strategy. The goal of the game is to build an empire through expansionism while completing a set of goals that are specified by the gods of Norse mythology. The game is won when a player completes the quest of Odin, the highest god in the Norse pantheon. Upon starting the game, each player chooses to control one of four races: human, elf, troll, or dwarf. Each race has unique characteristics for military units, and each is presented with a different hierarchy of gods which set different goals to meet. When the player meets each of these goals, the gods will present the player with a reward at the end of that turn. These rewards vary in nature, and can include powerful military units, magical flying ships for fast transportation, or higher income from conquered towns, to name a few examples.
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson (c. 995 – 29 July 1030), later known as St. Olaf (and traditionally as St. Olave), was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title "Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae" () and canonised at Nidaros (Trondheim) by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. His remains were enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral, built over his burial site. His sainthood encouraged the widespread adoption of the Christian religion among the Vikings / Norsemen in Scandinavia.
Old Norse religion
Gods and goddesses were depicted through figurines, pendants, fibulas, and as images on weapons. Thor is usually recognised in depictions by his carrying of Mjöllnir. Iconographic material suggesting other deities are less common that those connected to Thor. Some pictorial evidence, most notably that of the picture stones, intersect with the mythologies recorded in later texts. These picture stones, produced in mainland Scandinavia during the Viking Age, are the earliest known visual depictions of Norse mythological scenes. It is nevertheless unclear what function these picture-stones had or what they meant to the communities who produced them.
Víkar
Víkar ("Old Norse nominative case form" Víkarr; "Latin" Wicarus) was a legendary Norwegian king who found himself and his ships becalmed for a long period. To raise a wind, a human blood sacrifice was needed, and the lots fell on King Víkar himself. Starkad ("Starkaðr"), Víkar's counselor urged a mock hanging from a tree instead, but in giving this advice Starkad had been prompted by the god Odin, who desired Víkar's death. According to the account in "Gautreks saga", when Starkad let loose the branch, the apparent reed-stalk with which Starkad stabbed at the king was seen to be a real spear, the stump under Víkar's feet fell away, and the calf guts which had been used instead of rope turned into a strong withy. Víkar died. Saxo Grammaticus in "Gesta Danorum" (book 6) refers to a similar version relating a magic transformation, but prefers or invents a more rational account in which Starkad tied the osier very tightly so that Víkar could hardly breathe and then stabbed Víkar with his sword. This was the first of Starkad's three great crimes.
Starkad
Starkad (Old Norse: Starkaðr or Störkuðr; Latin: Starcaterus; in the Late Middle Ages also Starkodder; modern Danish: Stærkodder) was a legendary hero in Norse mythology.
Norna-Gests þáttr
According to legend, when King Olaf Tryggvason tried to convert the Norse to Christianity, he brought Norna-Gest to his court. In the third year of the reign of King Olaf, Norna-Gest came into the presence of the king and asked to be admitted to his bodyguard. He was uncommonly tall and strong and somewhat stricken in years. Norna-Gest afterward permitted himself to be baptized at the king's desire and lit the candle that the norn Skuld had prophesied about. In accordance with the prophecy, when the candle failed, Norna-Gest died.
Woden (disambiguation)
Woden or Odin is the chief god of the Norse pantheon.
Snotra
In Norse mythology, Snotra (Old Norse "clever") is a goddess associated with wisdom. Snotra is solely attested in the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.
Heimdall (disambiguation)
Heimdall or Heimdallr, is a god in Norse mythology.
Týr
In Norse mythology, from which most surviving narratives about gods among the Germanic peoples stem, Týr sacrifices his arm to the monstrous wolf Fenrir, who bites off his limb while the gods bind the animal. Týr is foretold to be consumed by the similarly monstrous dog Garmr during the events of Ragnarök. In Old Norse sources, Týr is alternately described as the son of the jötunn Hymir (in "Hymiskviða") or of the god Odin (in "Skáldskaparmál"). "Lokasenna" makes reference to an unnamed otherwise unknown consort, perhaps also reflected in the continental Germanic record (see Zisa (goddess)).
Gefjon
In Norse mythology, Gefjon (alternatively spelled Gefion or Gefjun) is a goddess associated with ploughing, the Danish island of Zealand, the legendary Swedish king Gylfi, the legendary Danish king Skjöldr, foreknowledge, and virginity. Gefjon is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the "Prose Edda" and "Heimskringla", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; in the works of skalds; and appears as a gloss for various Greco-Roman goddesses in some Old Norse translations of Latin works.
Sister-wife of Njörðr
In Norse mythology, the sister-wife of Njörðr is the unnamed wife and sister of the god Njörðr, with whom he is described as having had the (likewise incestuous) twin children Freyr and Freyja. This shadowy goddess is attested in the "Poetic Edda" poem "Lokasenna", recorded in the 13th century by an unknown source, and the "Heimskringla" book "Ynglinga saga", a euhemerized account of the Norse gods composed by Snorri Sturluson also in the 13th century but based on earlier traditional material. The figure receives no further mention in Old Norse texts.
