Thor, God of Thunder: Viking Norse Myth Legend :Norse Mythology, Lady Gryphon's Mythical Realm Bringing Myths and Legends to Life... Thor - Norse God of Thunder The son of Odin and Jord, the earth goddess. Thor was the strongest of the Aesir, the collective name for the the principal race of Norse gods; they who lived in Asgard, and with the All-Father Odin, ruled the lives of mortal men. Known as the god of thunder, his hall is Bilskirnir, which is located in the region Thrudheim ("place of might"). Thor married the golden-haired Sif, a Goddess of fertility. He kept a mistress named Jarnsaxa (the "iron cutlass"), with whom he had two sons, Magni and Modi and his daughter is Thrud. Thor was usually portrayed as a large, powerful man with a red beard, flowing hair, hearty enjoyment of food and drink and eyes of lighting. Despite his ferocious appearance, he was very popular as the protector of both gods and humans against the forces of evil. He even surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, contrary to Odin, he did not require human sacrifices.

In his temple at Uppsala he was shown standing with Odin at his right side. The 11th century Christian missionary Adam of Bremen, on noting the great temple of the gods in Uppsala, Sweden, wrote, "Thor, they say, presides over the air, he governs the thunder and lightening, the winds and rains, fair weather and crops...If plague and famine threaten, a libation is poured to the idol Thor." This temple was replaced by a Christian church in 1080. The Norse believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisni ("gap-tooth") and Tanngnost ("tooth grinder"). Lightning flashed whenever he threw his hammer Mjollnir. Mjollnir ("that smashes") was made for him by the dwarfs Brok and Eitri, who made many magical objects for the gods. Thor wears the belt Megingjard which doubles his already considerable strength. His greatest enemy is Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent. At the day of Ragnarok, Thor will kill this serpent but will die from its poison.

His sons will inherit his hammer after his death. Ragnarok ("Doom of the Gods"), also called Gotterdammerung, means the end of the cosmos in Norse mythology. Thor was very well-known for his quick and hot temper. This was often vented on the giants, the main enemies of the gods. Thor would smash their heads with his mighty hammer Mjollnir. To wield this awesome weapon he needed iron gloves and a belt of strength. Mjollnir would return to Thor's hand after being thrown and was symbolic of lightning. Thor was foremost of the gods to the common man, who would call on him to ensure fertility, and widely worshiped. Hammer shaped amulets, a symbol of Thor because it was his weapon, were worn about the neck well into the Christianization of Scandinavia. There are molds from that time which contain both cross and hammer shapes, side by side. His name occurs in numerous place names, and it was his statue which was central in the great temple at Uppsala. He was associated by the Romans with Jupiter. Donar was an early version of Thor among the early Germans. The anglo-saxons worshiped a thunder god named Thunor.

Thor has lived on, not as a part of any religion, but on our weekly calendar. Thursday (Thor's Day) was derived from this mighty god. Thrym's Lay from the Poetic Edda Thor was distraught when upon awakening one morning he discovered that his mighty hammer Mjölnir was missing. His shaggy head and his beard quivered as he, the first-born of Mother-Earth reached around for it. His first words were: "Loki, listen to me! I have suffered a loss beyond perception. My hammer has been stolen!" They hurried to Freyja's home, and he said: "Freyja, will you lend me your feather-robe so that I can find and retrieve my hammer?" Freyja said: "I would give it to you, even if it were made of gold or silver." Loki then flew, with whirring feathers, from the home of the Æsir to the land of the giants. Thrym, the King of the Thurse, [The Thurse were a race of giants] was sitting on a mound, pleating golden halters for his hounds and smoothing the manes of his mares.

Thrym said: "How are the Æsir, and how are the alfs, and what brings you to the land of the giants?" Loki said: "It's not well with the Æsir, nor with the alfs. Are you the one who hid Thor's hammer?" Thrym said: "Yes, I hid Thor's hammer a full eight leagues beneath the ground. And no one can get it from me unless he brings Freyja here to be my bride." Loki then flew, with whirring feathers, from the home of the giants to the land of the Æsir. Thor met him in the central courtyard, and he said: What good news do you have to report? Have your efforts been rewarded? Tell me, even before you light, what you have learned. A sitting person is often forgetful, and a lying person lies. [The play on the two meanings of "to lie" also exists in the original] Loki said: "My efforts have been rewarded. Thrym, the King of the Thurse, has your hammer.

