Thor

Thor(fromOld Norse:Þórr) is a prominentgodinGermanic paganism. InNorse mythology, he is a hammer-wieldinggodassociated withlightning,thunder,storms,sacred groves and trees,strength, the protection of humankind,hallowing, andfertility. BesidesOld NorseÞórr, the deity occurs inOld EnglishasThunor, inOld FrisianasThuner, inOld SaxonasThunar, and inOld High GermanasDonar, all ultimately stemming from theProto-Germanictheonym*Þun(a)raz, meaning 'Thunder'.
Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout therecorded historyof theGermanic peoples, from theRoman occupationof regions ofGermania, to the Germanic expansions of theMigration Period, to his high popularity during theViking Age, when, in the face of the process of theChristianization of Scandinavia, emblems of his hammer,Mjölnir, were worn andNorse paganpersonal namescontaining the name of the god bear witness to his popularity.
Narratives featuring Thor are most prominently attested in Old Norse, where Thor appears throughoutNorse mythology. In stories recorded in medievalIceland, Thor bears at leastfifteen names, is the husband of the golden-haired goddessSifand the lover of thejötunnJárnsaxa. WithSif, Thor fathered the goddess (and possiblevalkyrie)Þrúðr; withJárnsaxa, he fatheredMagni; with a mother whose name is not recorded, he fatheredMóði, and he is the stepfather of the godUllr. Thor is the son ofOdinandJörð,by way of his father Odin, he hasnumerous brothers, includingBaldr. Thor has two servants,ÞjálfiandRöskva, rides in a cart or chariot pulled by two goats,TanngrisnirandTanngnjóstr(whom he eats and resurrects), and is ascribed three dwellings (Bilskirnir,Þrúðheimr, andÞrúðvangr). Thor wields the hammerMjölnir, wears the beltMegingjörðand the iron glovesJárngreipr, and owns the staffGríðarvölr. Thor's exploits, including his relentless slaughter of his foes and fierce battles with the monstrous serpentJörmungandr—and their foretold mutual deaths during the events ofRagnarök—are recorded throughout sources for Norse mythology.
Into the modern period, Thor continued to be acknowledged in folklore throughoutGermanic-speaking Europe. Thor is frequently referred to in place names, the day of the weekThursdaybears his name (modern EnglishThursdayderives from Old Englishthunresdaeġ, 'Thunor's day'), and names stemming from the pagan period containing his own continue to be used today, particularly in Scandinavia. Thor has inspired numerous works of art and references to Thor appear in modern popular culture. Like other Germanic deities, veneration of Thor is revived in the modern period inHeathenry.
The nameThoris derived from Norse mythology. Its medieval Germanic equivalents or cognates areDonar(Old High German),Þunor(Old English),Thuner(Old Frisian),Thunar(Old Saxon), andÞórr(Old Norse),the latter of which inspired the modern English formThor.
Though Old NorseÞórrhas only one syllable, it comes from an earlierProto-Norsetwo-syllable form which can bereconstructedas *Þonarr(from an earlier *Þunaraz) and/or *Þunurr(from *Þunuraz), evidenced by the poemsHymiskviðaandÞórsdrápa, and modernElfdaliantųosdag'Thursday', through the common Old Norse development of the sequence-unr-to-ór-.
All Germanic forms of Thor's name descend fromProto-Germanic, but there is debate as to precisely what form the name took at that early stage. The form*Þunurazis suggested by Elfdaliantųosdag('Thursday') and by arunic inscriptionfrom around 700 from Hallbjäns inSundre, Gotland, which includes the sequenceþunurþurus.Alternatively, the form*Þunarazis attractive because it is identical to the name of the ancient Celtic godTaranus(bymetathesis–switch of sounds–of an earlier*Tonaros, attested in the dativetanaroand theGaulishriver nameTanarus).Finally, the form*Þunrazhas also been suggested by Hjalmar Lindroth (1917) and has the attraction of clearly containing the sequence-unr-, needed to explain the later formÞórr, although the similarity with Celtic theonym *Tonarosis lost.According toJohn T. Koch, the form*Þunrazis from earlierpre-Germanicstage that predatesGrim's Law.
These Proto-Germanic forms are probably further related to the commonProto-Indo-Europeanroot for 'thunder'*(s)tenh₂-, also attested in the Latin epithetTonans(attached toJupiter) and the Vedicstanáyati("thunders").Scholar Peter Jackson argues that those theonyms may have emerged as the result of the fossilization of an originalepithet(orepiclesis, i.e.invocationalname) of the Proto-Indo-European thunder-god*Perkunos, since the Vedic weather-godParjanyais also calledstanayitnú-('Thunderer').