Goddess
Surviving accounts of Germanic mythology and Norse mythology contain numerous tales of female goddesses, giantesses, and divine female figures in their scriptures. The Germanic peoples had altars erected to the "Mothers and Matrons" and held celebrations specific to these goddesses (such as the Anglo-Saxon "Mothers-night"). Various other female deities are attested among the Germanic peoples, such as Nerthus attested in an early account of the Germanic peoples, Ēostre attested among the pagan Anglo-Saxons, and Sinthgunt attested among the pagan continental Germanic peoples. Examples of goddesses attested in Norse mythology include Frigg (wife of Odin, and the Anglo-Saxon version of whom is namesake of the modern English weekday Friday), Skaði (one time wife of Njörðr), Njerda (Scandinavian name of Nerthus), that also was married to Njörðr during Bronze Age, Freyja (wife of Óðr), Sif (wife of Thor), Gerðr (wife of Freyr), and personifications such as Jörð (earth), Sól (the sun), and Nótt (night). Female deities also play heavily into the Norse concept of death, where half of those slain in battle enter Freyja's field Fólkvangr, Hel's realm of the same name, and Rán who receives those who die at sea. Other female deities such as the valkyries, the norns, and the dísir are associated with a Germanic concept of fate (Old Norse "Ørlög", Old English "Wyrd"), and celebrations were held in their honor, such as the Dísablót and Disting.The Inca pantheon included: Pachamama, the supreme Mother Earth, Mama Killa, a moon goddess, and Mama Ocllo, a fertility goddess.
List of Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple characters
He is named after Odin, the chief God in Norse mythology.
Meili
In Norse mythology, Meili (Old Norse "the lovely one") is a god, son of the god Odin and brother of the god Thor. Meili is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Other than Meili's relation to Odin and Thor, no additional information is provided about the deity in either source.
Old Norse religion
Þorgerðr Hölgabrúðr and Irpa appear to have been personal or family goddesses venerated by Haakon Sigurdsson, a late pagan ruler of Norway.
Edda
The "Poetic Edda", also known as "Sæmundar Edda" or the "Elder Edda", is a collection of Old Norse poems from the Icelandic medieval manuscript Codex Regius ("Royal Book"). Along with the "Prose Edda", the "Poetic Edda" is the most expansive source on Norse mythology. The first part of the Codex Regius preserves poems that narrate the creation and foretold destruction and rebirth of the Old Norse mythological world as well as individual myths about gods concerning Norse deities. The poems in the second part narrate legends about Norse heroes and heroines, such as Sigurd, Brynhildr and Gunnar.
Þrúðr
Þrúðr (Old Norse for "strength"), sometimes anglicized as Thrúd or Thrud, is a daughter of the major god Thor and the goddess Sif in Norse mythology. Þrúðr is also the name of one of the valkyries who serve ale to the einherjar in Valhalla ("Grímnismál", stanza 36). The two may or may not be the same figure.
Nanna (Norse deity)
In Norse mythology, Nanna Nepsdóttir or simply Nanna is a goddess associated with the god Baldr. Accounts of Nanna vary greatly by source. In the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, Nanna is the wife of Baldr and the couple produced a son, the god Forseti. After Baldr's death, Nanna dies of grief. Nanna is placed on Baldr's ship with his corpse and the two are set aflame and pushed out to sea. In Hel, Baldr and Nanna are united again. In an attempt to bring back Baldr from the dead, the god Hermóðr rides to Hel and, upon receiving the hope of resurrection from the being Hel, Nanna gives Hermóðr gifts to give to the goddess Frigg (a robe of linen), the goddess Fulla (a finger-ring), and others (unspecified). Nanna is frequently mentioned in the poetry of skalds and a Nanna, who may or may not be the same figure, is mentioned once in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources.
Hammer
In Norse mythology, Thor, the god of thunder and lightning, wields a hammer named Mjölnir. Many artifacts of decorative hammers have been found, leading modern practitioners of this religion to often wear reproductions as a sign of their faith.
Old Norse religion
Norse mythological sources, particularly Snorri and "Vǫluspá", differentiate between two groups of deities, the Æsir and the Vanir, who fought a war during which the Vanir broke down the walls of the Æsir's stronghold, Asgard, and eventually made peace by means of a truce and the exchange of hostages. Some mythographers have suggested that this myth was based on recollection of a conflict in Scandinavia between adherents of different belief systems; in Georges Dumézil's tripartite theory both the war and the division of the pantheon into two groups are related to Indo-European parallels, with the Vanir exemplifying the second "function", that of fertility and the cycle of life and death.
Baldr
Baldr (also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Norse mythology, and a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg. He has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli.
Mjölnir
In Norse mythology, Mjölnir (; , ) is the hammer of Thor, the Norse god associated with thunder. Mjölnir is depicted in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome and powerful weapons in existence, capable of leveling mountains. In its account of Norse mythology, the "Prose Edda" relates how the hammer's characteristically short handle was due to a mistake during its manufacture. Similar hammers (Ukonvasara) were a common symbol of the god of thunder in other North European mythologies.
Njörðr
Njörðr has been the subject of an amount of scholarly discourse and theory, often connecting him with the figure of the much earlier attested Germanic goddess Nerthus, the hero Hadingus, and theorizing on his formerly more prominent place in Norse paganism due to the appearance of his name in numerous place names. "Njörðr" is sometimes modernly anglicized as Njord, Njoerd, or Njorth.