But no one can get it from him unless he brings him Freyja to be his bride." They hurried to Freyja's home, and Thor said: "Freyja, dress yourself in bridal linen! The two of us are going to the land of the giants." Freyja grew angry and foamed with rage. The entire hall shook with her fury. The necklace of the Brisings [The necklace of the Brisings is also mentioned in Beowulf] broke apart. She said: "I would have to be the man-craziest of all to go with you to the land of the giants." All the gods and goddesses of the Æsir hurriedly assembled at the Thing to discuss how they might retrieve Thor's hammer. Heimdall, the fairest of the gods and one of the prophetic Vanir, foretold the future: "We shall dress Thor in bridal linen, and adorn him with the necklace of the Brisings.

Let him wear a woman's clothes with a bundle of housewife's keys dangling about him and with bridal jewels at his breast and on his head." Thor, the mighty god, said, "the Æsir will call me cowardly and womanish if I allow myself to be dressed in bridal linen." Then Loki, the son of Laufey, said: "Save your words, Thor. The giants will soon take over Asgard if you do not retrieve your hammer from them." So they dressed Thor in women's clothes and bridal linen and adorned him with the necklace of the Brisings, with a bundle of housewife's keys dangling about him and with bridal jewels at his breast and on his head. Then Loki, the son of Laufey, said: "I will be your servant girl, and the two of us will go to the land of the giants." The goats were driven home and tied with ropes to run with them. The mountains burst and the earth broke into flames as the son of Odin rode to the land of the giants. Then Thrym, the King of the Thurse, said: "Stand up, you giants, and cover the benches!

Bring me Freyja, the daughter of Njörd from Noatun, to be my wife!" In my yard I have cows with golden horns, pure black oxen, everything a giant could want; I have riches and treasures; Freyja alone is all that I lack. That evening they brought ale to the giant's table, and Sif's husband ate an entire ox, eight salmon, and all the baked goods that they brought for the women, and then he drank three measures of mead. Then Thrym, the King of the Thurse, said: "Have you ever seen a bride bite more sharply? I have never seen a bride bite more broadly, nor have I ever seen a maiden drink more mead." The maiden quickly responded to the giant's words: "Freyja was so eagerly awaiting the land of giants that she ate nothing for eight full nights!" He peeked beneath her veil, wanting to kiss her, but then jumped to the back of the hall with a single bound. "Why are Freyja's eyes so terrifying?

They seem to be aglow with fire!" The maiden quickly responded to the giant's words: "Freyja was so eagerly awaiting the land of giants that she did not sleep for eight full nights." The giant's poor sister entered and begged for a bridal gift: "If you want my friendship and love, then please give me those red-gold rings from your arm." Then Thrym, the King of the Thurse, said, "Bring the hammer so that we may consecrate the bride. Lay Mjölnir in her lap, from the hand of Vár [Vár is a goddess who hears and enforces oaths and contracts], and let us be consecrated as a pair. Hlórithi's [Hlórithi is another name for Thor] heart laughed within him when he saw his hammer. First he struck down Thrym, the King of the Thurse, and then he slew all the giant's kin. He also killed the giant's poor sister who had begged for a bridal gift. Instead of shillings she received blows and instead of rings, a hammer hit. And thus Odin's son retrieved his hammer.

or use the menu above Thor Thor In Gods Featured , The Gods Thor, also known as the Thunderer, was considered to be a son of Fjorgyn (Jord) and Odin by some, but among many tribes Thor actually supplanted Odin as the favorite god. He is considered to be the protector of all Midgard , and he wields the mighty hammer Mjollnir. Thor is strength personified. His battle chariot is drawn by two goats, and his hammer Mjollnir causes the lightning that flashes across the sky. Of all the deities, Thor is the most “barbarian” of the lot; rugged, powerful, and lives by his own rules, although he is faithful to the rest of the Aesir. The day Thursday (Thorsdaeg) is sacred to him. Thor is married to Sif, a fertility goddess, with whom he had a daughter, Thrud. He also had a mistress, the giantess Jarnsaxa with whom he had two sons, Magni and Modi. Thor is helped by Thialfi, his servant and the messenger of the gods. Thor was the god of war, thunder and strength.

