Common Germanic deities
The article lists gods and goddesses (Ansewez, Wanizaz) that may be reconstructed for Proto-Germanic or Common Germanic Migration period paganism, or which figure in both West and North Germanic mythology. See list of Germanic deities for a complete list of Germanic gods and goddesses, including those for whom there is insufficient attestation to produce Common Germanic reconstructions.
Deities
- Wōdanaz, "lord of poetic/mantic inspiration", "Germanic Mercury", Norse Óðinn (often Anglicized Odin or, especially in older texts, Othin), Old English Wōden, Old High German Wuotan.
- Þunraz, "thunder", "Germanic Jupiter", Norse Þórr (Thor), West Germanic Donar, Old English Þunor.
- Teiwaz, god of war and early sky god, "Germanic Mars", Norse Týr, Old English Tiw, Old High German Ziu, continues Indo-European Dyeus.
- Nerþuz, described by Tacitus as Mother Earth, possibly continued in Norse Njǫrðr (Njord, Njorth).
- Frijjō, "wife" (specifically here the wife of Wōdanaz), Old English Frige, Norse Frigg, cf. Sanskrit priyā "mistress, wife".
- Frijja, daughter of Njǫrðr, Norse Freyja, Old High German Frouwa, Old English Frēo meaning "lady", cf. Gothic Fráujo "lady, mistress", German "Frau", Swedish "Fru." There is some etymological confusion behind both these words and Frijjō/Frigg/Frige.
- Fullō, goddess—or *Fullaz, god—of riches, plenty. Corresponds to Norse Fulla.
- Sif, goddess, wife of Donar/Thor.
- Ermunaz, Saxon god (speculative, based on Nennius' Armenon). The word means "strong" or "exalted" (Old High German ermen, Old Norse jǫrmaun or jörmun, Old English Eormen).
- Wulþuz, "glorious one", possibly originally an epitheton, mentioned on the Thorsberg chape, continued in Norse Ullr.
- Wurdiz, "fate", Norse Urðr (Urd, Urth), Old English Wyrd.
- Sōwilō, the Sun, Norse Sól, Old English Sunne, Old High German Sunna.
Semi-gods or mythical heroes
- Auzawandilaz, Old English: Ēarendel; Old Norse: Aurvandil; Lombardic: Auriwandalo; Old High German: Orentil, Erentil; Medieval Latin: Horuuendillus, the morning star(?).
- Gautaz, Old English: Geat; Old Norse: Gautr, mythical ancestor of royal houses.
- Wēlanduz, Old English: Wēland; Old Norse: Völundr, Velentr; Old High German: Wiolant; from *Wēla-nandaz, lit. "battle-brave"[1], a mythical or Elven smith.
- Agilaz, Old English Ægil, Alamannic: Aigil, Old Norse: Egil, a mythical archer.
Mythical races
Cosmology
See also
References
- ^ see Hellmut Rosenfeld, Der Name Wieland, Beiträge zur Namenforschung (1969).