Odin
In Old Norse texts, Odin is depicted as one-eyed and long-bearded, frequently wielding a spear named Gungnir, and wearing a cloak and a broad hat. He is often accompanied by his animal companions and familiars—the wolves Geri and Freki and the ravens Huginn and Muninn, who bring him information from all over —and rides the flying, eight-legged steed Sleipnir across the sky and into the underworld. Odin is the son of Bestla and Borr and has two brothers, Vili and Vé. Odin is attested as having many sons, most famously the gods Thor (with ) and (with ), and is known by hundreds of names. In these texts, he frequently seeks greater knowledge, at times in disguise (most famously by obtaining the Mead of Poetry), makes wagers with his wife Frigg over the outcome of exploits, and takes part in both the creation of the world by way of slaying the primordial being and giving the gift of life to the first two humans Ask and Embla. Odin has a particular association with Yule, and mankind's knowledge of both the runes and poetry is also attributed to him, giving Odin aspects of the culture hero.
Närke
Norse mythology mentions three kings of Närke, Nidud, Olof the Sharp-sighted and Sporsnjall. Nidud was a villainous king in the lay of Wayland the smith, Olaf aided the Norwegian king Vikar in battle, and Sporsnjall was burnt to death by Ingjald Ill-ruler together with five other petty kings.Närke was renowned for its warlike peasants and when coat-of-arms for the province was granted for the funeral of King Gustav Vasa in 1560 two crossbow darts was the central symbol - the crossbow being the favourite weapon of the peasants.
Frigg
In the next section of the "Prose Edda", "Gylfaginning", High tells Gangleri (the king Gylfi in disguise) that Frigg, daughter of Fjörgynn (Old Norse "Fjörgynsdóttir") is married to Odin and that the Æsir are descended from the couple, and adds that "the earth ["Jörðin"] was [Odin's] daughter and his wife". According to High, the two had many sons, the first of which was the mighty god Thor.
Later in "Gylfaginning", Gangleri asks about the "ásynjur", a term for Norse goddesses. High says that "highest" among them is Frigg and that only Freyja "is highest in rank next to her". Frigg dwells in Fensalir "and it is very splendid". In this section of "Gylfaginning", Frigg is also mentioned in connection to other "ásynjur": Fulla carries Frigg's ashen box, "looks after her footwear and shares her secrets"; Lofn is given special permission by Frigg and Odin to "arrange unions" among men and women; Hlín is charged by Frigg to protect those that Frigg deems worthy of keeping from danger; and Gná is sent by Frigg "into various worlds to carry out her business".
Midgard Serpent (Marvel Comics)
Being aware of the prophecy regarding his son's death, Odin (King of the Norse gods) cheats fate during a false Ragnarok by replacing Thor with a surrogate known as Red Norvell, who, after gaining the power of Thor and his hammer, dies battling the Midgard Serpent after it dives into the ocean. The prophecy fulfilled, Thor drives off the creature. The Midgard Serpent reappears briefly when a group of Odin's enemies feed the "Golden Apples of Idunn", intended for the Norse Gods, to the creature, intending to weaken the gods before an attack. It is used as a bridge by Tyr and Loki's army. Thor imprisons the creature and forces it to return the apples.
Hljod
Hljod or Ljod (Old Norse "Hljóð") is a giantess in Norse mythology. According to the "Völsunga saga" Hljod, the daughter of Hrímnir, married the hero Völsung. She bore him ten sons, one of whom was Sigmund, and a daughter, Signy. She had earlier brought the apple from the gods that enabled Völsung's mother to conceive him.
Nótt
In Norse mythology, Nótt (Old Norse "night") is night personified, grandmother of Thor. In both the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, Nótt is listed as the daughter of a figure by the name of Nörvi (with variant spellings) and is associated with the horse Hrímfaxi, while the "Prose Edda" features information about Nótt's ancestry, including her three marriages. Nótt's third marriage was to the god Dellingr and this resulted in their son Dagr, the personified day (although some manuscript variations list Jörð as Dellingr's wife and Dagr's mother instead). As a proper noun, the word "nótt" appears throughout Old Norse literature.
Magnus the Good
Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: "Magnús Óláfsson", Norwegian and Danish: "Magnus Olavsson"; c. 1024 – 25 October 1047), better known as Magnus the Good (Old Norse: "Magnús góði", Norwegian and Danish: "Magnus den gode"), was the King of Norway from 1035 and King of Denmark from 1042, ruling over both countries until his death in 1047.
Asgard
In Norse religion, Asgard (; ; "Enclosure of the Æsir") is one of the Nine Worlds and home to the Æsir tribe of gods. It is surrounded by an incomplete wall attributed to a Hrimthurs riding the stallion Svaðilfari, according to "Gylfaginning". Odin and his wife, Frigg, are the rulers of Asgard.
Thor
In the 11th century, chronicler Adam of Bremen records in his that a statue of Thor, who Adam describes as "mightiest", sits in the Temple at Uppsala in the center of a triple throne (flanked by Woden and "Fricco") located in , Sweden. Adam details that "Thor, they reckon, rules the sky; he governs thunder and lightning, winds and storms, fine weather and fertility" and that "Thor, with his mace, looks like Jupiter". Adam details that the people of had appointed priests to each of the gods, and that the priests were to offer up sacrifices. In Thor's case, he continues, these sacrifices were done when plague or famine threatened. Earlier in the same work, Adam relays that in 1030 an English preacher, Wulfred, was lynched by assembled Germanic pagans for "profaning" a representation of Thor.