Thor destroyed the enemies of the gods with his magic hammer. It was he who chased away the frosts and called gentle winds and warm spring rains to release the earth from its bondage of ice and snow. He was also the god of the household and of the common people. He even married Sif a peasant woman. The lightning’s flash was his mighty hammer, Mjollnir, hurled in battle with the frost giants, and the rolling thunder was the rumble of his fiery chariot. Thor was a good-natured, careless god, always ready for adventure, and never tired of trying his great strength. He could shoulder giant tasks with the greatest ease and slay bulls with his bare hands. For sport he sometimes rode among the cloud-veiled mountains, hurling his hammer at their peaks and cleaving them in twain. This adventurous god once visited Jotunheim , the land of the giants. The king of the giants looked at him scornfully and said, “Is this stripling the mighty god, Thor? Perhaps you are mightier than you appear. What feats do you deem yourself skilled in?” I will test my prowess in a drinking bout with anyone,” smiled Thor.

The king thereupon bade the cup bearer bring a drinking horn, and said, “Whosoever is a good drinker is able to drain this horn at a single drought.” Thor placed the horn to his lips and drank long and deep, but when he removed it the liquid had scarcely diminished. Three times he tried to empty the horn and failed, and at last he threw it down in disgust. Next he was challenged to lift the king’s cat from the ground. After a great effort he only managed to raise one of its paws. “Is this the mighty god we have been taught to fear?” scoffed the king. Thor held his temper and offered to wrestle with anyone who would stand against him, and a toothless old crone accepted the challenge. Thor placed his arms about the woman and tried to pull her towards him but she refused to budge. Thor scratched his head and tried again. Still he could not move her. Next he pushed her hard then shouldered her, still she stood like a rock. Then with mad rushes Thor attempted to throw the frail woman to the floor, but in spite of his best efforts he could not succeed and was in turn lucky to stay upright himself when she wrestled with him.

In great shame he departed the palace. Outside the gates he was surprised to see the king ride up to him. “Mighty Thor,” said the king taking him by the shoulder, “when you attempted to empty the drinking horn you preformed a feat so marvelous, that had I not seen it myself, I should never have believed it. At the end of the horn lay the sea itself, and when you come to the shore you will see how much the waters have fallen away. Then terror overcame everyone when you lifted the cat’s paw from the ground, for that cat is the serpent that encircles the earth, and the whole world shuddered when its hold was loosened. To stand against the old crone for so long was marvelous, for it was indeed old age with whom you wrestled, and no man may conquer her. It was not the prowess of the frost giants that overcame you Thor, it was their magic.” Thor, in wrath at being so tricked, reached for his hammer, but when he would have thrown it, the king of the giants had disappeared. Thor returned to his mountain peak and continued to beat his hammer for the world but with ever-increasing sadness.

The fifth day of the week is still called ‘Thor’s day’ after this strong god. Thor is usually portrayed as a large, powerful man with a red beard and eyes of lightning. Despite his ferocious appearance, he surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, contrary to Odin, he did not require human sacrifices. In his temple at Uppsala he was shown standing with Odin at his right side. This temple was replaced by a Christian church in 1080. The Norse believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisni (“gap-tooth”) and Tanngnost (“tooth grinder”). Lightning flashed whenever he threw his hammer Mjollnir. Thor wears the belt Megingjard which doubles his already considerable strength. His hall is Bilskirnir, which is located in the region Thrudheim (“place of might”). His greatest enemy is Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent. At the day of Ragnarok, Thor will kill this serpent but will die from its poison. His sons will inherit his hammer after his death. Who Is Thor? - The Norse God Of Thunder - YouTube Who Is Thor?

- The Norse God Of Thunder Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Apr 9, 2016 In Norse mythology, Thor (/θɔːr/; from Old Norse Þórr) is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing and fertility. The cognate deity in wider Germanic mythology and paganism was known in Old English as Þunor and in Old High German as Donar (runic þonar ᚦᛟᚾᚨᚱ), stemming from a Common Germanic *Þunraz (meaning "thunder").

Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania, to the tribal expansions of the Migration Period, to his high popularity during the Viking Age, when, in the face of the process of the Christianization of Scandinavia, emblems of his hammer, Mjölnir, were worn in defiance and Norse pagan personal names containing the name of the god bear witness to his popularity. Into the modern period, Thor continued to be acknowledged in rural folklore throughout Germanic regions. Thor is frequently referred to in place names, the day of the week Thursday ("Thor's day"; Old English Thunresdæg, Thunor's day; German "Donnerstag" Donar's day; Dutch "donderdag") bears his name, and names stemming from the pagan period containing his own continue to be used today. In Norse mythology, largely recorded in Iceland from traditional material stemming from Scandinavia, numerous tales and information about Thor are provided.

