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In Old Norse, the 'Æsir' (singular 'Ás', feminine 'Ásynja', feminine plural 'Ásynjur', Anglo-Saxon 'Ós', from Proto-Germanic '
★ Ansuz') are the principal gods of the pantheon of Norse mythology. They include many of the major figures, such as Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. A second clan of gods, the ''Vanir'', is also mentioned in the Norse mythos: the god Njord and his children, Freyr and Freyja, are the most prominent Vanir gods who join the Æsir as hostages after a war between Æsir and Vanir. The Vanir appear to have mainly been connected with cultivation and fertility and the Æsir were connected with power and war.
In the Eddas, however, the word Æsir is used to call gods in general, while Asynjur is used to call the goddesses in general. For example, in the poem Skírnismál, Freyr was called "Prince of the Æsir". In the Prose Edda, Njord was introduced as "the third among the Æsir", and among the Asynjur, Freyja is always listed second only to Frigg.
For more information about the worship of the Æsir see the article on Norse paganism.

Contents

Etymology

Norse mythology

The a-rune

List of Æsir and Vanir

Invasionist hypothesis

Modern Belief

See also

External links

Etymology

The word ''áss'', Proto-Germanic ''
★ ansuz'' is believed to be derived from Proto-Indo-European
★ ''ansu-'' 'breath, god' related to Sanskrit ''asura'' and Avestan ''ahura'' with the same meaning; though in Sanskrit ''asura'' came to mean 'demon'. The cognate Old English form to ''áss'' is ''os'' 'god, deity', as in the still-current surname ''Osgood'', or the first names ''Oswin'', ''Osbert'', ''Oswald'', ''Osborn'', ''Osmund'', and ''Oscar'' (Anglo-Saxon form of ''Ásgeir''). ''As'' occurs in many Scandinavian names: ''Asbjørn, Asgeir (Asger, Asker), Asmund, Astrid, Åse'' etc.
''Ása'' is the genitive form of ''Áss''. The, form appears as a prefix to indicate membership in the Æsir in "Ása-Þórr", and also in the compound ''Ásatrú'', a sect of Germanic Neopaganism.

Norse mythology

The interaction between the Æsir and the Vanir is an interesting aspect of Norse mythology. While other cultures have had "elder" and "younger" families of gods, as with the Titans versus the Olympians of ancient Greece, the Æsir and Vanir were portrayed as contemporary. The two clans of gods fought battles, concluded treaties, and exchanged hostages (Freyr and Freyja are mentioned as such hostages). It is tempting to speculate that the interactions described as occurring between Æsir and Vanir reflect those common to various Norse clans at the time. According to another theory, the cult of the Vanir (who are mainly connected with fertility and are relatively peaceful) may be of an older date, and that of the more warlike Æsir of later origin, so the mythical war may perhaps mirror a religious conflict. On the other hand, this may be a parallel to the historicized conflict between the Romans and the Sabines. The noted comparative religion scholar Mircea Eliade speculated that both conflicts are actually different versions of an older Indo-European myth of conflict and integration between deities of sky and rulership versus deities of earth and fertility, with no strict historical antecedents.
The chronology of the cults would in that case not be pictured in the myths. However, only Odin and Thor were important in both myth and cult; an áss like Ullr is almost unknown in the myths, but his name is seen in a lot of geographical names, especially in Sweden, so his cult was probably quite widespread.
The Æsir stayed forever young by eating the apples of Iðunn, although they could be slain, as it was predicted that nearly all will die at Ragnarök.

The a-rune

Main articles: Ansuz rune

The ''a''-rune , Younger Futhark was probably named after the Æsir. The name in this sense survives only in the Icelandic rune poem as Óss, referring to Odin in particular, identified with Jupiter.
The name of ''a'' in the Gothic alphabet is ''ahsa''. The common Germanic name of the rune may thus have either been ''ansuz'' "God, one of the Æsir", or ''ahsam'' "ear (of corn)".

List of Æsir and Vanir

All names in Old Norse form. Anglicized form in Parentheses.

★ Baldr — (Balder) god of radiance and rebirth

★ Bragi — (Brage) the bard (skald)

★ Forseti — god of justice

★ Freyja (a Vanir hostage) — (Freya) goddess of fertility, love, beauty, magic, and death

★ Freyr (a Vanir hostage) — (Frey) god of fertility and prosperity

★ Frigg — chief goddess

★ Heimdallr — (Heimdall) the watchman and guardian

★ Höðr — blind god of darkness

★ Hœnir — the indecisive god

★ Iðunn —(Idun) goddess of youth

★ Loki (a jotun) — the trickster, foster-brother of Odin

★ Meili — the mile-stepper

★ Nanna — wife of Baldr

★ Njörðr (a Vanir hostage) — (Njord) god of seamanship and sailing

★ Skaði (a giantess) - second wife of Njord, goddess of snow and winter

★ Óðinn — (Odin) chief god, of wisdom and war

★ Sif — golden-haired wife of Thor

★ Þórr — (Thor) god of thunder and battle

★ Týr — (Tyr) one-handed, self sacrificing god of law and justice.

★ Ullr — god of hunting, a tracker and archer

★ Váli — the avenger

★ Vé — brother of Odin, who gave men speech

★ Viðarr — (Vidar) god of silence, stealth, and revenge

★ Vili — brother of Odin, who gave men feeling and thought

Invasionist hypothesis

As the Edda portrays the conflict between Æsir and Vanir as resulting in the creation of the Germanic pantheon or people, some ethnologists and religious scholars such as Marija Gimbutas have likened it to the Roman myth of The Rape of the Sabine Women and have speculized that the Æsir-Vanir conflict is in fact a mythologized portrayal of the Indo-Europeanization of ancient Europe with the Æsir taking the part of the conquering Indo-Europeans as according to the ethnological Kurgan hypothesis. According to this theory also backed up by linguistics on Indo-Germanic and Germanic languages as well as pertaining religious vocabulary relating to the Æsir as opposed to the Vanir, the Æsir were the Indo-European invaders that introduced Indo-Germanic languages to Europe, of which one cultural and linguistic branch later evolved into the Germanic languages and culture. See Indo-European religion for more aspects of the Æsir's relationship to this group.

Modern Belief

Starting around 1960, a growing group of people have said they worship the Æsir as living gods. Most of these people use the term Ásatrú, meaning 'faithful to the Æsir', to describe themselves. As of 2007, Ásatrú is a religion officially recognized by the governments of Iceland, Norway, Denmark[1]
, and Sweden.

See also

★ Æsir-Asura correspondence

External links

★ Viktor Rydberg's "Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland" e-book

★ W. Wagner's "Asgard and the Home of the Gods" e-book

★ "Myths of Northern Lands" e-book by H. A. Guerber

★ Peter Andreas Munch's "Norse Mythology: Legends of Gods and Heroes" e-book

★ Bartleby: American Heritage Dictionary: Indo-European roots: ansu