Njörun
In Norse mythology, Njörun (Old Norse: "Njǫrun", sometimes modernly anglicized as "Niorun") is a goddess attested in the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and various kennings (including once in the "Poetic Edda"). Scholarly theories concerning her name and function in the pantheon include etymological connections to the Norse god Njörðr and the Roman goddess Nerio, and suggestions that she may represent the earth or be the unnamed sister-wife of Njörðr.
Forseti
Forseti (Old Norse "the presiding one," actually "president" in modern Icelandic and Faroese) is the god of justice and reconciliation in Norse mythology. He is generally identified with Fosite, a god of the Frisians. Jacob Grimm noted that if, as Adam of Bremen states, Fosite's sacred island was Heligoland, that would make him an ideal candidate for a deity known to both Frisians and Scandinavians, but that it is surprising he is never mentioned by Saxo Grammaticus.
Heimdallr
A lead spindle whorl bearing an Old Norse Younger Futhark inscription that mentions Heimdallr was discovered in Saltfleetby, England on September 1, 2010. The spindle whorl itself is dated from the year 1000 to 1100 AD. On the inscription, the god Heimdallr is mentioned alongside the god Odin and Þjálfi, a name of one of the god Thor's servants. Regarding the inscription reading, John Hines of Cardiff University comments that there is "quite an essay to be written over the uncertainties of translation and identification here; what are clear, and very important, are the names of two of the Norse gods on the side, Odin and Heimdallr, while Þjalfi (masculine, not the feminine in -a) is the recorded name of a servant of the god Thor."
Vertical Force
The game includes several references to Norse mythology. The planet where the player's starfighter is found is called Ragnarok, which is in Norse mythology the large battle at the end of the world. The giant, corrupted computer that is the villain of the game calls itself Mittgard, a play on words for Midgard, which was said to be where all humans lived and in the middle of the tree of life. The name of the human colony is Odin, the name of the Norse supreme god or "all father".
Sigurd the Crusader
Sigurd I Magnusson (c. 1090 – 26 March 1130), also known as Sigurd the Crusader (Old Norse: "Sigurðr Jórsalafari", Norwegian: "Sigurd Jorsalfar"), was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his half-brother Øystein (until Øystein died in 1123), has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway. He is otherwise famous for leading the Norwegian Crusade (1107–1110), earning the eponym "the Crusader", and was the first European king to personally participate in a crusade.
The End League
The Norse god Thor is the sole remaining classical god on Earth. Believed to be the only being whose power equaled Astonishman's, Thor goes missing on the day of the Green Event and is believed dead. In reality, he is slain by Divinity using her father's sword (Zeus) – God Killer. Only Divinity and Zeus know of this.
Raud the Strong
Olaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000 AD. He played an important part in the conversion of the Vikings to Christianity. Olaf traveled to the parts of Norway that had been under the rule of the King of Denmark. He demanded that the citizenry be baptized, and most reluctantly agreed. Those that did not were tortured or killed. Despite King Olaf’s persuasive efforts, many of the Vikings were reluctant to renounce their Gods and adopt Christianity. New and increasingly painful tortures and executions were devised by Olaf and his men. One of the most famous incidents of recalcitrance to Olaf’s attempts at coerced conversion to Christianity is that of Raud the Strong.
The Almighty Johnsons
The show follows a student named Axl Johnson, who on his 21st birthday discovers he and his family members are reincarnated Norse gods. The problem is, they do not have full control of their powers and it is up to Axl (the reincarnation of Odin) to restore them and ensure the family's survival by finding the reincarnation of Odin's wife, Frigg. Matters are complicated by the presence of three Norse goddesses who are trying to find Frigg before the Johnsons do to prevent the restoration of the gods' powers (which would vault them above the goddesses), as well as an antagonistic reincarnation of Norse god Loki, and the appearance of a Māori deity pantheon toward the end of the second series.
Vör
In Norse mythology, Vör (Old Norse, possibly "the careful one," or "aware, careful") is a goddess associated with wisdom. Vör is attested in the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and twice in kennings employed in skaldic poetry. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.
Eir
In Norse mythology, Eir (Old Norse "help, mercy") is a goddess or valkyrie associated with medical skill. Eir is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and in skaldic poetry, including a runic inscription from Bergen, Norway from around 1300. Scholars have theorized about whether these three sources refer to the same figure, and debate whether Eir may have been originally a healing goddess or a valkyrie. In addition, Eir has been theorized as a form of the goddess Frigg and has been compared to the Greek goddess Hygieia.
Magnus Barefoot
Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: "Magnús Óláfsson", Norwegian: "Magnus Olavsson"; 1073 – 24 August 1103), better known as Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse: "Magnús berfœttr", Norwegian: "Magnus Berrføtt"), was King of Norway (as Magnus III) from 1093 until his death in 1103. His reign was marked by aggressive military campaigns and conquest, particularly in the Norse-dominated parts of the British Isles, where he extended his rule to the Kingdom of the Isles and Dublin.