In these sources, Thor bears at least fourteen names, is the husband of the golden-haired goddess Sif, is the lover of the jötunn Járnsaxa, and is generally described as fierce-eyed, red-haired and red-bearded. With Sif, Thor fathered the goddess (and possible valkyrie) Þrúðr; with Járnsaxa, he fathered Magni; with a mother whose name is not recorded, he fathered Móði, and he is the stepfather of the god Ullr. The same sources list Thor as the son of the god Odin and the personified earth, Fjörgyn, and by way of Odin, Thor has numerous brothers. Thor has two servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, rides in a cart or chariot pulled by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (that he eats and resurrects), and is ascribed three dwellings (Bilskirnir, Þrúðheimr, and Þrúðvangr).

Thor wields the mountain-crushing hammer, Mjölnir, wears the belt Megingjörð and the iron gloves Járngreipr, and owns the staff Gríðarvölr. Thor's exploits, including his relentless slaughter of his foes and fierce battles with the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr—and their foretold mutual deaths during the events of Ragnarök—are recorded throughout sources for Norse mythology. 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 in Heathenry. Old Norse Þórr, Old English ðunor, Old High German Donar, Old Saxon thunar, and Old Frisian thuner are cognates within the Germanic language branch, descending from the Proto-Germanic masculine noun *þunraz 'thunder'. The name of the god is the origin of the weekday name Thursday. By employing a practice known as interpretatio germanica during the Roman Empire period, the Germanic peoples adopted the Roman weekly calendar, and replaced the names of Roman gods with their own.

Latin dies Iovis ('day of Jupiter') was converted into Proto-Germanic *Þonares dagaz ("Thor's day"), from which stems modern English "Thursday" and all other Germanic weekday cognates. Beginning in the Viking Age, personal names containing the theonym Thórr are recorded with great frequency. Prior to the Viking Age, no examples are recorded. Thórr-based names may have flourished during the Viking Age as a defiant response to attempts at Christianization, similar to the wide scale 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 as interpretatio 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 god Jupiter (also known as Jove) or the Greco-Roman god Hercules. The first clear example of this occurs in the Roman historian Tacitus's late first-century work Germania, where, writing about the religion of the Suebi (a confederation of Germanic 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 the Suebi also venerate "Isis". In this instance, Tacitus refers to the god Odin as "Mercury", Category Thor Thor by Micha F. Lindemans Thor is the Norse god of thunder. He is a son of Odin and Jord , and one of the most powerful gods. He is married to Sif , a fertility goddess. His mistress is the giantess Jarnsaxa ("iron cutlass"), and their sons are Magni and Modi and his daughter is Thrud. Thor is helped by Thialfi, his servant and the messenger of the gods. Thor was usually portrayed as a large, powerful man with a red beard and eyes of lightning. Despite his ferocious appearance, he was very popular as the protector of both gods and humans against the forces of evil. He even surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, contrary to Odin, he did not require human sacrifices. In his temple at Uppsala he was shown standing with Odin at his right side.

This temple was replaced by a Christian church in 1080. The Norse believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisni ("gap-tooth") and Tanngnost ("tooth grinder"). Lightning flashed whenever he threw his hammer Mjollnir. Thor wears the belt Megingjard which doubles his already considerable strength. His hall is Bilskirnir, which is located in the region Thrudheim ("place of might"). His greatest enemy is Jormungand , the Midgard Serpent. At the day of Ragnarok , Thor will kill this serpent but will die from its poison. His sons will inherit his hammer after his death. Donar is his Teutonic equivalent, while the Romans see in him their god Jupiter . Thursday is named after him. Article details: Thor - Ancient History Encyclopedia Thor by Cristian Violatti published on 28 May 2014 Thor was one of the most important and famous gods in Norse mythology . He was the son of Odin and Fyorgyn, the earth goddess. Thor was considered the storm-weather god of sky and thunder and also a fertility god.