The potentially perfect match between the thunder-gods *Tonarosand *Þunaraz, which both go back to a common form *ton(a)ros~ *tṇros, is notable in the context of early Celtic–Germanic linguistic contacts, especially when added to other inherited terms with thunder attributes, such as *Meldunjaz–*meldo-(from *meldh- 'lightning, hammer', i.e.*Perkunos' weapon) and *Fergunja–*Fercunyā(from*perkun-iyā'wooded mountains', i.e. *Perkunos' realm).
The EnglishweekdaynameThursdaycomes from Old EnglishÞunresdæg, meaning 'day of Þunor', with influence from Old NorseÞórsdagr. The name iscognatewith Old High GermanDonarestag. All of these terms derive from a Late Proto-Germanic weekday name along the lines of *Þunaresdagaz('Day of*Þun(a)raz'), acalqueof LatinIovis dies('Day ofJove'; cf. modern Italiangiovedì, Frenchjeudi, Spanishjueves). By employing a practice known asinterpretatio germanicaduring theRoman period, ancient Germanic peoples adopted the Latin weekly calendar and replaced the names of Roman gods with their own.
Beginning in theViking Age,personal namescontaining thetheonymÞórrare recorded with great frequency, whereas no examples are known prior to this period.Þórr-based names may have flourished during the Viking Age as a defiant response to attempts at Christianization, similar to the widespread Viking Age practice of wearing Thor's hammer pendants.
The earliest records of the Germanic peoples were recorded by the Romans, and in these works Thor is frequently referred to – via a process known asinterpretatio romana(where characteristics perceived to be similar by Romans result in identification of a non-Roman god as a Roman deity) – as either the Roman godJupiter(also known asJove) or theGreco-RomangodHercules.
The first clear example of this occurs in the Roman historianTacitus's late first-century workGermania, where, writing about the religion of theSuebi(a confederation ofGermanic peoples), he comments that "among the gods Mercury is the one they principally worship. They regard it as a religious duty to offer to him, on fixed days, human as well as other sacrificial victims. Hercules and Mars they appease by animal offerings of the permitted kind" and adds that a portion of theSuebialso venerate "Isis".In this instance, Tacitus refers to the godOdinas "Mercury", Thor as "Hercules", and the godTýras "Mars", and the identity of theIsisof the Suebi has been debated. In Thor's case, the identification with the god Hercules is likely at least in part due to similarities between Thor's hammer and Hercules' club.In hisAnnals, Tacitus again refers to the veneration of "Hercules" by the Germanic peoples; he records a wood beyond the riverWeser(in what is now northwesternGermany) as dedicated to him.A deity known asHercules Magusanuswas venerated inGermania Inferior; due to the Roman identification of Thor with Hercules,Rudolf Simekhas suggested thatMagusanuswas originally an epithet attached to theProto-Germanicdeity *Þunraz.
The first recorded instance of the name of the god appears upon theNordendorf fibulae, a piece of jewelry created during theMigration Periodand found inBavaria. The item bears anElder Futharkinscribed with the nameÞonar(i.e.Donar), the southern Germanic form of Thor's name.
Around the second half of the 8th century, Old English texts mentionThunor(Þunor), which likely refers to aSaxonversion of the god. In relation,Thunoris sometimes used in Old English texts to glossJupiter, the god may be referenced in the poemSolomon and Saturn, where the thunder strikes the devil with a "fiery axe", and the Old English expressionþunorrād("thunder ride") may refer to the god's thunderous, goat-led chariot.
A 9th-century AD codex fromMainz, Germany, known as theOld Saxon Baptismal Vow, records the name of three Old Saxon gods,UUôden(Old Saxon "Wodan"),Saxnôte, andThunaer, by way of their renunciation as demons in a formula to be repeated by Germanic pagans formallyconverting to Christianity.
According to a near-contemporary account, the Christian missionarySaint Bonifacefelled anoak treededicated to "Jove" in the 8th century, theDonar's Oakin the region ofHesse,Germany.
TheKentish royal legend, probably 11th-century, contains the story of a villainous reeve ofEcgberht of Kentcalled Thunor, who is swallowed up by the earth at a place from then on known asþunores hlæwe(Old English 'Thunor's mound').Gabriel Turville-Petresaw this as an invented origin for the placename demonstrating loss of memory that Thunor had been a god's name.