Ullr
Ullr's name appears in several important Norwegian and Swedish place names (but not in Denmark or in Iceland). This indicates that Ullr had at some point a religious importance in Scandinavia that is greater than what is immediately apparent from the scant surviving textual references. It is also probably significant that the placenames referring to this god are often found close to placenames referring to another deity: Njörðr in Sweden and Freyr in Norway. Some of the Norwegian placenames have a variant form, "Ullinn". It has been suggested that this is the remnant of a pair of divine twins and further that there may have been a female Ullin, on the model of divine pairs such as Fjörgyn and Fjörgynn.
Viktor Rydberg in his "Teutonic Mythology" makes Ullr the son of Sif and Egill-Örvandill, half-brother of Svipdagr-Óðr, nephew of Völundr and a cousin of Skaði. His father, Egill, was the greatest archer in the mythology, and Ullr follows in his father's footsteps. Ullr helped Svipdagr-Eiríkr rescue Freyja from the giants. He also ruled over the Vanir when they held Ásgarðr during the war between the Vanir and the Æsir.
Váli
In Norse mythology, Váli is a son of the god Odin and the giantess Rindr. Váli has numerous brothers including Thor, Baldr, and Víðarr. He was birthed for the sole purpose of avenging Baldr, and does this by killing Höðr, who was an unwitting participant, and binding Loki with the entrails of his son Narfi. He grew to full adulthood within one day of his birth, and slew Höðr before going on to bind Loki. Váli is prophesied to survive Ragnarök.
List of goddesses
Norns
Mjölnir
The most famous depiction of swastika imagery in Viking history is a runic inscription found on the hilt Sæbø sword. Individual swastika carvings of Germanic origin, however, can be traced back as early as the Bronze Age and are commonly found alongside sunwheels and sky gods. Though the swastika's exact meaning has eluded definition, its association with luck, prosperity, power, protection, as well as the sun and sky are factual. Mjolnir is also linked to luck, prosperity, power, and protection in Nordic rituals. Also, Thor was the dominant sky god of Norse religion and runestone depictions of the swastika are commonly found beside, or in connection with, his image. One example, found in a book of Icelandic spells, shows a drawn swastika, clearly identified by its iconic shape, then precedes to references it as “Thor's hammer”. Indeed, the crossover of these symbols was prevalent in Norse spell-work, especially runic inscriptions, as their presence was believed to heighten the potency of a spell.
Þrúðgelmir
In Norse mythology, Þrúðgelmir (; Old Norse "Strength Yeller") is a frost giant, the son of the primordial giant Aurgelmir (who Snorri Sturluson in "Gylfaginning" identifies with Ymir), and the father of Bergelmir. Þrúðgelmir had one brother and one sister, who were elder than he was. Þrúðgelmir's name is sometimes anglicized as Thrudgelmir.
Supreme (comics)
Supreme was introduced in issue #3 of Rob Liefeld's "Youngblood" limited series as a flip book story before he was spun off into his own series. His history varied; at one point, he was an angel of vengeance who quoted the Bible to justify his actions. At other times, such as when he defeated the Norse god Thor and took his mystical hammer Mjolnir, Supreme considered himself a god. Although the most powerful being in the Liefeld universe, he had his share of defeats: he was killed in the cross-title "Deathmate Black" series (published by Image and Valiant Comics), lost his powers in "Extreme Prejudice", and was killed by Crypt in "Extreme Sacrifice".
Haraldr Óláfsson
Haraldr also ruled during a period of competing claims to the overlordship of the Isles, a region comprising the Hebrides and Mann, known in the Norse world as "" (the "Southern Islands") due to its geographical position in relation to Norway itself. Since the reign of Magnús berfœttr, King of Norway, a king who conquered Orkney, the Isles, and possibly Dublin before his death in 1103, the Norwegian Crown appears to have claimed ultimate authority in the Isles. In fact, on several occasions during the reigns of Haraldr's royal predecessors, leading Islesmen sought recognition and protection from Norwegian monarchs. The ruler of Norway during Haraldr's floruit was Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway, a formidable ruler who spent the latter part of his reign focused on foreign policy and strengthening royal authority throughout far-flung Norse colonies such as the Isles. At the same time the Scottish Crown, in the person of Alexander II, King of Scotland, consolidated control over Scotland's western seaboard, and moved to extend Scottish influence further into the Isles. Meanwhile, Henry III, King of England also had an interest in the Isles, and worked to bring the Crovan dynasty closer under the orbit of the English Crown.
Ormen Lange (longship)
Ormr inn Langi in Old Norse ("The Long Serpent") "Ormen Lange" in Norwegian, "Ormurin Langi" in Faroese was one of the most famous of the Viking longships. It was built for the Norwegian King Olav Tryggvason, and was the largest and most powerful longship of its day. In the late 990s King Olav was on a "Crusade" around the country to bring Christianity to Norway. When he was traveling north to Hålogaland he came to a petty kingdom in today's Skjerstad, where the king named Raud the Strong refused to convert to Christianity. A battle ensued, during which Saltstraum, a maelstrom that prevented reinforcements to the king's men, forced King Olav to flee. He continued up north but returned some weeks later when the maelstrom had subsided. Olav won the battle, captured Raud, and gave him two choices: die or convert. The Sagas say that Olav tried to convert him but Raud cursed the name of Jesus, and the King became so enraged that he stuck a "kvanstilk" (a stalk of "Angelica", which are hollow) down his throat and shoved a snake into it, then a burning iron to force the snake down his throat. The snake ate its way out of the side of the torso of Raud and killed him. After the victory Olav confiscated Raud's riches, not least of which was Raud's ship, which he rechristened Ormen (The Serpent). He took it to Trondheim and used it as a design for his own new ship, which he made a couple of "rooms" longer than Ormen and named Ormen Lange.