His wife was Sif, a goddess also linked to fertility. He had a red beard and eyes, he was huge in size, he had an insatiable appetite and not much wit. Thor was the strongest of all gods and men according to The Prose Edda. Thor's Hammer & Chariot Thor was very talented at slaying giants; many of his stories revolve around violent episodes between him and his enemies. In order to perform his duties, Thor had a hammer, Mjollnir, a deadly weapon also associated with lightning and thunder, which was built by the dwarves. He also had iron gloves and a belt named Megingjard that doubled Thor’s strength once buckled on. There were also some other less destructive aspects of Thor. As a weather god he was associated with the fertility of the earth. He was also regarded as a guide for those travelling over the sea because of his power over storms and wind. Remove Ads Advertisement Thor had a chariot to travel across the sky, which was drawn by two giant goats: Tanngniost and Tanngrisnir.

These powerful animals had a very convenient magical property: they could be killed and eaten at any time, and as long as their bones were undamaged and returned into their skins, they would regenerate overnight and the following day would be alive, just like new. Famous Narratives ABOUT THOR One of the most famous stories involving Thor is included in Hymir’s Poem: the gods organized a feast and the giant Ægir is requested to prepare it. Ægir agrees, but requests an enormous cauldron, which can only be obtained from the giant Hymir. Thor accepts the task of getting the cauldron and sets off on his adventure. In the middle of his mission, Thor and Hymir get involved in a fishing expedition. This is when Thor almost catches the World Serpent (Jormungand): The brave and famous Hymir caught two whales on his hook at once, and back in the stern the kinsman of Odin, Thor, cunningly laid out his line. The protector of humans, the slayer of the serpent, baited his hook with the ox’s head. He whom the gods hate, the Circumscriber beneath all lands, gaped at the bait.

Then very bravely Thor, the courageous one, pulled the gleaming serpent up on board. With his hammer he struck the head violently, form above, of the wolf’s hideous brother. The sea-wolf shrieked and the underwater rocks re-echoed, all the ancient earth was collapsing then that fish sank into the sea. (The Poetic Edda. Hymir’s Poem (Hymiskvida), 21-24) There is a story where Asgard, the realm of the Norse gods, is damaged during a war between the gods. One of the giants offers to help rebuild the walls of Asgard and commits to do it in a very short period of time. The gods accept the offer, thinking it would be impossible to carry out the task on time, and in return the giant is promised the sun, the moon, and even the goddess Freyia. The giant almost succeeds in delivering the results on time, so Thor decides to break the promise and kills the giant.

Thor alone struck a blow there, swollen with rage, he seldom sits still when he hears such things said; Thor - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People Thor “Thor’s Battle with the Giants” by Mårten Eskil Winge (1872) Thor ( Old Norse Þórr, Old English Đunor, Old High German Donar, Proto-Germanic *Þunraz, “Thunder”[1]) is one of the most prominent figures in Norse mythology. He was a major god of all branches of the Germanic peoples before their conversion to Christianity, although he reached the height of his popularity among the Scandinavians of the late Viking Age. The Warrior God Par Excellence Thor, the brawny thunder god, is the archetype of a loyal and honorable warrior, the ideal toward which the average human warrior aspired. He’s the indefatigable defender of the Aesir gods and their fortress, Asgard , from the encroachments of the giants , who are usually (although far from invariably) the enemies of the gods. No one is better suited for this task than Thor. His courage and sense of duty are unshakeable, and his physical strength is virtually unmatched.

He even owns an unnamed belt of strength (Old Norse megingjarðar) that makes his power doubly formidable when he wears the belt. His most famous possession, however, is his hammer, Mjöllnir (“Lightning”[2]). Only rarely does he go anywhere without it. For the heathen Scandinavians, just as thunder was the embodiment of Thor, lightning was the embodiment of his hammer slaying giants as he rode across the sky in his goat-drawn chariot. (Of course, they didn’t believe he physically rode in a chariot drawn by goats – like everything else in Germanic mythology, this is a symbol used to express an invisible reality upon which the material world is perceived to be patterned. See Myth .) Thor’s particular enemy is Jormungand , the enormous sea serpent who encircles Midgard , the world of human civilization. At one point in the mythical cycle , he tries to pull Jormungand out of the ocean while on a fishing trip , and is stopped only when his giant companion cuts the fishing line out of fear. Thor and Jormungand finally face each other during Ragnarok , however, when the two put an end to each other.