In the 11th century, chroniclerAdam of Bremenrecords in hisGesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificumthat a statue of Thor, who Adam describes as "mightiest", sits in theTemple at Uppsalain the center of a triple throne (flanked byWodenand "Fricco") located inGamla Uppsala,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 ofUppsalahad appointedprieststo each of the gods, and that the priests were to offer upsacrifices. 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, waslynchedby assembled Germanic pagans for "profaning" a representation of Thor.
Two objects withrunicinscriptions invoking Thor date from the 11th century, one fromEnglandand one from Sweden. The first, theCanterbury CharmfromCanterbury,England, calls upon Thor to heal a wound by banishing athurs.The second, theKvinneby amulet, invokes protection by both Thor and his hammer.
On four (or possibly five)runestones, an invocation to Thor appears that reads "May Thor hallow (theserunes/this monument)!" The invocation appears thrice in Denmark (DR 110,DR 209, andDR 220), and a single time inVästergötland(VG 150), Sweden. A fifth appearance may possibly occur on a runestone found inSödermanland, Sweden (Sö 140), but the reading is contested.
Pictorial representations of Thor's hammer appear on a total of five runestones found in Denmark (DR 26andDR 120) and in the Swedish counties ofVästergötland(VG 113) andSödermanland(Sö 86andSö 111).It is also seen on runestoneDR 48.The design is believed to be a heathen response to Christian runestones, which often have a cross at the centre. One of the stones,Sö 86, shows a face or mask above the hammer.Anders Hultgårdhas argued that this is the face of Thor.At least three stones depict Thor fishing for the serpentJörmungandr: theHørdumstoneinThy, Denmark, theAltuna RunestoneinAltuna, Sweden and theGosforth CrossinGosforth, England.Sune Lindqvistargued in the 1930s that the image stoneArdre VIIIonGotlanddepicts two scenes from the story: Thor ripping the head of Hymir's ox and Thor and Hymir in the boat,but this has been disputed.
In the 12th century, more than a century after Norway was "officially" Christianized, Thor was still being invoked by the population, as evidenced by a stick bearing a runic message found among theBryggen inscriptionsinBergen,Norway. On the stick, both Thor and Odin are called upon for help; Thor is asked to "receive" the reader, and Odin to "own" them.
In thePoetic Edda, compiled during the 13th century from traditional source material reaching into the pagan period, Thor appears (or is mentioned) in the poemsVöluspá,Grímnismál,Skírnismál,Hárbarðsljóð,Hymiskviða,Lokasenna,Þrymskviða,Alvíssmál, andHyndluljóð.
In the poemVöluspá, a deadvölvarecounts the history of the universe and foretells the future to the disguised god Odin, including the death of Thor. Thor, she foretells, will do battle with thegreat serpentduring the immense mythic war waged atRagnarök, and there he will slay the monstrous snake, yet after he will only be able to take nine steps before succumbing to the venom of the beast:
Afterwards, says thevölva, the sky will turn black before fire engulfs the world, the stars will disappear, flames will dance before the sky, steam will rise, the world will be covered in water and then it will be raised again, green and fertile.
In the poemGrímnismál, the god Odin, in disguise asGrímnir, and tortured, starved and thirsty, imparts in the youngAgnarcosmological lore, including that Thor resides inÞrúðheimr, and that, every day, Thor wades through the riversKörmtandÖrmt, and the twoKerlaugar. There,Grímnirsays, Thor sits as judge at the immense cosmological world tree,Yggdrasil.
InSkírnismál, the godFreyr's messenger,Skírnir, threatens the fairGerðr, with whomFreyris smitten, with numerous threats and curses, including that Thor,Freyr, and Odin will be angry with her, and that she risks their "potent wrath".
Thor is the main character ofHárbarðsljóð, where, after traveling "from the east", he comes to an inlet where he encounters a ferryman who gives his name asHárbarðr(Odin, again in disguise), and attempts to hail a ride from him. The ferryman, shouting from the inlet, is immediately rude and obnoxious to Thor and refuses to ferry him. At first, Thor holds his tongue, butHárbarðronly becomes more aggressive, and the poem soon becomes aflytingmatch between Thor andHárbarðr, all the while revealing lore about the two, including Thor's killing of severaljötnarin "the east" and women onHlesey(now the Danish island ofLæsø). In the end, Thor ends up walking instead.
