How the Days of the Week Got Their Names  Days of the Week Jigsaw Puzzle The days of the week were named after Norse gods and giant objects in the sky. These names come to us originally from the Greeks and Romans, who named the days of the week after their gods. The Anglo-Saxons, who invaded Britain hundreds of years ago, adopted this idea but substituted their own gods. The English language has inherited and changed those names a bit, but the ones we use today resemble those names. Here's how: Sunday: Sun's Day. The Sun gave people light and warmth every day. They decided to name the first (or last) day of the week after the Sun. Monday: Moon's Day. The Moon was thought to be very important in the lives of people and their crops. Tuesday: Tiw's Day. Tiw, or Tyr, was a Norse god known for his sense of justice. Wednesday: Woden's Day. Woden, or Odin, was a Norse god who was one of the most powerful of them all. Thursday: Thor's Day. Thor was a Norse god who wielded a giant hammer. Friday: Frigg's Day. Frigg was a Norse god equal in power to Odin.

Saturday: Seater's Day or Saturn's Day. Saturn was a Roman god. Click here for more Fun Facts! Custom Search The Seven-Day Week and the Meanings of the Names of the Days See Also The Seven-Day Week The Babylonians marked time with lunar months. They proscribed some activities during several days of the month, particularly the first -- the first visible crecent, seventh -- the waxing half moon, fourteenth -- the full moon, nineteenth -- dedicated to an offended goddess, twenty-first -- the waning half moon, twenty-eigth -- the last visible crecent, twenty-nineth -- the invisible moon, and thirtieth (possibly) -- the invisible moon. The major periods are seven days, 1/4 month, long. This seven-day period was later regularized and disassociated from the lunar month to become our seven-day week. The Naming of the Days The Greeks named the days week after the sun, the moon and the five known planets, which were in turn named after the gods Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Cronus. The Greeks called the days of the week the Theon hemerai "days of the Gods".

The Romans substituted their equivalent gods for the Greek gods, Mars, Mercury, Jove (Jupiter), Venus, and Saturn. (The two pantheons are very similar.) The Germanic peoples generally substituted roughly similar gods for the Roman gods, Tiu (Twia), Woden, Thor, Freya (Fria), but did not substitute Saturn. Middle English sone(n)day or sun(nen)day Old English sunnandæg "day of the sun" Germanic sunnon-dagaz "day of the sun" Latin dies solis "day of the sun" Ancient Greek hemera heli(o)u, "day of the sun" Middle English monday or mone(n)day Old English mon(an)dæg "day of the moon" Latin dies lunae "day of the moon" Ancient Greek hemera selenes "day of the moon" Middle English tiwesday or tewesday Old English tiwesdæg "Tiw's (Tiu's) day" Latin dies Martis "day of Mars" Ancient Greek hemera Areos "day of Ares" Tiu (Twia) is the English/Germanic god of war and the sky.

He is identified with the Norse god Tyr . Mars is the Roman god of war. Ares is the Greek god of war. Wednesday -- Woden's day Middle English wodnesday, wednesday, or wednesdai Old English wodnesdæg "Woden's day" Latin dies Mercurii "day of Mercury" Ancient Greek hemera Hermu "day of Hermes" Woden is the chief Anglo-Saxon/Teutonic god. Woden is the leader of the Wild Hunt. Woden is from wod "violently insane" + -en "headship". He is identified with the Norse Odin . Mercury is the Roman god of commerce, travel, theivery, eloquence and science. He is the messenger of the other gods. Hermes is the Greek god of commerce, invention, cunning, and theft. He is the messenger and herald of the other gods. He serves as patron of travelers and rogues, and as the conductor of the dead to Hades.

Thursday -- Thor's day Old Norse thorsdagr "Thor's day" Old English thunresdæg "thunder's day" Latin dies Jovis "day of Jupiter" Ancient Greek hemera Dios "day of Zeus". Thor is the Norse god of thunder. He is represented as riding a chariot drawn by goats and wielding the hammer Miölnir. He is the defender of the Aesir, destined to kill and be killed by the Midgard Serpent. Jupiter (Jove) is the supreme Roman god and patron of the Roman state. He is noted for creating thunder and lightning. Zeus is Greek god of the heavens and the supreme Greek god.

Friday -- Freya's day Old English frigedæg "Freya's day" composed of Frige (genetive singular of Freo) + dæg "day" (most likely) or composed of Frig "Frigg" + dæg "day" (least likely) Germanic frije-dagaz "Freya's (or Frigg's) day" Latin dies Veneris "Venus's day" Ancient Greek hemera Aphrodites "day of Aphrodite" Freo is identical with freo, meaning free. It is from the Germanic frijaz meaning "beloved, belonging to the loved ones, not in bondage, free". Freya (Fria) is the Teutonic goddess of love, beauty, and fecundity (prolific procreation). She is identified with the Norse god Freya . She is leader of the Valkyries and one of the Vanir. She is confused in Germany with Frigg. Frigg (Frigga) is the Teutonic goddess of clouds, the sky, and conjugal (married) love. She is identified with Frigg , the Norse goddess of love and the heavens and the wife of Odin .