Given his ever-vigilant protection of the ordered cosmos of pre-Christian northern Europe against the forces of chaos, destruction, and entropy represented by the giants, it’s somewhat ironic that Thor is himself three-quarters giant. His father, Odin , is half-giant, and his mother, variously named as Jord (Old Norse “Earth”), Hlöðyn, or Fjörgyn, is entirely of giant ancestry. However, such a lineage is very common amongst the gods, and shows how the relationship between the gods and the giants, as tense and full of strife as it is, can’t be reduced to just enmity. Hallowing His activities on the divine plane were mirrored by his activities on the human plane (Midgard), where he was appealed to by those in need of protection, comfort, and the blessing and hallowing of places, things, and events.

Numerous surviving runic inscriptions invoke him to hallow the words and their intended purpose,[3] and it was he who was called upon to hallow weddings.[4] (Evidence of this is preserved, amongst other places, in the tale of Thor Disguised as a Bride .) The earliest Icelandic settlers implored him to hallow their plot of land before they built buildings or planted crops.[5] Thor’s hammer could be used to hallow as readily as it could be used to destroy – and, in effect, these two properties were one and the same, since any purification necessarily involves the banishing of hostile forces or elements. The blessing of weddings, for example, was effected through his hammer.

Perhaps the most striking case of this, however, is his ability to kill and eat the goats that drive his chariot, gather their bones together in their hides, bless the hides with the hammer, and bring the animals back to life, as healthy and vital as before.[6] Fertility and Agriculture In addition to his role as a model warrior and defender of the order of society and its ambitions, Thor also played a large role in the promotion of agriculture and fertility (something which has already been suggested by his blessing of the lands in which the first Icelanders settled). This was another extension of his role as a sky god, and one particularly associated with the rain that enables crops to grow. As the eleventh-century German historian Adam of Bremen notes, “Thor, they say, presides over the air, which governs the thunder and lightning, the winds and rains, fair weather and crops.”[7] His seldom-mentioned wife, Sif, is noted for her golden hair above all else, which is surely a symbol for fields of grain.

Their marriage is therefore an instance of what historians of religion call a “hierogamy” (divine marriage), which, particularly among Indo-European peoples, generally takes place between a sky god and an earth goddess. The fruitfulness of the land and the concomitant prosperity of the people is a result of the sexual union of sky and earth.[8] Thor’s Role in the Viking Age Social World Through archaeological evidence, the veneration of Thor can be traced back as far as the Bronze Age,[9] and his cult has gone through numerous permutations across time and space. One of the features that remained constant from the Bronze Age up through the Viking Age, however, is Thor’s role as the principal deity of the second class or “function” of the three-tiered social hierarchy of traditional European society – the function of warriors and military strength. (The first function was that of rulers and sovereignty, and the third was that of farmers and fecundity.)[10] Thor seems to have always had close ties to the third function as well as the second, and during the Viking Age, a time of great social confusion and innovation, this connection with the third function seems to have been strengthened still more.

This made him the foremost god of the common people in Scandinavia and the viking colonies.[11] This role can be made clearer by contrasting Thor with the god who was virtually his functional opposite: Odin. Odin was the foremost deity appealed to by rulers, outcasts, and “elite” persons of every sort. Odin’s primary values are quite rarefied: ecstasy, knowledge, magical power, and creative agency. They stand in stark contrast to Thor’s more homely virtues. The Eddas and sagas portray the relationship between the two gods as being often uneasy as a result. At one point, Odin taunts Thor: “Odin’s are the nobles who fall in battle, but Thor’s are the thralls.”[12] In another episode, Odin is conferring blessings upon a favored hero of his, Starkaðr, and each blessing is matched by a curse from Thor.

In the most telling example, Odin grants Starkaðr the favor of the nobility and rulers, while Thor declares that he will always be scorned by the commoners.[13] Due to demographic shifts, whereby the second and third functions became largely indistinguishable from one another, the prominence of Thor seems to have increased at the expense of Odin throughout the Viking Age (c. 793-1000 CE). Late period sources describe Thor as the foremost of all the Aesir,[14] a statement that would have been rather ludicrous before the Viking Age, when Odin and his Anglo-Saxon and continental equivalents occupied this position. Nowhere was this trend more pronounced than in Iceland, which was originally settled in the ninth century by farming colonists fleeing what they found to be the oppressive and arbitrary rule of an Odin-worshiping Norwegian king.