Thor is again the main character in the poemHymiskviða, where, after the gods have been hunting and have eaten their prey, they have an urge to drink. They "sh[ake] the twigs" and interpret what they say. The gods decide that they would find suitable cauldrons atÆgir's home. Thor arrives atÆgir's home and finds him to be cheerful, looks into his eyes, and tells him that he must prepare feasts for the gods. Annoyed,Ægirtells Thor that the gods must first bring to him a suitable cauldron to brew ale in. The gods search but find no such cauldron anywhere. However,Týrtells Thor that he may have a solution; east ofÉlivágarlivesHymir, and he owns such a deep kettle.
So, after Thor secures his goats atEgil's home, Thor andTýrgo toHymir's hall in search of acauldronlarge enough to brewalefor them all. They arrive, andTýrsees his nine-hundred-headed grandmother and his gold-clad mother, the latter of which welcomes them with a horn. AfterHymir—who is not happy to see Thor—comes in from the cold outdoors,Týr's mother helps them find a properly strong cauldron. Thor eats a big meal of two oxen (all the rest eat but one), and then goes to sleep. In the morning, he awakes and informsHymirthat he wants to go fishing the following evening, and that he will catch plenty of food, but that he needs bait.Hymirtells him to go get some bait from his pasture, which he expects should not be a problem for Thor. Thor goes out, findsHymir's best ox, and rips its head off.
After alacunain the manuscript of the poem,Hymiskviðaabruptly picks up again with Thor andHymirin a boat, out at sea.Hymircatches a fewwhalesat once, and Thor baits his line with the head of the ox. Thor casts his line and the monstrous serpentJörmungandrbites. Thor pulls the serpent on board, and violently slams him in the head with his hammer.Jörmungandrshrieks, and a noisy commotion is heard from underwater before another lacuna appears in the manuscript.
After the second lacuna,Hymiris sitting in the boat, unhappy and totally silent, as they row back to shore. On shore,Hymirsuggests that Thor should help him carry a whale back to his farm. Thor picks both the boat and the whales up, and carries it all back toHymir's farm. After Thor successfully smashes a crystal goblet by throwing it atHymir's head onTýr's mother's suggestion, Thor andTýrare given the cauldron.Týrcannot lift it, but Thor manages to roll it, and so with it they leave. Some distance fromHymir's home, an army of many-headed beings led byHymirattacks the two, but are killed by the hammer of Thor. Although one ofhis goatsis lame in the leg, the two manage to bring the cauldron back, have plenty of ale, and so, from then on, return toOld Norse:Týr,lit.'Ægir''s for more every winter.
In the poemLokasenna, the half-godLokiangrilyfliteswith the gods in the sea entityÆgir's hall. Thor does not attend the event, however, as he is away in the east for unspecified purposes. Towards the end of the poem, the flyting turns toSif, Thor's wife, whom Loki then claims to have slept with. The godFreyr's servantBeylainterjects, and says that, since all of the mountains are shaking, she thinks that Thor is on his way home.Beylaadds that Thor will bring peace to the quarrel, to which Loki responds with insults.
Thor arrives and tells Loki to be silent, and threatens to rip Loki's head from his body with his hammer. Loki asks Thor why he is so angry, and comments that Thor will not be so daring to fight "the wolf" (Fenrir) when it eats Odin (a reference to the foretold events ofRagnarök). Thor again tells him to be silent, and threatens to throw him into the sky, where he will never be seen again. Loki says that Thor should not brag of his time in the east, as he once crouched in fear in the thumb of a glove (a story involving deception by the magic ofÚtgarða-Loki, recounted in theProse EddabookGylfaginning)—which, he comments, "was hardly like Thor". Thor again tells him to be silent, threatening to break every bone in Loki's body. Loki responds that he intends to live a while yet, and again insults Thor with references to his encounter withÚtgarða-Loki. Thor responds with a fourth call to be silent, and threatens to send Loki toHel. At Thor's final threat, Loki gives in, commenting that only for Thor will he leave the hall, for "I know alone that you do strike", and the poem continues.
In the comedic poemÞrymskviða, Thor again plays a central role. In the poem, Thor wakes and finds that his powerful hammer,Mjölnir, is missing. Thor turns to Loki, and tells him that nobody knows that the hammer has been stolen. The two go to the dwelling of the goddessFreyja, and so that he may attempt to findMjölnir, Thor asks her if he may borrow her feather cloak.Freyjaagrees, and says she would lend it to Thor even if it were made of silver or gold, and Loki flies off, the feather cloak whistling.