She is one of the Aesir. She is confused in Germany with Freya . Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite (Cytherea) is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Saturday -- Saturn's day Old English sæter(nes)dæg "Saturn's day" Latin dies Saturni "day of Saturn" Ancient Greek hemera Khronu "day of Cronus" Saturn is the Roman and Italic god of agriculture and the consort of Ops. He is believed to have ruled the earth during an age of happiness and virtue. Cronus (Kronos, Cronos) is the Greek god (Titan) who ruled the universe until dethroned by his son Zeus . Sources These sources are somewhat inconsistent. I have chosen interpretations that are predominate among sources or that seem most reasonable. William Morris, editor, BBC Religion & Ethics - Why are there seven days in a week? Why are there seven days in a week?

By Jayne Lutwyche BBC reporter The days of the week in English are named after Roman and Norse gods AS Byatt's 'glee' as Norse gods died Watch A week made up of seven days is part of our modern global culture, but its origins date back to ancient civilisation. The Greeks gave us democracy, the Romans bridges and roads but it is probably from the ancient Babylonians that we get the seven-day week. Living in the cradle of civilisation, Mesopotamia - modern Iraq, their culture was most prominent in the second and first millennia BC before the rise of Greece or Rome. Continue reading the main story Around the world in seven languages Domenica or 'of our Lord' is the Italian word for Sunday and is a Christian reference to Jesus Hétfő in Hungarian means 'head of the week'.

Days are numbered starting from Monday Kayōbi (火曜日) in Japan is named for the element fire - one of the seven luminaries, which are associated with the seven heavenly bodies - in this case Mars The French word for Wednesday is Mercredi , named for the Roman god Mercury The Scots Gaelic word for Thursday, Di-Ardaoin is not associated with a pagan god, but with Christian fasts. Di-Ardaoin literally translates as 'the day between two fasts'. The Thai word for Friday is Wan Suk (วันศุกร์). Based on the Sanskrit word for Shukra, the name given to the planet Venus in Hindu astrology Yaum as-sabt (يوم السَّبْت) in Arabic means the end of the week. The Arabic word for rest is sabt They were formidable astronomers and developed a calendar to plot and predict the movement of the moon and planets in the heavens, incorporating a form of astrology. But while the movement of Earth and Sun give us natural concepts like days and years and the Moon's phases give us the month, there is no such natural reason for a seven-day week. The number seven had a mystical significance to Babylonians.

It was associated with the seven heavenly bodies; the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. For this reason, some believe, marking rituals every seventh-day became important. A seven-day week based on these same celestial bodies was adopted as far away as Japan and ancient China. Seven is also important in Judaism, where the creation story is told over seven days. But unlike other cultures, in Hebrew the days of the week are assigned numbers not the names of gods, festivals, elements or planets - the only exception is Saturday, Yom Shabbat (יום שבת) which means Sabbath. But the popularity of the seven-day week - and its prominence in modern calendars - can be traced to its adoption by the Romans. They named the days of the week after the pagan gods of Rome, the Sun and the Moon. Roman Emperor Constantine formally adopted the seven-day week in AD 321, it had been in use informally since the first century BC. A Christian convert Constantine made Sunday - the Christian Sabbath - the first day of the week, and Saturday - the Jewish day of rest - as the last. For many though the week begins naturally with the first working day.

Monday In Roman mythology Diana is goddess of the moon, while her twin Apollo is god of the sun Old English Mōnandæg, Latin dies lunae The English word Monday comes from Old English and is named after the Moon and the moon-god, Máni who is the brother of Sunna, the Sun goddess in Norse mythology. The early Anglo-Saxons who settled in England, were a warrior culture who worshipped pagan gods similar to those of the Nordic pantheon. The Latin word for moon, luna may not give us the word for Monday but it does give us the modern English words lunar, lunatic and lunacy - a condition which has been associated in popular culture if not reality with the cycle of the Moon. In Roman mythology Diana, the twin of Apollo the Sun-god, is the goddess of the moon, the hunt and child birth. Diana has the power to talk to and control animals. Tuesday Tiw or Tyr is depicted as having only one hand after the wolf Fenrir ate his Old English Tīwesdæg, Latin dies Martis The English word Tuesday is also derived from Old English and from the Norse god of war Tiw (or Týr).

The Latin Tuesday, dies Martis is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. "The Anglo-Saxons naturalised Tuesday to Friday," explains Professor John McKinnell, professor of medieval literature at Durham University, by using "the old Germanic gods that corresponded to the same Roman gods". Tiw (or Týr) was one of the sons of Woden, the supreme Norse deity. Týr was a war god but he is more often associated with the formalities of war - including treaties, as well as justice. He is usually shown with only one hand. In the most famous myth about Týr he placed his hand between the jaws of the wolf Fenrir as a mark of good faith while the other gods, pretending to play, bound the wolf. When Fenrir realised he had been tricked he bit off Tyr's hand. Wednesday Woden or Odin was a war god but he was also the Saxon and Norse god of wisdom and literature Old English Wōdnesdæg, Latin dies Mercurii Wednesday comes from Woden, the Old German and English name for the Norse god Odin. Odin is father and ruler of the gods and mortals, often called 'the all father'.

He is also the god of war, learning, poetry and the dead. He has only one eye, having traded his second for a drink from the Well of Wisdom. He is the ruler of Asgard, the home of the gods, and is able to shift and change into different forms. In contrast Mercury, the Roman god for whom dies Mercurii is named, is a messenger god. While Woden survives in English, he disappeared from the German days of the week. This dates from the time Christianity was displacing pagan beliefs in the centuries following the collapse of the Roman Empire. "In Germany they found themselves the heirs to classical Rome as the Carolingian leaders of the Holy Roman Empire, so along with Christianisation went a willingness to embrace all that that new title meant." explains archaeologist Iain Sodden. In German, Wednesday or Woden's day was replaced with Mittwoch or 'mid-week'. Thursday Thor, Jupiter and Zeus were all gods of thunder. People believed that they could control the weather and used lightning as a weapon Old English Þūnresdæg, Latin dies Iovis Thursday recalls Thunor (Þunor), the Anglo-Saxon name for the Norse god Thor.