The sagas are rife with examples of the fervent veneration of Thor amongst the Icelanders, and in the Landnámabók, the Icelandic “Book of Settlements,” roughly a quarter of the four thousand people mentioned in the narrative have Thor’s name or a clear allusion to him somewhere in their own names.[15] Famed Old Norse scholar E.O.G. Turville-Petre admirably summarizes: “In these [late Viking Age Icelandic] sources Thor appears not only as the chief god of the settlers but also as patron and guardian of the settlement itself, of its stability and law.”[16] There’s yet another reason for the upsurge in the worship of Thor during the Viking Age. When Christianity first reached Scandinavia and the viking colonies, the people tolerated the cult of the new god just like they tolerated the cult of any other god.

(Polytheistic gods are seldom “jealous;” each divine force has his or her place, and reverence for one doesn’t necessarily preclude reverence for any other.) However, when it became clear that the Christians had no intention of extending this same tolerance to those who continued to adhere to the worship of the old gods, but instead wanted to eradicate the traditional religion of northern Europe and its accompanying way of life and replace it with a foreign religion, the northern Europeans retaliated. And who better to defend their traditional way of life and worldview from hostile, invading forces than Thor? One of the many areas of life in which this struggle manifested – and one of the easiest to trace by the methods of modern anthropology – was modes of dress. In deliberate contrast to the cross amulets that the Christians wore around their necks, those who continued to follow the old ways started to wear miniature Thor’s hammers around their necks. Archaeological discoveries of these hammer pendants are concentrated in precisely the areas where Christian influence was the most pronounced.[17] Though ultimately doomed, their efforts to preserve their ancestral traditions no doubt benefited from the divine patron whom they could look to as a model. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion?

While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. References: [1] Orel, Vladimir. 2003. A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. p. 429. [2] Turville-Petre, E.O.G. 1964. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. p. 81. [3] Ibid. p. 82-83. [5] Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. 1964. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. p. 84. [6] Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 44. [7] Adam of Bremen. c. 1080. History of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen. Translated by Francis Joseph Tschan. p. 207. [8] Ellis-Davidson, Hilda Roderick. 1964.

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. p. 84. [9] Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. p. 322. [10] Dumézil, Georges. 1973. Gods of the Ancient Northmen. Edited by Einar Haugen. [11] Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. p. 322. [12] The Poetic Edda. Hárbarðsljóð, stanza 24. My translation. The original Old Norse text reads: Óðinn á jarla, Thor - Norse God of Thunder (Profile) By N.S. Gill Updated July 29, 2016. Thor is one of the most popular and powerful gods of the major mythologies. He is also part of modern daily life, since the fifth day of the week, Thursday (Thor's day), is named for him. Odin is usually given as the father of Thor, a thunder god in Norse mythology.

Less controversially, Thor's mother was a female giant named Jord, according to Motz (see references below). Thor mated with a giant named Jarnsaxa with whom he had two sons, named Magni and Modi, but his wife is Sif (whose luscious golden hair the trickster god Loki cuts). Thor's Herculean Appetite Thor's appetites are gigantic. He once drank from a horn that was emptying the water from the ocean. He is described as huge, red-bearded, with burning eyes who could defeat giant or troll in a test of strength. Yet, he was so much smaller than a giant that once he slept in a giant's glove. Epithets for Thor indicate his giant-defeating prowess. He is similar to the Greek hero Heracles (Hercules) in his feats of strength and giant-killing. continue reading below our video Norse Gods and Goddesses Thor had a famous weapon, his hammer, named Mjolnir, and a belt of strength, named Megingjardir. He had a goat-driven chariot that created the noise of the thunder, according to Davidson, when rolling across the sky.

The lightning bolts were caused by the hurling of Mjolnir. Thunderbolts are called Thorsviggar, according to Montelius. Thor's home was called Bilskinir, located in Thrudheim or Thrudvangar. Thor was worshiped especially in Uppsala and Thrandheim. Norse Gods Index References: "Giants in Folklore and Mythology: A New Approach," by Lotte Motz; Folklore Vol. 93, No. 1 (1982), pp. 70-84. "Thor's Hammer," by H. R. Ellis Davidson; Folklore Vol. 76, No. 1 (Spring, 1965), pp. 1-15. "The Sun-God's Axe and Thor's Hammer," by Oscar Montelius;Folklore Vol. 21, No. 1 (Mar., 1910), pp. 60-78.