Norse mythology
Central to accounts of Norse mythology are the plights of the gods and their interaction with various other beings, such as with the jötnar, who may be friends, lovers, foes or family members of the gods. Numerous gods are mentioned in the source texts. As evidenced by records of personal names and place names, the most popular god among the Scandinavians during the Viking Age was Thor, who is portrayed as unrelentingly pursuing his foes, his mountain-crushing, thunderous hammer Mjölnir in hand. In the mythology, Thor lays waste to numerous jötnar who are foes to the gods or humanity, and is wed to the beautiful, golden-haired goddess Sif.
Eugen Mogk
Mogk focussed on the Old Norse texts as literature, and in a number of publications argued that Snorri Sturluson was a mythographer, who composed stories of the Germanic gods to explain poetic allusions rather than reporting pre-existing myths. For example, he argued that in the passage in the Eddic poem "Völuspá" usually taken as referring to the Æsir–Vanir War, the Vanir were initially within the stronghold with the Æsir and that after the wall was breached, they fought against not the Æsir but the gods' common enemy, the giants; he interpreted Gullveig as a giantess, not one of the Vanir. Georges Dumézil argued forcefully against Mogk's viewpoint, accusing him of character assassination and a "war" and "sterilisation" of the traditional sources in the field. Mogk's view on Snorri can be seen as the culmination of the evolutionary view that stages of development can be discerned in Old Norse religion, and that some of the gods, such as Thor and Odin, were later developments than agricultural deities such as Freyr.
Bestla
In Norse mythology, Bestla is the mother of the gods Odin, Vili and Vé by way of Borr, the sister of an unnamed being who assisted Odin, and the daughter or, depending on source, granddaughter of the jötunn Bölþorn. Bestla is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in the poetry of skalds. Scholars have commented on the obscurity of the figure's name and have proposed that she may be the wise being Mímir's sister.
Alvaldi
In Norse mythology, Alvaldi or Ölvaldi (Old Norse, 'the all-powerful one') was a giant and the father of Þjazi, Gangr and Iði as well as the grandfather of Skaði. According to "Skáldskaparmál", Ölvaldi was very rich in gold, and when he died his three sons divided his inheritance among themselves, measuring it out by each in turn taking a mouthful. For this reason the expressions "speech of Þjazi, Gangr or Iði" and "Iði's shining talk" are kennings for gold.
Hermóðr
Hermóðr the Brave (Old Norse "war-spirit"; anglicized as Hermod) is a figure in Norse mythology, a son of the god Odin. He is often considered the messenger of the gods.
Mount Thor
The mountain was named for Thor, the Norse thunder god.
Logi
In Norse mythology, Logi, Loge (Old Norse "fire") or Hálogi ("High Flame") is a fire giant, god and personification of fire. He is son of giant Fornjótr and brother of Ægir (sea giant) and Kári (god of the wind). Logi married fire giantess Glöð and she bore him two beautiful daughters—Eisa and Eimyrja.
Odin (disambiguation)
Odin is the chief god of the Norse pantheon.
Ragnar Lodbrok
Ragnar Lodbrok or Lothbrok (, "Ragnar shaggy breeches", contemporary Norse: "Ragnar Loðbrók") is a legendary Norse Viking hero and ruler, known from Viking Age Old Norse poetry and sagas. According to that traditional literature, Ragnar distinguished himself by many raids against Francia and Anglo-Saxon England during the 9th century. There is no known evidence to substantiate that he actually existed under this name and outside of the mythology associated with him.
Loki
Loki's origins and role in Norse mythology have been much debated by scholars. In 1835, Jacob Grimm was first to produce a major theory about Loki, in which he advanced the notion of Loki as a "god of fire". In 1889, Sophus Bugge theorized Loki to be variant of Lucifer of Christianity, an element of Bugge's larger effort to find a basis of Christianity in Norse mythology. After World War II, four scholarly theories dominated. The first of the four theories is that of Folke Ström, who in 1956 concluded that Loki is a hypostasis of the god Odin. In 1959, Jan de Vries theorized that Loki is a typical example of a trickster figure. In 1961, by way of excluding all non-Scandinavian mythological parallels in her analysis, Anna Birgitta Rooth concluded that Loki was originally a spider. Anne Holtsmark, writing in 1962, concluded that no conclusion could be made about Loki.
Olaf II of Norway
For various reasons, most importantly the death of King Cnut the Great in 1035, but perhaps even a certain discontent among Norwegian nobles with the Danish rule in the years after Olaf's death in 1030, his illegitimate son with the concubine Alvhild, Magnus the Good, assumed power in Norway, and eventually also in Denmark. Numerous churches in Denmark were dedicated to Olaf during his reign, and the sagas give glimpses of similar efforts to promote the cult of his deceased father on the part of the young king. This would become typical in the Scandinavian monarchies. It should be remembered that in pagan times the Scandinavian kings derived their right to rule from their claims of descent from the Norse god Odin, or in the case of the kings of the Swedes at Old Uppsala, from Freyr. In Christian times this legitimation of a dynasty's right to rule and its national prestige would be based on its descent from a saintly king. Thus the kings of Norway promoted the cult of St. Olaf, the kings of Sweden the cult of St. Erik and the kings of Denmark the cult of Saint Canute, just as in England the Norman and Plantagenet kings similarly promoted the cult of St. Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey, their coronation church.