In Latin records, Thor is associated with both the chief Roman god Jupiter who gives his name to the Latin Thursday dies Iovis and the Greek demi-god Hercules. Red-headed Thor ruled the skies, storms and thunder, which is still named after him. He had iron gloves, a magic belt and his hammer Mjölnir. During the Christianisation of Scandinavia in the 10th and 11th Centuries emblems of Thor's hammer Mjölnir, were worn by pagans as a symbol of defiance against the new religion. In Iceland, Bishop Jon Helgi Ogmundarson went on a mission to eradicate any remaining pagan beliefs or trace of them. So the 'day of Odin' became 'mid-week-day' and the days of Týr and Thor became respectively 'third day' and 'fifth day'. After 1066, Anglo-Saxon speakers in England were cut off from their medieval German cousins and the English language was isolated from some European influences - resulting in pagan references remaining in the language which disappeared elsewhere.

Friday Frigg, the wife of Odin and the goddess of love and beauty, Venus was the goddess of sex, love and fertility Old English Frīgedæg, Latin dies Veneris Friday is named after the Norse goddess Frigg (also called Friia), the wife of Odin, who represents love and beauty. She is also associated with marriage and fertility. Frigg's star or Friggjarstjarna was the Nordic name for Venus, which can outshine any of the other planets. Venus was the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. Venus was closely associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Frigg was the wife of Odin and queen of the gods which means she is more akin to the Roman Juno (the wife of Jupiter) as a figure. The Roman Venus may have more in common with another Norse goddess Freyja who is associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, war, and death. Saturday Saturn (or Kronos in Greece) was ruler of the Titans and the god of time Old English Sæturnesdæg, Latin dies Saturni Saturday is the only English week-day still associated with a Roman god, Saturn.

Saturn was the Roman god of fertility, agriculture and time. He is the father of Jupiter, the chief Roman god, and associated with wealth and abundance. The Temple of Saturn was in the Forum of ancient Rome which housed the state treasury. The association of Saturday with a Roman god in English helps date when the seven-day week came to Britain. According to Prof Mckinnell it suggests that the names of the days "may have arrived in the UK along with Latin learning - with or after the conversion to Christianity, between AD 597 and AD 685." In the Romance languages of southern Europe which are largely derived from Latin, the word for Saturday was changed to mirror Church Latin. For example the Spanish word sábado comes from Sabbath. In Danish the name for Saturday Lørdag has nothing to do with any god, Roman, Nordic or Christian. It simply means wash-day or bath-day. Sunday In Norse mythology, the Sun is female while the Moon is male Old English Sunnandæg, Latin dies Solis The English Sunday is of course named after the Sun, as is the Roman equivalent. Many societies have worshipped the sun and sun-gods.

Perhaps the most famous is the Egyptian Sun-god Ra , who was the lord of time. Ancient Egyptians believed that all forms of life were created by Ra, who called each of them into existence by speaking their secret names. Ra is also the Coptic word for sun . Magic number seven? Seven days equals 168 hours, which is equal to 10,080 or 604,800 seconds The Aztecs divided a ritual cycle of 260 days, known as Tonalpohualli, into 20 weeks of 13 days called Trecena France switched to a 10-day week in 1793. It switched back to a seven-day week on Easter Sunday 1802 Myths and Legends: Thor, God of Thunder By N.S. Gill Definition: Thor is a god of thunder, son of Odin and a member of the Aesir sub-group of the Norse gods. Thor's wife is Sif. He smashed giants' heads with his mighty throwing hammer, Mjolnir. Thor is often compared with the Greek thunder god Zeus . The English fifth day of the week is named Thursday after Thor (Thor's Day).

Examples: Thor posseses 3 important objects: "The first is a hammer, which both the Frost and the Mountain giants know to their cost, when they see it hurled against them in the air, for it has split many a skull of their fathers and kindred. When thrown, it returns to his hand of its own accord. The second rare thing he possesses is called the belt of strength. When he girds it about him his divine might is doubled. The third, also very precious, is his iron gloves, which he puts on whenever he would use his mallet efficiently." Source: Bulfinch - Norse Mythology Go to Other Ancient / Classical History Glossary pages beginning with the letter Origins of Weekday Names Origins of Weekday Names First day of the week. Derived from the Latin dies solis, "sun's day," a pagan Roman holiday. Monday Second day of the week. Derived from the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, which means "the moon's day." Latin: dies lunae, "day of the moon." Tuesday Third day of the week. Named for the Norse god of war, Tiu, or Tyr, the son of Odin. Wednesday Fourth day of the week.