Thor: Viking God of Thunder (Myths and Legends): Graeme Davis, Miguel Coimbra: 9781782000754: Amazon.com: Books Read more Review “Fifth in Osprey's Myths and Legends series is a small volume packed with a big character: Thor. The Viking God of Thunder is no stranger to comic fans, but in this book Osprey looks at the history of the Norse god and his journey from religion to myth to icon. Once again Osprey delivers an informative and attractive book packed full of images, facts, stories and logical assumptions that round off a character that remains to this day a strong moral icon and a much reproduced legend. The Myths and Legends series remains a success; there is nothing to criticize in these quality productions and they would be a handy addition to any bookshelf.” ―Elloise Hopkins, comicbuz.com “If this book is any indication of the quality of this new series, readers are in for a treat. What makes Davis' retelling of the Thor story so gratifying and edifying is his willingness to delve into this vast literature and exhume the prize nuggets.

He squares them to history--on Odin as the father of Thor: 'this may be a later addition intended to bring Norse mythology into line with the classical Greek and Roman model'--as well as other literature. Thor emerges as an enthralling figure, brought out of the pagan world and stripped of his everyday importance as Christianity spread through Scandinavia. This is not to say that Davis avoids the great battles Thor has been said to have engaged in, from one with a woman who was revealed as the personification of old age to those against monsters of every ilk, and these make for rousing, intelligent reading. Illustrations include copious material from archives as well as dramatic, full-color paintings. As a vest-pocket history, this one likely won't be beat anytime soon.” ―starred review, Kirkus Norse God Thor - Vikings History Vikings History Norse God Thor Norse God Thor The Norse god Thor is the son of Odin and Earth. His wife is Sif. He has one daugther, Thrudur and two sons, Modi and Mangi. His domain is called Thrudvang and his hall, Bilskirnir, is a huge place with 640 rooms. Originally Thor was the Norse god of thunder.

He is the strongest of all the Norse gods. His weapon is Miolnir, a hammer that is the finest piece among gods and men. He also has a belt which, when worn increases is strength. His third important piece is a pair of iron gloves that he can’t be without when he uses his hammer. When used together the three pieces doubled Thor’s strength. The Norse god Thor protects the land of the gods from the giants. If he wasn’t around and with his hammer, the giants would over run Asgard (the land of the gods) as well as Midgard (the land of the humans) and bring total destruction. Thor is constantly battling the giants and kills so many of them that he’s able to hold them back. It is this role that made the Vikings view Thor as the Norse god of war. When Thor lost his hammer Miolnir is vital to Thor’s efforts. If he didn’t have it he would not be able to fight the giants, at least not as effectively. One time the giants actually managed to steal the hammer and the gods panicked. If they wouldn’t get the hammer back the giants would soon attack and over run them.

Loki took it upon himself to help and he went to Freyia , who reluctantly lent him a precious feather goat. Loki put on the coat and flew to the land of the giants. After flying around looking for evidence of the lost hammer he heard the giant Thrym mumble to himself that the wretched hammer was now in safe keeping and that it would be a long time until the Norse god Thor would harm them again. Loki swept down to Thrym, took off the feather coat and asked him why he did such a stupid thing to steal the hammer. Thrym just basically laughed at him and replied that the giants desperately needed a brake from Thor’s attacks. Loki asked if the gods could pay him to return the hammer and that they would pay a high price. Thrym, laughing again, pointed at his dogs who wore gold collars set with jewels and asked Loki if he thought he looked hard pressed for wealth. “Well, isn’t there anything in Asgard that you can accept as payment for the hammer?”, asked Loki. “I would certainly accept Freyia”, said Thrym with a big smile on his face. Loki flew back with the news.

Thor pressed the gods to accept the proposal, but Freyia was furious and refused to go. She said that the fool that couldn’t look after his weapon should marry Thrym, not she. Heimdall jumped at the idea and proposed that Thor would be sent to Thrym disguised as a bride.This was agreed upon and Loki went with Thor dressed as a maidservant. Thor almost exposed the disguise with his manners upon arrival. He stuffed his face with the food from the festive table (one whole ox, nine salmon and a whole lot of mead!). Loki came to the rescue and explained to Thrym that Freyia had been looking so much forward to meeting him that she hadn’t eaten for days. Thrym then wanted to kiss Freyia but got intimidated by the stinging eyes that stared back at him. Again Loki explained that as before her excitement to meet Thrym had made her unable to sleep for many nights. Thrym didn’t want to delay things any further and ordered the hammer to be brought forth to bless their marriage. As soon as Thor was within reach of the hammer he grabbed it and promptly killed Thrym and all his household.

Question: Who is the Norse god of Thunder?
Answer: Thor