Lýtir
Lytir (Old Norse "Lýtir") is considered a god in Norse mythology and Norse paganism. His name is either related to the Old Norse word "hlutr", meaning "lot, share, foretell" or "lýti" meaning "blemish". If the former meaning is assumed, then priests of Lytir would probably have been spámaðr or fortune-tellers. Supporting this etymology is a story about Lytir in "Hauks þáttr hábrókar" (in the "Flateyjarbók") during which a Swedish king consults the god. Lytir's ceremonial wagon was taken to a sacred place where the god entered it and then taken back to the king's hall, where it was used to answer questions. Aside from this passage, Lytir is otherwise unattested except in several Swedish place names that might contain elements of his name, such as Lytisberg and Lytislunda. He may be identical to Lóðurr, one of the three gods creating the two first humans Ask and Embla.
Heimdalargaldr
Heimdalargaldr (Old Norse "Heimdallr's galdr") is an Old Norse poem about the god Heimdallr of Norse mythology. The poem is mentioned in two books of the 13th century "Prose Edda" book—"Gylfaginning" and "Skáldskaparmál"—but outside of a single, two-lined fragment that appears in "Gylfaginning", the poem is considered to be lost. In the surviving fragment, Heimdallr comments that he is the son of nine sisters (the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr). Scholars have commented on the information the surviving lines presents and have speculated about what the poem may have contained.
Thorfinn the Mighty
Thorfinn Sigurdsson (1009?– 1065), also known as Thorfinn the Mighty, (Old Norse: "Þorfinnr inn riki") was an 11th-century Earl of Orkney. He was the youngest of five sons of Earl Sigurd Hlodvirsson and the only one resulting from Sigurd's marriage to a daughter of Malcolm II of Scotland. He ruled alone as earl for about a third of the time that he held the title and jointly with one or more of his brothers or with his nephew Rögnvald Brusason for the remainder. Thorfinn married Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, daughter of Finn Arnesson, Jarl of Halland.
Old Norse religion
In mythological accounts, the deity most closely associated with death is Oðinn. In particular, he is connected with death by hanging; this is apparent in "Hávamál", a poem found in the "Poetic Edda". In stanza 138 of "Hávamál", Oðinn describes his "auto-sacrifice", in which he hangs himself on Yggdrasill, the world tree, for nine nights, in order to attain wisdom and magical powers. In the late "Gautreks Saga", King Víkarr is hanged and then punctured by a spear; his executioner says "Now I give you to Oðinn".
The Viking Way (book)
The third chapter is devoted to an examination of the literary and archaeological evidence for "Seiðr" practices in Norse society. Price starts with an examination of the god Óðinn, noting his literary associations with sorcery and shamanism, as well as identifying the shamanic and magical associations of those supernatural beings that served him, such as his horse Sleipnir and ravens Huginn and Muninn. Furthermore, he lists a total of 240 names which have been applied to Óðinn in the Norse literature, illustrating his multi-faceted role in Norse religion. Moving on to look at another deity, Freyja, Price discusses her association with magic and sorcery, before then discussing shamanistic and magical elements in pagan Norse cosmology.
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonsson (c. March/April 1204 – 16 December 1263) (Old Norse: "Hákon Hákonarson"; Norwegian: "Håkon Håkonsson"), sometimes called Haakon the Old in contrast to his son with the same name, and known in modern regnal lists as Haakon IV, was the King of Norway from 1217 to 1263. His reign lasted for 46 years, longer than any Norwegian king since Harald I. Haakon was born into the troubled civil war era in Norway, but his reign eventually managed to put an end to the internal conflicts. At the start of his reign, during his minority, his later rival Earl Skule Bårdsson served as regent. As a king of the birkebeiner faction, Haakon defeated the uprising of the final bagler royal pretender, Sigurd Ribbung, in 1227. He put a definitive end to the civil war era when he had Skule Bårdsson killed in 1240, a year after he had himself proclaimed king in opposition to Haakon. Haakon thereafter formally appointed his own son as his co-regent.
Norse mythology
While they receive less mention, numerous other gods and goddesses appear in the source material. (For a list of these deities, see List of Germanic deities.) Some of the gods heard less of include the apple-bearing goddess Iðunn and her husband, the skaldic god Bragi; the gold-toothed god Heimdallr, born of nine mothers; the ancient god Týr, who lost a hand while binding the great wolf Fenrir; and the goddess Gefjon, who formed modern day Zealand, Denmark.
Viking raid warfare and tactics
The axe was psychologically intimidating to the people of Christian territories the Vikings sacked. King Magnus of Norway inherited his axe from his patron saint father, Olav Haraldsson. He named this axe Hel, the name of the Norse goddess of death. Christians associated this name with the word "Hell". The axe of Magnus is still portrayed in the Norwegian coat of arms.
Norse rituals
Adam of Bremen's description of the sacrifices and the religious centre in Uppsala is the best known account of pre-Christian rituals in Sweden. There is general agreement that Gamla Uppsala was one of the last strongholds of heathen religion in central Sweden and that the religious centre there was still of great importance when Adam of Bremen wrote his account. Adam describes the temple as being gilded everywhere and containing statues of the three most important gods. The most important was Thor, who was placed in the middle, with Odin at one side and "Fricco" (presumably Freyr) at the other. He tells that Thor reigned in the skies where he ruled rain, wind and thunder, and that he provided good weather for the crops. In his hand he held a sceptre. Odin was the god of war and courage, his name meant "the furious" and he was depicted as a warrior. "Fricco", on the other hand, was the god for peace and physical satisfaction, and was thus depicted with a huge phallus. Each god had his own priests and people sacrificed to the gods whose help they needed: Thor was called upon in times of famine and disease, Odin was called upon to gain victory and "Fricco" was called upon for fertile marriages.
List of goddesses
other Norse divinities and spirits
Þrívaldi
In Norse mythology, Þrívaldi (anglicized as Thrívaldi or Thrivaldi), whose name means "thrice mighty", is a giant killed by Thor.
Viking (Norse mythology)
The two daughters of Logi (Haloge) are stolen away by suitors to nearby islands. Viking is a son of one of these daughters, Eimyrja. He grows up in Bornholm. By the time he is 15, he is the biggest and strongest man of his time. His magic sword Angervadil is fatal even to giants. The sword was inscribed with Runic letters, which blazed in time of war, but gleamed with a dim light in time of peace. The sword was taken by Vifil from Björn Bluetooth. His magic dragon ship is Ellida, the first ship in the North, given to him as a gift by Aegir. The ship is big like a fortress, but faster than an eagle. It is not fastened by nails, but rather, the planks were grown together.
Nanna (Norse deity)
Some scholars have attempted to link Old Norse "Nanna" with the Sumerian goddess Inanna, the goddess Babylonian Ishtar, or the Phrygian goddess Nana, mother of the god Attis. Scholar Rudolf Simek opines that identification with Inanna, Nannar or Nana is "hardly likely" due to the large distances in time and location between the figures. Scholar Hilda Ellis Davidson says that while "the idea of a link with Sumerian Inanna , 'Lady of Heaven', was attractive to early scholars" the notion "seems unlikely."
Old Norse religion
In the 870s, Norwegian settlers left their homeland and colonised Iceland, bringing their belief system with them. Place-name evidence suggests that Thor was the most popular god on the island, although there are also saga accounts of devotés of Freyr in Iceland, including a "priest of Freyr" in the later "Hrafnkels saga". There are no place-names connected to Odin on the island. Unlike other Nordic societies, Iceland lacked a monarchy and thus a centralising authority which could enforce religious adherence; there were both pagan and Christian communities from the time of its first settlement.
Dáinn (Norse dwarf)
Dáinn ("Dead") or Dain is a character in Norse mythology. Mostly the tales relate to him being a dwarf and in others as king of elves. However, in other stories the dwarf god is referred to as Dvalin.
Mount Odin
The mountain is named after Odin, the chief of the gods in Norse mythology and Norse paganism.
Cthulhu Mythos deities
An invisible wolf-like fiend similar to Fenrir of Norse mythology (if not coincident). Mh'ithrha ("Arch-Lord of Tindalos") is the lord of the Hounds of Tindalos, and the most powerful. Although not an actual "Outer God" as such, its form and astounding powers defy standard classification. Mh'ithra's eternal battle with Yog-Sothoth is said to be legendary.
Family tree of the Norse gods
Ymir is the first being, a giant who was born from venom that dripped from the icy rivers Élivágar in the primordial void of Ginnungagap.
Víðarr
In Norse mythology, Víðarr (Old Norse, possibly "wide ruler", sometimes anglicized as Vidar , Vithar, Vidarr, and Vitharr) is a god among the Æsir associated with vengeance. Víðarr is described as the son of Odin and the jötunn Gríðr, and is foretold to avenge his father's death by killing the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarök, a conflict which he is described as surviving. Víðarr is attested in the "Poetic Edda", compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the "Prose Edda", written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and is interpreted as depicted with Fenrir on the Gosforth Cross. A number of theories surround the figure, including theories around potential ritual silence and a Proto-Indo-European basis.
Þjazi
In Norse mythology, Þjazi (; ; anglicized as Thiazi, Thjazi, Tjasse or Thiassi) was a giant. He was a son of the giant Ölvaldi, brother of giants Iði and Gangr, and the father of Skaði. His most notable misdeed was the kidnapping of the goddess Iðunn, which is related in both the "Prose Edda" and the skaldic poem "Haustlöng".
Norse rituals
Several written sources mention statues of heathen gods. They are mostly described as either anthropomorphic or as wooden staves with a face carved at the top. Ahmad ibn Fadlan writes about such poles in his description of a Scandinavian sacrifice at the Volga. This account has a suggestion of the mythological connection but it is impossible to decipher it. No such large statues from the Viking Age have been found, only small figures and amulets. This may be because larger statues were deliberately destroyed. After Christianisation, the possession of such figures was banned and severely punished. Many accounts of missionaries have the destruction of heathen idols as their climax, symbolising the triumph of the strong Christian god over the weak, "devilish" native gods. The sagas sometimes mention small figures that can be kept in a purse. Such figures are known from archaeological findings across Scandinavia. They include hammer-shaped jewelry, golden men or figures of gods.