Named to honor Odin, or Woden, chief god in Norse mythology. Onsdag in Sweden and Denmark. Thursday Fifth day of the week. Named for Thor, Norse god of thunder. Torsdag in Sweden and Denmark. Friday Sixth day of the week. Named for the Norse goddess of love, Frigg, or Frija. Variation of the Old High German frìatag, "day of Frija." Saturday Seventh day of the week. Named in honor of the Roman god Saturn. Latin: Saturni. Sater-daeg by the Anglo-Saxons. Thursday – fourth day of the week Home Calendar Days of the week Thursday Thursday – Thor's day Thursday is the fourth day of the week between Wednesday and Friday, and is named after Thor, the hammer-wielding Norse god of thunder. Silver pendant shaped like Thor's hammer. Thor's hammer Mjollnir caused lightning and thunder when he wielded it across the sky in anger. ©bigstockphoto.com/Tund Thursday is the fourth day of the week according to the international standard ISO 8601 and between Wednesday and Friday . Naming Thursday - Thor’s Day The English word Thursday is named after the Norse god of thunder, Thor.

Thursday literally means “Thor’s day” in Old English. Thor is represented riding a chariot drawn by goats and wielding the hammer. In most languages with Latin origins, the day is named after the god and planet Jupiter. Jupiter is depicted as the chief god of sky and thunder who maintained his power with his thunderbolt. Middle English – thursday or thuresday Old Norse– thorsdagr – Thor’s day Old English– thunresdæg – Thunder’s day Latin – dies Jovis – “Day of Jupiter” Ancient Greek – hemera Dios – “day of Zeus” Position in the Week Thursday is the fourth day of the week according to the international standard ISO 8601. It is the fifth day of the week in countries that use the Sunday as the first day of the week in their calendar. In Slavic languages and in Chinese, Thursday is the fourth day, while the Greeks and Portuguese refer to Thursday as the fifth day. Common Events on Thursday In the United Kingdom, all general elections have been held on a Thursday since 1935, and this has become a tradition, although not a requirement of the law.

The Thursday before Easter is also known as Maundy Thursday or Sheer Thursday in the United Kingdom, which is traditionally a day of cleaning and giving out Maundy money. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is an annual festival celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In Australia, most movie premieres occur on Thursdays and on Thursday nights. Most Australians are paid either weekly or fortnightly on a Thursday, so most shopping malls are generally open until 9pm, which is later than other weekdays. Shopping malls see this as a good opportunity for business to stay open longer than usual because most pay checks are cleared by Thursday morning. Company - THOR Tarp View Cart THOR Tarp and Norse Mythology Before we launch into a description of Norse (Teutonic) Mythology let's answer some of the most asked questions about our company and why it's named as it is... Why "ODIN International, Inc."? ODIN (O din) was the father of all the gods of Norse Mythology, and he represented wisdom & victory...as such he makes a good figurehead for our corporate entity as he has given birth to many diverse divisions that market products and services worldwide.

We all want to make wise choices and we all want to win...at ODIN International, these are our commitments to you, the wisest of choices assuring the greatest possible chances of ultimate success. Why "THOR TARP Division"? THOR (thawr) was the eldest son of ODIN and the strongest of all the gods. THOR was the protector of mankind and with his magic hammer, Mjolnir, he fought the battles of the good gods and mankind against the evil giants. The products in our THOR TARP line are the strongest available anywhere, and their purpose is to protect the things of mankind against the ravages of nature. The evil giants in our business are things like rain and rust, snow, wind and ice, damaging UV rays and other pollutants; contamination, leaks & spills are among the things we guard against. When you insist on a Genuine THOR TARP, you get the best protection money can buy...if it doesn't say THOR, it's not a tarp; it's an accident waiting to happen. Why "ASGARD Web Services"?

Asgard (AHS gahrd) was the home of the good gods, the Aesir (AY sur), and was a wonderful place full of feasting and beautiful palaces. It was where the warriors who fought valiantly were carried by the valkyrie (val KIR ih) battle maidens to feast on wild boar, drink copious amounts of mead and be revived for future battles. Every morning they marched out at the crowing of the cock, and fought furiously; but by midday all wounds healed, and once again the warriors would assemble to feast. The websites we create and host certainly are some of the finest out there. As such, we saw it fitting to give them a place to live fit for the gods. Why "Valhalla Consulting"? ODIN's palace in Asgard was known as Valhalla (val HAL ah). It stood in Gladsheim, the home of joy. It was the greatest , grandest, brightest and largest of the halls there. Valhalla had walls of gold and a roof ornamented with golden battle shields. Huge spears wainscoted the rooms and held up its ceiling.

They were so highly polished that a gleam from them was the only light needed in the hall. Coats of mail and other armor hung on the walls. In front of it stood the grove of Glasir, the trees of which bore golden leaves. The 540 doors of the palace were so wide that 800 men could enter side by side. It was from his throne here that ODIN dispatched his two ravens, Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Memory), to fly around the world each day to bring him the news of all they saw and heard. It was also from here that ODIN gave counsel to the heroes of the time to guide them to further victories. Marketing intelligence and a solid game plan for victory are essential to today's competitive arenas. Businesses must equip themselves with the best advice they can find to avoid the pitfalls that often lead to lost market share, substandard performance levels and diminishing margins. Business is a battle of sorts and an effective plan is the difference between loss and victory.

Now let's explore Norse Mythology and some of the legends that it fosters to this day....."Mommy and Daddy, where do thunder and lightning come from?" If you've ever been asked this question chances are you will answer in one of two ways. For those more analytical among us, one might launch into an explanation of cloud formations, airborne moisture and wind currents caused by high and low pressure centers running into each other and the interaction of those polarities in creating voltage. It's about this time that the eyes of the child glaze over and as the next bolt descends and the thunder peals the fear and fascination that spurred the question return. Then of course there are those that take the more simplified and ethereal approach: "Honey, it's just the angels bowling. There's nothing to be afraid of." If instead you tried what the moms and dads of the Migration and Viking eras used to explain this phenomenon, you might actually make the child feel good about thunder and lightning and look forward to the next thunderstorm.

