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Common Germanic deities

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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.

Contents

Deities

Goddesses
  • 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".
  • Fraujō, daughter of Njǫrðr, Norse Freyja, Old High German Frouwa, Old English frēo meaning "lady", cf. Gothic Fráujo "lady, mistress", German "Frau", Swedish, Danish and Norwegian "Fru."
  • Fullō, goddess—or *Fullaz, god—of riches, plenty. Corresponds to Norse Fulla.
  • Wurdiz, "fate", Norse Urðr (Urd, Urth), Old English Wyrd.
  • Sōwilō, the Sun, Norse Sól, Old English Sunne, Old High German Sunna.
    • Gods
  • 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 possibly early sky god, "Germanic Mars", Norse Týr and possibly Tir, Old English Tiw, Old High German Ziu, continues Indo-European Dyeus.
  • 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.
  • Ingwaz or Inguz, identified with the god addressed as fraujaz "lord" (Old High German frô, Gothic frauja, Old English frēa, Old Norse freyr)

    • 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", a mythical or Elven smith.
  • Agilaz, Old English Ægil, Alamannic: Aigil, Old Norse: Egil, a mythical archer.

    • Mythical races

  • þurisaz (giants)
  • dwergaz (dwarfs)
  • albaz (elves)
  • nikwuz (water spirits)
  • wihtiz (land spirits)

    • Cosmology

  • Medjanagardaz inhabited world
  • erþo anþi uppahemenaz Germanic formula for "heaven and earth", notably naming earth first. Mentioned in the Norse Edda, Skarpåker Stone and Old High German Wessobrunner Gebet etc.
  • Haljō Underworld
  • Muþspell (see Muspilli and Muspelheim) Disastrous world-ending (c.f. Ragnarok)

    • References

    Common Germanic deities Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA