Common Germanic deities

Common Germanic deities

The article lists gods and goddesses (Ansewez, Wanizaz) that may be reconstructed for Proto-Germanic or Common Germanic Migration period paganism, or which figure in both West and North Germanic mythology. See list of Germanic deities for a complete list of Germanic gods and goddesses, including those for whom there is insufficient attestation to produce Common Germanic reconstructions.


Deities

  • Wōdanaz, "lord of poetic/mantic inspiration", "Germanic Mercury", Norse Óðinn (often Anglicized Odin or, especially in older texts, Othin), Old English Wōden, Old High German Wuotan.
  • Þunraz, "thunder", "Germanic Jupiter", Norse Þórr (Thor), West Germanic Donar, Old English Þunor.
  • Teiwaz, god of war and early sky god, "Germanic Mars", Norse Týr, Old English Tiw, Old High German Ziu, continues Indo-European Dyeus.
  • Nerþuz, described by Tacitus as Mother Earth, possibly continued in Norse Njǫrðr (Njord, Njorth).
  • Frijjō, "wife" (specifically here the wife of Wōdanaz), Old English Frige, Norse Frigg, cf. Sanskrit priyā "mistress, wife".
  • Frijja, daughter of Njǫrðr, Norse Freyja, Old High German Frouwa, Old English Frēo meaning "lady", cf. Gothic Fráujo "lady, mistress", German "Frau", Swedish "Fru." There is some etymological confusion behind both these words and Frijjō/Frigg/Frige.
  • Fullō, goddess—or *Fullaz, god—of riches, plenty. Corresponds to Norse Fulla.
  • Sif, goddess, wife of Donar/Thor.
  • Ermunaz, Saxon god (speculative, based on Nennius' Armenon). The word means "strong" or "exalted" (Old High German ermen, Old Norse jǫrmaun or jörmun, Old English Eormen).
  • Wulþuz, "glorious one", possibly originally an epitheton, mentioned on the Thorsberg chape, continued in Norse Ullr.
  • Wurdiz, "fate", Norse Urðr (Urd, Urth), Old English Wyrd.
  • Sōwilō, the Sun, Norse Sól, Old English Sunne, Old High German Sunna.

Semi-gods or mythical heroes

Mythical races

  • þurisaz (giants)
  • dwergaz (dwarfs)
  • albaz (elves)
  • nikwuz (water spirits)

Cosmology

See also

References

  1. ^ see Hellmut Rosenfeld, Der Name Wieland, Beiträge zur Namenforschung‎ (1969).

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Germanic paganism — refers to the religious beliefs of the Germanic peoples preceding Christianization. The best documented version of the Germanic pagan religions is 10th and 11th century Norse paganism, though other information can be found from Anglo Saxon… …   Wikipedia

  • Germanic mythology — refers to: *any myths associated with historical Germanic paganism *Norse mythology *Continental Germanic mythology *Anglo Saxon mythology *Germanic folklore (disambiguation)ee also*Common Germanic deities …   Wikipedia

  • Germanic religion and mythology — Introduction       complex of stories, lore, and beliefs about the gods and the nature of the cosmos developed by the Germanic speaking peoples before their conversion to Christianity.       Germanic culture extended, at various times, from the… …   Universalium

  • Continental Germanic mythology — is a subset of Germanic mythology, going back to Germanic polytheism of the Migration period as practiced in parts of Central Europe before gradual Christianization during the 6th to 8th centuries, and continued in the legends, and Middle High… …   Wikipedia

  • Germanic Neopaganism — Ásatrú redirects here. For other uses, see Ásatrú (disambiguation). A Heathen altar for household worship in Gothenburg, Sweden. The painted tablet on the back depicts Sunna, the two larger wooden idols Odin (left) and Frey (right), in front of… …   Wikipedia

  • Triple deities — Triple deities, legendary persons, deities, and mythological creatures (sometimes referred to as tripled, triplicate, tripartite, triune or triadic), are common throughout world mythology; the number 3 has a long history of mythical associations …   Wikipedia

  • Freyja — For other uses, see Freyja (disambiguation). Freja by John Bauer (1882–1918) In Norse mythology, Freyja (Old Norse the Lady ) is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. Freyja is the owner of the necklace… …   Wikipedia

  • Nerthus — (1905) by Emil Doepler. In Germanic paganism, Nerthus is a goddess associated with fertility. Nerthus is attested by Tacitus, the first century AD Roman historian, in his Germania. Various theories exist regarding the goddess and her potential… …   Wikipedia

  • Wōdanaz — The 6th century Vadstena bracteate, showing a horse, a bird and a human head commonly identified as an early form of Scandinavian Odin …   Wikipedia

  • Thor — For other uses, see Thor (disambiguation). Thor s Battle Against the Ettins (1872) by Mårten Eskil Winge In Norse mythology, Thor (from Old Norse Þórr) is a hammer wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”