According to Norse Mythology, THOR rode through the heavens on a golden chariot pulled by two large enchanted goats who had sparks flashing from their hoofs and teeth and thunder rumbling from the wheels of the chariot they pulled as they pursued the evil giants through the skies that were attempting to escape them. THOR, the god of thunder, benefactor of man, and the implacable foe of the giants, wearing his magic strength giving belt and magic iron gloves that protected his hands from the red hot hammer, Mjolnir, created thunder and lightning every time he felled another of the evil giants trying to do bad things to little kids and grown-ups. Why is it called Wednesday, and why is it spelled that way? Norse Mythology gets credit for naming six out of our seven days of the week, and renaming the seventh! Not many know the origins of these names we all use so frequently. In Wednesday's case, for example, this is the day of the week named after......drum roll please.....you guessed it!.....ODIN. Wednesday is the English name for the fourth day of the week.

The name comes from "Woden" for Woden's day or "ODIN", the chief god in Norse Mythology, to whom it was considered sacred. (Woden is Old English and Wodin is Germanic for Odin; also Odhinn, Wodan, & Wuotan). So when they modernized the word, they changed the "o" to an "e", switched the "e" with the "n" and left out the apostrophe...and just that simply Woden's day became Wednesday. But let's start at the beginning. Sunday..."was the day sacred to the sun among old Teutonic peoples, and its name means day of the sun". The next one is just as easy...Monday..."the word comes from the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, which means the moon's day. In ancient (Teutonic) times each of the seven days was dedicated to a god or goddess. Monday was sacred to the goddess of the moon." Tuesday, the name of the third day of the week, was taken from Tiu, or Tiw, which was the Anglo-Saxon form of Tyr, the name of the Norse god of war. Tyr was the son of Odin, or Woden.

So if Tuesday was named after one son of Odin, and Wednesday was named after Odin himself, can you guess who Thursday was named after? Right, THOR...Thursday, as the fifth day of the week was named after Odin's eldest son, THOR, means Thor's day, and was considered by ancient Norsemen to be sacred to the Teutonic god of thunder and agriculture, son of Odin & Jord (mother earth) and champion of the Aesir. So what about Friday, was there a Fri? Pretty close...meet Freyja (FRAY ha), the goddess of love and beauty in Norse mythology. She was the sister of Frey (fray) (who had the power over rain and sunshine, and at who's command the fruits of the earth grew and prosperity followed), and daughter of the great sea god, Njord (the head god of the Vanir). Freyja was like Venus in Roman mythology, but she is sometimes a war goddess (now let's see....love, beauty and war; yep, sounds like somebody I know!). Often she went with the Valkyries to the battlefield.

After a fight she claimed half of the dead men, and let the spirit of life (Odin) have the other half. She took them to her palace. There she revived them and held a feast for them. Freyja eventually married a god named Oder, but he didn't know what he had, and deserted her to travel and seek other women. Freyja could not stop weeping, and her tears were drops of gold. In Norse poetry, gold is called the tears of Freyja, or the rain of Freyja's cheeks. The cats which drew her chariot are symbols of her enjoyment of the senses. Her many names show the different ideas about love in life. So Friday comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Frigedaeg, which means Freyja's day. Those are the six out of seven named from Norse mythology, and the seventh day, Saturday, "called Saeter-daeg by the Anglo-Saxons is named for the Roman god Saturn. It is the only day named for a Roman god." So score that six for the Norsemen and one for the Romans! What are these Valkyries you keep mentioning? These were the warlike goddess-maidens of Norse Mythology who attended Odin.

Yes, even the women fought in these ancient Viking battles. They rode on swift horses, sang war cries, were armed with spears, shields, helmets and brilliant armor, and rode through the air distributing Odin's commands. Odin also dispatched them to every battlefield to choose the bravest of the dead heroes and bring them back to Valhalla. (I wonder if Odin knew the Valkyries were in cahoots with Freyja to give her first pick?) Life giving dew fell from the manes of their horses, light streamed from the points of their spears, and a flickering brightness heralded their arrival on the scene of the battle. They carried the dead on their horses and lead their souls across the bridge Bifrost, which was the only path from Midgard (the rainbow) to Asgard (heaven), into the hall of Valhalla. Then they put on white robes acting as cupbearers to the immortalized warriors and served them a daily feast of wild boar and horns of mead (a fermented drink made from honey).

Sometimes in Norse poetry, they are described as supernatural beings of giant stature, striding across the mountains or appearing in time of danger to take up the hero and carry him out of his predicament. The Valkyries were represented as being of diverse origin; some were descended from elves and other supernatural creatures, while others were the daughters of noble men. They are also said by Saxo to vary their appearance, and to be seen sometimes as fearsome beings and sometimes as beautiful maidens, who offer love to the warrior (sounding familiar?). Protective spirits of this kind were said to attach themselves to the kings and princes who worshipped Odin, giving them help and counsel and bringing them luck in battle, while at their death they received them as their husbands. "What else can you tell us about Odin?" How about this 2-part $64,000 question...What was the name of Odin's horse and how many legs did he have? OK, give up?