InJötunheimr, thejötunnÞrymrsits on abarrow, plaiting golden collars for his female dogs, and trimming the manes of his horses.Þrymrsees Loki, and asks what could be amiss among theÆsirand theelves; why is Loki alone inJötunheimr? Loki responds that he has bad news for both the elves and theÆsir—that Thor's hammer,Mjölnir, is gone.Þrymrsays that he has hiddenMjölnireight leagues beneath the earth, from which it will be retrieved, but only ifFreyjais brought to him as his wife. Loki flies off, the feather cloak whistling, away fromJötunheimrand back to the court of the gods.
Thor asks Loki if his efforts were successful, and that Loki should tell him while he is still in the air as "tales often escape a sitting man, and the man lying down often barks out lies." Loki states that it was indeed an effort, and also a success, for he has discovered thatÞrymrhas the hammer, but that it cannot be retrieved unlessFreyjais brought toÞrymras his wife. The two return toFreyjaand tell her to put on a bridal head dress, as they will drive her toJötunheimr.Freyja, indignant and angry, goes into a rage, causing all of the halls of theÆsirto tremble in her anger, and her necklace, the famedBrísingamen, falls from her.Freyjapointedly refuses.
As a result, the gods and goddesses meet and hold athingto discuss and debate the matter. At the thing, the godHeimdallrputs forth the suggestion that, in place ofFreyja, Thor should be dressed as the bride, complete with jewels, women's clothing down to his knees, a bridal head-dress, and the necklaceBrísingamen. Thor rejects the idea, yet Loki interjects that this will be the only way to get backMjölnir. Loki points out that, withoutMjölnir, thejötnarwill be able to invade and settle inAsgard. The gods dress Thor as a bride, and Loki states that he will go with Thor as his maid, and that the two shall drive toJötunheimrtogether.
After riding together in Thor'sgoat-driven chariot, the two, disguised, arrive inJötunheimr.Þrymrcommands thejötnarin his hall to spread straw on the benches, forFreyjahas arrived to be his wife.Þrymrrecounts his treasured animals and objects, stating thatFreyjawas all that he was missing in his wealth.
Early in the evening, the disguised Loki and Thor meet withÞrymrand the assembledjötnar. Thor eats and drinks ferociously, consuming entire animals and three casks ofmead.Þrymrfinds the behavior at odds with his impression ofFreyja, and Loki, sitting beforeÞrymrand appearing as a "very shrewd maid", makes the excuse that "Freyja's" behaviour is due to her having not consumed anything for eight entire days before arriving due to her eagerness to arrive.Þrymrthen lifts "Freyja's" veil and wants to kiss "her". Terrifying eyes stare back at him, seemingly burning with fire. Loki says that this is because "Freyja" has not slept for eight nights in her eagerness.
The "wretched sister" of thejötnarappears, asks for a bridal gift from "Freyja", and thejötnarbring outMjölnirto "sanctify the bride", to lay it on her lap, and marry the two by "the hand" of the goddessVár. Thor laughs internally when he sees the hammer, takes hold of it, strikesÞrymr, beats all of thejötnar, kills their "older sister", and so gets his hammer back.
In the poemAlvíssmál, Thor tricks adwarf,Alvíss, to his doom upon finding that he seeks to wed his daughter (unnamed, possiblyÞrúðr). As the poem starts, Thor meets a dwarf who talks about getting married. Thor finds the dwarf repulsive and, apparently, realizes that the bride is his daughter. Thor comments that the wedding agreement was made among the gods while Thor was gone, and that the dwarf must seek his consent. To do so, Thor says,Alvíssmust tell him what he wants to know aboutall of the worldsthat the dwarf has visited. In a long question and answer session,Alvíssdoes exactly that; he describes natural features as they are known in the languages of various races of beings in the world, and gives an amount of cosmological lore.
However, the question and answer session turns out to be a ploy by Thor, as, although Thor comments that he has truly never seen anyone with more wisdom in their breast, Thor has managed to delay the dwarf enough for the Sun to turn him to stone; "day dawns on you now, dwarf, now sun shines on the hall".
In the poemHyndluljóð,Freyjaoffers to thejötunnwomanHyndlatoblót(sacrifice) to Thor so that she may be protected, and comments that Thor does not care much forjötunnwomen.
