Æsir
Sign in to savethumb|250px|Æsir gathered around the body of Baldr. Painting by [[Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1817]]
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The Æsir are the principal gods in Norse mythology, depicted in ancient Scandinavian religious beliefs and stories. They matter because they represent a foundational part of Viking-era culture and continue to influence modern understanding of Germanic and Norse heritage.
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Article
21 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- Etymology
- Derived terms
- Old Norse sources
- Meaning of the term "Æsir"
- Distinctions between "áss", "goð" and "vanr"
- Proposed origins of a distinction with Vanir
- Specific beings referred to as Æsir
- Relation with jötnar
- Old English sources
- Wið færstice
- The A-rune (ᚫ, ᚩ or ᚬ)
- Modern worship
- Place-names
- Footnotes
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- Primary
- Secondary
- External links
thumb|250px|Æsir gathered around the body of Baldr. Painting by [[Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1817]]
Æsir (Old Norse; singular: , female: , female plural: ) or ēse (Old English; singular: ) are gods in Germanic paganism. In Old Nordic religion and mythology, the precise meaning of the term "" is debated, as it can refer either to the gods in general or specifically to one of the main families of gods, in contrast to the Vanir, with whom the Æsir waged war, ultimately leading to a joining of the families. The term can further be applied to local gods that were believed to live in specific features in the landscape – such as fells. The Old English medical text Wið færstice refers to the Ēse, along with elves, as harmful beings that could cause a stabbing pain, although exactly how they were conceived of by the author of the text is unclear.