"In the Viking Age, Odin was pictured traveling through the skies on Sleipnir, his mighty eight legged horse who could carry his spirit to worlds beyond the earth." The story of the birth of this horse of Odin is found in the story of the building of the wall round Asgard, the stronghold of the gods. A giant offered to build a wall for them in the space of one winter. It was agreed that, if he could finish the work on time he should have the goddess Freyja and the sun and the moon as payment. The gods thought themselves quite safe in making such a bargain, but the giant brought with him a marvelous horse called Svadilfari, which was so intelligent and swift that when the beginning of spring was only three days away, the wall was practically complete. The gods, however, were saved from making payment by the cunning of Loki, the trickster of Asgard, who took on the form of a mare, and neighed at the stallion until he was lured away from his work. Thus the wall was never finished, and THOR slew the giant with his hammer, and Loki in the guise of the mare gave birth to an eight legged colt.

This was Sleipnir, the finest of all steeds, whom Odin kept for himself." Odin was the chief god of Northern mythology and from his throne seat Valaskjalf, he ruled the heavens and earth omnisciently. By drinking from Mimir's fountain he became the wisest of gods and men, but he purchased the distinction at the cost of one eye. Frigga was his queen but he had other wives and favorites and numerous sons and daughters. To him answered all of the Aesir, the gods of the Teutonic pantheon collectively. Do you remember the "Sword in the Stone" story? Well, before that story was the real version... "The Sword in the Tree." To those that dedicated their efforts to Odin, he gave great gifts. In one such case he gave a splendid sword to Sigmund the Volsung, then Odin himself plunged the sword deep into the tree forming the central pillar of the family hall, so that only the hand of this young hero, an einherjar (soldier of Odin), who had won his favor was able to withdraw it. What was Odin's favorite weapon?

Odin's great treasure was his mighty spear Gungnir, which could determine victory by the direction which it took over the battlefield. Well into the middle ages it was still thought a lucky omen to throw a spear over the heads of an advancing band of enemies. The horned helmets that are so familiarly associated with the Vikings and their expeditions and attire were said to bear horns ending in eagle's beaks, the mark of Odin. Why did Odin wear so many rings? Another of the treasures of Odin was the self-perpetuating gold ring Draupnir, from which nine new gold rings dropped every ninth night. As a leader in battle, Odin was naturally viewed as a ring-giver, dealing out treasure in the form of gold rings to his followers. There may also be a symbolic link with the three intertwined triangles or rings, known as the valknut, which can be seen on the carvings of the Gotland Stones of the Viking Age and elsewhere in association with Odin much like the linked rings of the Olympics. What was Odin's greatest gift to the gods and men? Before we answer that, we must study some of Odin's other magic capabilities. Odin could turn himself into an eagle and fly through the heavens.

The eagle which sat on the world tree as pictured on many of the Gotland stones of antiquity may well have been Odin himself, since he had a special seat from which he could view all the worlds at once. Odin could also lie as if asleep, while his spirit could journey in the twinkling of an eye to far-off lands in the form of a bird or wild beast, fish or dragon. Odin flew in the form of an eagle when he won the greatest gift, the mead of inspiration. The mead was prepared from the blood of the wise giant Kvasir, who was created by the gods. He was killed by the dwarfs, who mixed his blood with honey and brewed the marvelous drink. It could give to him who drank it the power to compose poetry, or to speak words of wisdom. An intoxicating drink was probably an essential part of the rituals of worshipping Odin. Is there a moral to this story? If you're going to drink and utter profound sayings, you should probably do it on Wednesdays. Are there any of these gods we should especially watch out for? Yes, keep your eyes peeled for a rascal named Loki.

He was an enigmatic, mischievous, sometimes demonic, schizophrenic figure who appears occasionally as a helper but mostly as an enemy of the gods stirring up all kinds of trouble that others must contend with. Sometimes he is more closely associated with the giants, (Jotunn) than the gods of which he is one. Loki was credited with the killing of Balder, the favorite son of Odin's wife Frigga. Balder was so beloved of his mother, that Frigga endowed him with the power of being impervious to wounds by taking a pledge from all plants, trees and metals that weapons made of them would cause him no harm. She neglected one small plant, however, which grows not on the ground but on an oak tree, the mistletoe. From this plant, Loki made a dart and gave it to Balder's brother Hoder suggesting he hurl it at Balder in sport. When Hoder threw the dart, however, it pierced Balder like a spear and he fell dead. For this Loki was chained to a rock with a snake hung over his head. The poison of the snake dripped into his face and made him howl with pain and agony.

According to one legend, Loki will remain chained until the gods no longer rule. Then he will break his bonds and the earth will be drowned under the sea. Another story of Loki's mischievous conduct involves Sif, the wife of Thor. She had long golden hair which covered her from head to foot like a veil. Thor was very proud of his wife's hair, but she awoke one morning and found it all gone. Thor was angry and said that he would punish the thief. He believed that Loki had taken it. At last he captured Loki and made him admit his guilt. Thor was going to punish him, but Loki promised to get new hair for Sif. Loki went to the land of the dwarfs. He begged Dvalin, their chief, to make the hair for him. Loki had also angered Odin and Frey, and he asked for presents for them as well. Dvalin took fine threads of gold and spun long tresses of hair. They grew as soon as they touched the head of Sif. The dwarfs got so interested in the spinning of the hair that they tried to see which one could make the most clever and magic things.

