The Norse people lived from about A.D. 200 to 500 in northern Europe and Scandinavia. After A.D. 700, some of the Norse began migration in search of new lands, settling in parts of the British Isles, Iceland, Greenland and East into Russia. From this period on, the Norse are known as Vikings.
The Norse pantheon is a colorful mix of gods and goddesses. Our knowledge of Norse mythology is based mainly on documents written between the 11th and 18th centuries, after the Norse officially became Christian. These documents record earlier storiesand sagas. As in other cultures, many of the gods and goddesses in Norse mythology were thought to be related to one another, so they can be represented in a family tree.
Image courtesy of Windows to the Universe.
Image courtesy of Windows to the Universe.
NORSE MYTHOLOGY
The Sea: Aegir
Aegir was a fierce god of the sea. He had fingers like claws. His wife was named Ran, and they ...Read moreThe Winds: Njord
Njord was the god of the sea and winds in Norse mythology. He is the father of Freyr and Freya ...Read moreThe Thunder: Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor was the god of thunder. He produces thunder with his hammer, called ...Read moreThe Sky: Tyr
Tyr was the sky god in Norse mythology. He sacrificed one of his hands for the good of the ...Read moreThe Sky: Odin
Odin was the mighty god to the Norsemen. He was called All-Father. He is pictured as a middle-aged ...Read moreThe Aurora: Freya
Norse mythology associates the aurora with the beautiful goddess, Freya, daughter of Njord ...Read moreThe Northern Lights: The Valkiries
It has been suggested that the northern lights, the aurora, represented the reflections of ...Read moreThe Sun: Freyr
According to Norse mythology, Freyr was closely linked with the Sun. He was the god of peace ...Read more