The prologue to theProse EddaeuhemerisesThor as a prince ofTroy, and the son ofMenonby Troana, a daughter ofPriam. Thor, also known asTror, is said to have married the prophetessSibyl(identified withSif). Thor is further said here to have been raised inThraceby a chieftain namedLorikus, whom he later slew to assume the title of "King of Thrace", to have had a pale complexion and hair "fairer than gold", and to have been strong enough to lift ten bearskins.In later sagas he is described as red-bearded,but there is no evidence for a red beard in the Eddas.
The name of theæsiris explained as "men fromAsia",Asgardbeing the "Asian city" (i.e., Troy). Alternatively, Troy is inTyrkland(Turkey, i.e., Asia Minor), andAsialandisScythia, where Thor founded a new city named Asgard. Odin is a remote descendant of Thor, removed by twelve generations, who led an expedition across Germany, Denmark and Sweden to Norway.
In theProse Edda, Thor is mentioned in all four books;Prologue,Gylfaginning,Skáldskaparmál, andHáttatal.
InHeimskringla, composed in the 13th century bySnorri Sturluson, Thor or statues of Thor are mentioned inYnglinga saga,Hákonar saga góða,Ólafs saga Tryggvasonar, andÓláfs saga helga. InYnglinga sagachapter 5, a heavily euhemerized account of the gods is provided, where Thor is described as having been agothi—a pagan priest—who was given by Odin (who himself is explained away as having been an exceedingly powerful magic-wielding chieftain from the east) a dwelling in the mythical location ofÞrúðvangr, in what is now Sweden. The saga narrative adds that numerous names—at the time of the narrative, popularly in use—were derived fromThor.
Around the 12th century, folk traditions and iconography of the Christianizing kingOlaf II of Norway(Saint Olaf; c. 995 – 1030) absorbed elements of both Thor and Freyr.After Olaf's death, his cult had spread quickly all over Scandinavia, where many churches were dedicated to him, as well as to other parts of Northern Europe. His cult distinctively mixed both ecclesiastical and folk elements. From Thor, he inherited the quick temper, physical strength and merits as a giant-slayer. Early depictions portray Olaf as clean-shaven, but after 1200 he appears with a red beard.For centuries, Olaf figured in folk traditions as a slayer oftrollsand giants, and as a protector against malicious forces.
Tales about Thor, or influenced by native traditions regarding Thor, continued into the modern period, particularly in Scandinavia. Writing in the 19th century, scholarJacob Grimmrecords various phrases surviving into Germanic languages that refer to the god, such as the NorwegianThorsvarme("Thor's warmth") for lightning and the Swedishgodgubben åfar("The good old (fellow) is taking a ride") as well as the wordtordön("Thor's rumble" or "Thor's thunder") when it thunders. Grimm comments that, at times, Scandinavians often "no longer liked to utter the god's real name, or they wished to extol his fatherly goodness".In Sweden, it was probably as a euphemism that people referred to thunder as "the ride of the god" – *ās-ækia(OWN: *áss-ekja) resulting in the modern Swedish word for thunder –åska.
Thor remained pictured as a red-bearded figure, as evident by the Danish rhyme that yet referred to him asThor med sit lange skæg("Thor with his long beard") and theNorth-Frisiancursediis ruadhiiret donner regiir!("let red-haired thunder see to that!").
A Scandinavian folk belief that lightning frightens awaytrollsandjötnarappears in numerous Scandinavian folktales, and may be a late reflection of Thor's role in fighting such beings. In connection, the lack of trolls and ettins in modern Scandinavia is explained as a result of the "accuracy and efficiency of the lightning strokes".
In the Netherlands,The Sagas of Veluwehas a story calledOntstaan van het Uddeler- en Bleeke meerwhich features Thor and his fight with the Winter Giants.
Around 1000 pendants in distinctive shapes representing the hammer of Thor have been unearthed in what are today the Nordic countries, England, northern Germany, the Baltic countries, and Russia. Most have very simple designs in iron or silver. Around 100 have more advanced designs with ornaments. The pendants have been found in a variety of contexts (including at urban sites, and in hoards) and occur in a variety of shapes. Similarly, coins featuring depictions of the hammer have also been discovered.
TheEyrarland Statue, a copper alloy figure found nearAkureyri, Iceland dating from around the 11th century, may depict Thor seated and gripping his hammer.
Theswastikasymbol has been identified as representing the hammer or lightning of Thor.ScholarHilda Ellis Davidson(1965) comments on the usage of the swastika as a symbol of Thor:
Swastikas appear on various Germanic objects stretching from the Migration Period to the Viking Age, such as the 3rd centuryVærløseFibula(DR EM85;123) fromZealand, Denmark; theGothicspearhead fromBrest-Litovsk, Belarus; numerous Migration Periodbracteates; cremation urns from earlyAnglo-Saxon England; the 8th centurySæbøswordfromSogn, Norway; and the 9th centurySnoldelev Stone(DR 248) fromRamsø, Denmark.
