In Norse mythology, Ask and Embla —male and female respectively—were the first two humans, created by the gods. The pair are attested in both the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, three gods, one of whom is Odin, find Ask and Embla and bestow upon them various corporeal and spiritual gifts. A number of theories have been proposed to explain the two figures, and there are occasional references to them in popular culture.
In Norse mythology, Ægir is a sea jötunn associated with the ocean. He is also known for being a friend of the gods and hosting elaborate parties for them.
In Norse mythology, Árvakr and Alsviðr are the horses which pull the sun, or Sól's chariot, across the sky each day. It is said that the gods fixed bellows underneath the two horses' shoulders to help cool them off as they rode.
Norse cosmology is the study of the cosmos (cosmology) as perceived by the North Germanic peoples. The topic encompasses concepts from Norse mythology, such as notions of time and space, cosmogony, personifications, anthropogeny, and eschatology. Like other aspects of Norse mythology, these concepts are primarily recorded in the Poetic Edda, a collection of poems compiled in the 13th century, and the Prose Edda, authored by Icelander Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, who drew from earlier traditional sources. Together these sources depict an image of nine worlds around a cosmic tree, Yggdrasil.
In Norse mythology, Gulltoppr is one of the horses of the gods. Gulltoppr is mentioned in a list of horses in the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál and in Nafnaþulur section of the Prose Edda. According to Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, he is the horse of Heimdallr. Rudolf Simek theorizes that Snorri assigned a horse to Heimdallr in an attempt to systematize the mythology.
Sól or Sunna is the Sun personified in Norse mythology. One of the two Old High German Merseburg Incantations, written in the 9th or 10th century CE, attests that Sunna is the sister of Sinthgunt. In Norse mythology, Sól is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson.
In Norse mythology, Sjöfn is a goddess associated with love. Sjöfn is attested in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and in three kennings employed in skaldic poetry. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.
The Norse mythology, preserved in such ancient Icelandic texts as the Poetic Edda, the Prose Edda, and other lays and sagas, was little known outside Scandinavia until the 19th century. With the widespread publication of Norse myths and legends at this time, references to the Norse gods and heroes spread into European literary culture, especially in Scandinavia, Germany, and Britain. In the later 20th century, references to Norse mythology became common in science fiction and fantasy literature, role-playing games, and eventually other cultural products such as Japanese animation.
In Norse mythology, Víðbláinn is the third heaven in the cosmology of Snorri's Gylfaginning, located above Andlang and Asgard. It will serve as a shelter and dwelling place for the souls of the dead during and after the destruction of Ragnarök.
In Norse mythology, Himinbjörg is the home of the god Heimdallr. Himinbjörg is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda and Heimskringla, both written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Himinbjörg is associated with Heimdallr in all sources. According to the Poetic Edda, Heimdallr dwells there as watchman for the gods and there drinks fine mead, whereas in the Prose Edda Himinbjörg is detailed as located where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets heaven. Scholars have commented on the differences between the two attestations and linked the name of the mythical location to various place names.
In Norse mythology, Falhófnir is a horse listed in both Grímnismál and Gylfaginning among the steeds ridden by the gods each day when they go to make judgements at Yggdrasil. However, in both stanzas Falhófnir is not assigned to any specific deity.
In Norse mythology, Amsvartnir is a lake. Amsvartnir contains the island Lyngvi, where the gods bound the wolf Fenrir. The lake is solely attested in the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In the book, the enthroned figure of High tells Gangleri that the gods and Fenrir fared across Amsvartnir to get to Lyngvi, and there bound Fenrir.
Fjölvar is a being in Norse mythology, possibly a giant, with whom Odin spent time fighting and seducing women on the island of Algroen. This episode was recounted by Odin himself in disguise while boasting of his martial skill and sexual prowess to Thor in the poem Hárbardsljód, one of the Poetic Edda written in the 13th century.
In Norse mythology, Glad is a horse listed in both Grímnismál and Gylfaginning among the steeds ridden by the gods each day when they go to make judgements at Yggdrasil. However, in neither poem Glad is assigned to any specific deity.
In Norse mythology, Gyllir is a horse listed in both Grímnismál and Gylfaginning among the steeds ridden by the gods each day when they go to make judgements at Yggdrasil. However, in both poems, Gyllir is not assigned to any specific deity.
In Norse mythology, Ifing is a river that separates Asgard, the realm of the gods, from Jotunheim, the land of giants, according to stanza 16 of the poem Vafthrudnismal from the Poetic Edda:
In Norse mythology, the feminine Fjörgyn or Jörð is described as the mother of the thunder god Thor, son of Odin, and the masculine Fjörgynn is described as the father of the goddess Frigg, wife of Odin. Both names appear in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. A number of theories surround the names, and they have been the subject of scholarly discourse.
John Lindow is a professor emeritus specializing in Scandinavian medieval studies and folklore. Lindow's works include Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Rituals, and Beliefs, a handbook for Norse mythology. He received his Ph.D. in Germanic languages and literature from Harvard University in 1972 and began teaching at Berkeley in 1978. In 1977 he was elected as a corresponding member of the Royal Gustavus Adolphus Academy. In 2018, he received the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon at the Icelandic president's residence for scholarly contributions in the area of Icelandic medieval literature.
This is a Family tree of the Norse gods showing kin relations among notable gods and goddesses in Norse mythology. This family tree gives an example pedigree. With respect to kin relations of Norse gods, there are regional variations and disagreement among sources.