They made for Odin an enormous boar with golden bristles and the magic spear, Gungnir, which would always hit its mark. A wonderful ship that could sail over land and water was made for Frey, as well as a magic ring. But the dwarfs made three very useful gifts for Thor. The first was his magic hammer, Mjolnir, that came back to the hand that threw it. The hammer was always red hot so they made a pair of magic gloves to protect Thor's hands. The third gift was a magic belt which doubled Thor's already impressive strength when he wore it around his waist. This story is so typical of both the poetry and irony of Norse mythology. From the nasty deed of a trouble making god came many good things that went on to benefit the good gods and through their deeds, the common man. Think about it. Not everything in life is good and wholesome; many things go awry and seem to be insurmountable hurdles. Eventually, though, they seem to work themselves out and from the experience comes knowledge and good.

Days of the week: The gods we meet every day - Help for English - Angličtina na internetu zdarma Days of the week: The gods we meet every day Vydáno dne 27.02.2008 What questions would you ask gods if you met them in today's world? In Britain, you can have an afternoon tea party with Frigg, the Norse goddess of beauty and Odin's wife. Or in the USA, you can kick up the engine of your roadster and take a ride on the Route 66 with Thor, the old Germanic and Norse god of thunder, with your hair running wild by the wind. Days of the week: The gods we meet every day In English, names of the days of the week are derived from Roman, Germanic and Norse mythology. In modern times, these names are not more than ordinary words to us. Seven of many. In ancient world, things used to be different. People were wondering about things, trying to find their origins. Likewise, they were looking up at the sky, observing motionless stars. And they figured out that there were also other heavenly bodies, not motionless at all. These were planets.

Dots of light wandering through the universe. Soon they found out their motion is regular. They associated them with time as they had understood it. Since cultures of our ancestors were full of questions for which they could not find reasonable answers, they made up stories. These stories explained unexplainable. They became myths, they became religions. No wonder planets observed in the sky and associated with their days became perceived as incarnations of their gods. Thanks to the long history of English language, words for the days of the week came from different cultures and languages and so the week pantheon is pretty rich and diverse. According to Genesis, the first chapter of the Bible's Old Testament, Sabbath (a Hebrew word meaning Day Of Rest) was the week's last day on which the God had a relax time after the six-day long creation toil. This day equals to Saturday in English and that is why the week starts with Sunday in English-speaking countries. Okay. Ready for a special parade? So let us meet the gods in person. Sunday: Do not get disappointed Would you guess what planet is associated with this day? Easy, isn't it? You can object that the Sun is not a planet. You are right. It is a star.

Do not get dissapointed that you are not meeting any god. For ancient cultures, the Sun and its daily cycle were crucial because their lives depended on its light and warmth making it possible to grow plants and get rid of the fear of the nightly shadows. Every morning, they were afraid the great gold sphere would not rise up in the heavens again. So the Sun was mostly understood as an incarnation of their most important deity and they were begging it with their prayers to come back the other day. In many Romance languages, Sunday is called the Lord's Day (Domingo in Spanish, dimanche in French, domenica in Italian: based on the Latin expression Dies Dominica) since this was the day when the God started his one week creation feast. Monday: Keep the moon safe from the wolf Easy to remember - Monday is the Moon Day. The word moon is associated with the Norse god Mona (Máni). He was pulling the moon accross the sky, trying to escape and save it from a mythological wolf. At the end of the world, the wolf will catch them and tear the moon into pieces. This apocalyptic period of the world is called Ragnarok in Norse mythology.

In Romance languages, Monday is also the Moon Day (lunes in Spanish, lundi in French, lunedi in Italian: coming from Latin Dies Lunae). Tuesday: Shake the only hand of Tyr Tyr (referred to as Tiw, Tiu or Tew in Old English) was the god of combat. He had just one hand and the story behind it is as follows. The prophecy of the sybil that three siblings would bring troubles to gods alarmed the pantheon and Odin (see also the section for Wednesday) decided to get rid of them. One of them was Fenrir, a huge mythological wolf. They tried to bound him, but he was too strong and tore any chain they used. Finally they asked dwarves to make a special, untearable binding called Gleipnir. It consisted of six wondrous ingredients which do not exist any longer because the gods took them from the world for good. These were the sound of a cat's footfall, the beard of a woman, the breath of a fish, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear (meaning rather sensibilities in this case) and the spittle of a bird.

Fenrir did not believe them that they would set him free again after having tried the binding on him. Tyr had to put his arm in his mouth as the guarantee. That is why one of his arms is missing. And again, when Ragnarok begins, the wolf will free himself from Gleipnir and avenge this deception by devouring Odin. In Romance languages, this day belongs to Mars, the Roman god of war (martes in Spanish, mardi in French). Wednesday: On the way to the afterlife The fourth day of the week is named after Odin (Wodan or Woden). In Anglo-Saxon world, Woden is not necessarily the mirror of the Norse Odin. Up to the seventh century, he was worshipped as the main deity. He was the psychopomp which is a word for someone who helps deliver human souls to the afterlife. In Romance languages, the name of the day comes from Latin Dies Mercurii (miércoles in Spanish, mercoledi in Italian, mercredi in French), associated with Mercury, the Roman god of trade, profit and commerce. In German, the word for Wednesday is simply Mittwoch, meaning the middle of the week.