Numerous place names inScandinaviacontain the Old Norse nameÞórr. The identification of these place names as pointing to religious significance is complicated by the aforementioned common usage ofÞórras a personal name element. Cultic significance may only be assured in place names containing the elements-vé(signifying the location of avé, a type of pagan Germanic shrine),–hóf(a structure used for religious purposes, seeheathen hofs), and–lundr(aholy grove). The place nameÞórslundris recorded with particular frequency inDenmark(and has direct cognates in Norse settlements inIreland, such asCoill Tomair), whereasÞórshofappears particularly often in southernNorway.Torsö(Thor's Island) appears on the Swedish west coast. Thor also appears in many place names inUppland.
InEnglish place names, Old EnglishThunor(in contrast with the Old Norse form of the name, later introduced to theDanelaw) left comparatively few traces. Examples includeThundersley, from *Thunores hlæwandThurstable(Old English "Thunor's pillar").F. M. Stenton noted that such place names were apparently restricted to Saxon and Jutish territory and not found in Anglian areas.
In what is nowGermany, locations named after Thor are sparsely recorded, but a number of locations calledDonnersberg(German "Donner's mountain") may derive their name from the deityDonner, the southern Germanic form of the god's name.In as late as the 19th century inIceland, a specific breed of fox was known asholtaþórr("Thor of theholt"), likely due to the red coat of the breed.In Sweden in the 19th century, smooth, wedge-shaped stones found in the earth were calledThorwiggar("Thor's wedges"), according to a folk belief that they were once hurled at atrollby the god Thor. (CompareThunderstones.) Similarly,meteoritesmay be considered memorials to Thor in folk tradition due to their sheer weight. On the Swedish island ofGotland, a species of beetle (Scarabæus stercorarius) was named after the god; theThorbagge. When the beetle is found turned upside down and one flips it over, Thor's favor may be gained. In other regions of Sweden the name of the beetle appears to have been demonized with Christianization, where the insect came to be known asThordedjefvulorThordyfvel(both meaning "Thor-devil").
In the northwest of Spain, there is a river calledToríoin the municipality ofCármenes(León) that take name from the god Thor.
Thor closely resembles other Indo-European deities associated with the thunder: theCelticTaranis,theEstonianTaara(or Tharapita), theBalticPerkūnas, theSlavicPerun,and particularly theHinduIndra, whose thunderbolt weapon thevajrais an obvious parallels noted already byMax Müller.Scholars have compared Indra's slaying ofVritrawith Thor's battle withJörmungandr.Although in the past it was suggested that Thor was an indigenous sky god or a Viking Age import into Scandinavia, these Indo-European parallels make him generally accepted today as ultimately derived from aProto-Indo-European deity.
InGeorges Dumézil'strifunctional hypothesisof Indo-European religion, Thor represents the second function, that of strength.Dumézilnotes that as a result of displacements, he does not lead armies; most of the functions of Indra have been in effect taken over by Odin.Many scholars have noted the association of Thor with fertility, particularly in later folklore and in the reflex of him represented by the SamiHora galles("Good-man Thor"). ForDumézil, this is the preservation by peasants of only the side-effect of the god's atmospheric battles: the fertilizing rain.Others have emphasized Thor's close connection to humanity, in all its concerns.ScholarHilda Ellis Davidsonsummarizes:
In modern times, Thor continues to be referred to in art and fiction. Starting withF. J. Klopstock's 1776 ode to Thor,Wir und Sie, Thor has been the subject of poems in several languages, includingAdam Gottlob Oehlenschläger's 1807 epic poemThors reise til Jotunheimand, by the same author, three more poems (Hammeren hentes,Thors fiskeri, andThor besøger Hymir) collected in his 1819Nordens Guder;Thors Trunk(1859) byWilhelm Hertz; the 1820 satirical poemMythologierne eller GudatvistenbyJ. M. Stiernstolpe;Nordens Mythologie eller Sinnbilled-Sprog(1832) byN. F. S. Grundtvig; the poemHarmenbyThor Thorild;Der Mythus von Thor(1836) byLudwig Uhland;Der Hammer Thors(1915) byW. Schulte v. Brühl;Hans Friedrich Blunck'sHerr Dunnar und die Bauern(published inMärchen und Sagen, 1937); andDie Heimholung des Hammers(1977) byH. C. Artmann.In English he features for example inHenry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Challenge of Thor" (1863)and in two works byRudyard Kipling:Letters of Travel: 1892–1913and "Cold Iron" inRewards and Fairies.L. Sprague de Camp'sHarold Sheamet with Thor, as with other Norse gods, in the first of Shea's many fantasy adventures.