Thursday: When the hammer is smashing up the skies And we have just arrived to Thursday, named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder. He travels through the heavens in a charriot, wearing a special belt and iron gloves which give him extra strength to lift his giant hammer. Romance languages based their fifth day's name upon the Latin Dies Iovis, meaning the Day of Jupiter (jueves in Spanish, jeudi in French, giovedi in Italian). Jupiter was a chief Roman god, the god of laws and social order. His attribute was a thunderbolt. Friday: The day of beauty Frigg was the Norse goddess of beauty, love, household, fertility and motherhood. She was Odin's wife. She wonderfully balances out the dreadfulness of all the masculine gods sitting around our week table. Derived from Latin Dies Veneris, Friday is viernes in Spanish, vendredi in French and venerdi in Italian. The day belongs to Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty, love and fertility. Saturday: Even the God needs to relax Here we come to the only day of the English week which brings a Roman god to our heavenly party. The word Saturday is derived from Saturn, the god of harvest and agriculture.

Buying all the food in supermarkets, we can hardly imagine how important this guy was for our distant ancestors. In Latin, the word for Saturday is Sambata Dies, meaning the Day of Sabbath (sábado in Spanish, sabato in Italian, samedi in French). Sabbath is a Hebrew word for the Day of Rest. It was the last day of the all-in-one-week creation run. A day when the God finally had some relax, lying in the Garden of Eden and curiously waiting for what happens next. English Keeping Time: Origins of the Days of the Week Keeping Time: Origins of the Days of the Week By Robert Coolman, LiveScience Contributor | May 7, 2014 07:23pm ET MORE Credit: veraholera | Shutterstock As the days pass, the cycle of the week shapes how we live our lives. Have you ever wondered, "Why is a week seven days long?" How about where the names of each weekday come from? The seven-day week originates from the calendar of the Babylonians, which in turn is based on a Sumerian calendar dated to 21st-century B.C.

Seven days corresponds to the time it takes for a moon to transition between each phase: full, waning half, new and waxing half. Because the moon cycle is 29.53 days long, the Babylonians would insert one or two days into the final week of each month. Jewish tradition also observes a seven-day week. The book of Genesis (and hence the seven-day account of creation) was likely written around 500 B.C. during the Jewish exile to Babylon. Assyriologists such as Friedrich Delitzsch and Marcello Craveri have suggested that the Jews inherited the cycle of seven days from the Babylonian calendar. The Romans also inherited this system from Babylonian tradition, though they didn’t begin using it until the instatement of the Julian Calendar in the first-century B.C. Up until this point the Romans had used the “nundinal cycle,” a system they inherited from the Etruscans. This was a market cycle of eight days labeled A-H. On market day, country folk would come to the city and city dwellers would buy eight days' worth of groceries. By the time the seven-day week was officially adopted by Constantine in A.D.

321, the nundinal cycle had fallen out of use. The Romans named the days of the week after their gods and corresponded to the five known planets plus the sun and moon (which the Romans also considered planets). To this day, all Romance languages (most familiarly Spanish, French, and Italian) still bear the mark of Roman day names, the exception being Sunday, which now translates to “Lord’s Day” and Saturday, which translates to "Sabbath." Day Germanic adaptations The English words for each day bear remnants of Roman tradition, but they have been filtered through centuries of Germanic and Norse mythos. The Germanic people adapted the Roman system by identifying Roman gods with their own deities. Sunday comes from Old English “Sunnandæg," which is derived from a Germanic interpretation of the Latin dies solis, "sun's day." Germanic and Norse mythology personify the sun as a goddess named Sunna or Sól. Monday likewise comes from Old English “Mōnandæg,” named after Máni, the Norse personification of the moon (and Sól's brother).

Tuesday comes from Old English “Tīwesdæg,” after Tiw, or Tyr, a one-handed Norse god of dueling. He is equated with Mars, the Roman war god. Wednesday is "Wōden's day." Wōden, or Odin, was the ruler of the Norse gods' realm and associated with wisdom, magic, victory and death. The Romans connected Wōden to Mercury because they were both guides of souls after death. “Wednesday” comes from Old English “Wōdnesdæg.” Thursday, "Thor's day," gets its English name after the hammer-wielding Norse god of thunder, strength and protection. The Roman god Jupiter, as well as being the king of gods, was the god of the sky and thunder. “Thursday” comes from Old English “Þūnresdæg.” Friday is named after the wife of Odin. Some scholars say her name was Frigg; others say it was Freya; other scholars say Frigg and Freya were two separate goddesses. Whatever her name, she was often associated with Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility.

“Friday” comes from Old English “Frīgedæg.” As for Saturday, Germanic and Norse traditions didn’t assign any of their gods to this day of the week. They retained the Roman name instead. The English word “Saturday” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “Sæturnesdæg,” which translates to “Saturn’s day.” Time to find out if you've been paying attention! Prove it by taking the time to take this quiz: Do Sabbath Keepers worship Saturn? (Saturn-DAY) Sunday keeping is worshipping the sun - "SUN day" Answer: A. If so then Saturday is worshipping the Roman God Saturn "SATURN'S day". B. Days of the week are named after planets and pagan gods! Sunday = Sun's day Monday = Moon's day: derived from the Anglo-Saxon monandaeg, Tuesday = named after the Norse god of war, Tiu, or Tiw Wednesday = named to honour Odin, or Woden, chief god in Norse mythology. Thursday = named after Thor, Norse god of thunder.

Friday = Anglo-Saxon frìgedaeg; from Old High German Frìa, a goddess Saturday = Saturn's day: named in honour of the Roman god Saturn. We Speak truth in LOVE "you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth" Jn 8:40

Question: Which day of the week is named after the Norse god of thunder?
Answer: Thursday