Artists have also depicted Thor in painting and sculpture, includingHenry Fuseli's 1780 paintingThor Battering the Midgard Serpent;H. E. Freund's 1821–1822 statueThor; B. E. Fogelberg's 1844 marble statueThor;Mårten Eskil Winge's 1872 paintingThor's Fight with the Giants; K. Ehrenberg's 1883 drawingOdin, Thor und Magni; several illustrations byE. Doeplerpublished inWilhelm Ranisch's 1901Walhall(Thor;Thor und die Midgardschlange;Thor den Hrungnir bekämpfend;Thor bei dem Riesen Þrym als Braut verkleidet;Thor bei Hymir;Thor bei Skrymir;Thor den Fluß Wimur durchwatend);J. C. Dollman's 1909 drawingsThor and the MountainandSif and Thor; G. Poppe's paintingThor;E. Pottner's 1914 drawingThors Schatten; H. Natter's marble statueThor; and U. Brember's 1977 illustrations toDie Heimholung des HammersbyH. C. Artmann.
In the fields of science and technology, Swedish chemistJöns Jacob Berzelius(1779–1848) discovered achemical elementthat he named after Thor –thorium.Thor is also the namesake of thePGM-17 Thormissile.
In 1962, American comic book artistJack Kirby,Marvel ComicseditorStan Leeand his brotherLarry Liebercreated a feature in the comic bookJourney Into Mystery, a series featuringThoras asuperhero.This version of Thor is portrayed as a clean-shaven blonde, instead of red-haired and bearded. The magazine soon added the backup feature "Tales of Asgard" in which Kirby illustrated stories from Norse mythology; eventually, the magazine was retitledThor. Lee and Kirby included Thor as a founding member of their superhero teamthe Avengers.Thorhas been portrayed in theMarvel Cinematic Universeby Australian actorChris Hemsworth, appearing inThor,The Avengers,Thor: The Dark World,Avengers: Age of Ultron,Doctor Strange,Team Thor,Thor: Ragnarok,Avengers: Infinity War,Avengers: EndgameandThor: Love and Thunder.Thor has also been featured in comic books by other publishers. In theSavage Dragoncomics, Thor is portrayed as a villain. InNeil Gaiman'sSandmancomic, Thor is portrayed as a buffoon who wields a tiny toffee hammer.
First described in 2013,Thor's hero shrew(Scutisorex thori) is a species ofshrewnative to theDemocratic Republic of Congo. It and itssister species, thehero shrew(Scutisorex somereni), are the only mammal species known to have interlockingvertebrae.The team named the shrew after Thor due to the god's association with strength.
From 2015 to 2017, a fictionalised version of Thor was a supporting character inMagnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, atrilogyoffantasy novelswritten by American authorRick Riordanand published byDisney-Hyperion, set in the samefictional universeas theCamp Half-Blood Chronicles, andThe Kane Chroniclesseries by the same author. Neil Gaiman's booksAmerican GodsandNorse Mythologyalso feature Thor.
In January 2020, the streaming serviceNetflixproducedRagnarok. In the show, a high school student, Magne Seier, receives Thor's powers and abilities to fight the giants that are polluting Norway and murdering people. Netflix released the second season on 27 May 2021. Thor/Magne is portrayed byDavid Stakston.
Thor is also featured in a number of video games. In the 2002Ensemble StudiosgameAge of Mythology, Thor is one of three major gods Norse players can worship.InSanta Monica Studio's 2018 video gameGod of War, Thor is mentioned throughout and his sons Magni and Modi are secondary antagonists. Thor makes an appearance at the end of the main storyline if certain difficulty conditions are met by the player.He makes a much more substantial appearance in the game's 2022 sequelGod of War Ragnarökas a primary antagonist, played byRyan Hurst.Thor is also mentioned inUbisoft's 2020 gameAssassin's Creed Valhalla, where items of his such as Mjölnir can be found and used by the player in combat.Thor is also one of the playable gods in thethird-personmultiplayer online battle arenagameSmite.