#asynur

[honoringthor]

Lesser known gods. Sif and Jarnsaxa

🌾 Sif. Sif “family?” is the primary wife of Thor and mother of þrudr, Loriði, and Ullr by a different man. Sif is best known from the story of Loki cutting her hair; which ended with her getting golden hair and Thor getting Mjolnir. She was Appearently a prophetess. Hrugnir wanted to take her as a slave. Thor did not approve. Jacob Grimm came up with her potential link to wheat. Other scholars aren’t so sure as mythology doesn’t really give her a role outside of wife of Thor and Loki’s attempt to slut shame her in the Lokasenna, which would explain how Loki got close enough to cut her hair. She didn’t seem to react.

Sif is a term for Earth

She is called “wife of Thor”, “Mother of Ullr”, The fair-haired deity”, “Rival of Jarnsaxa”, “mother of Thrud”. According to Jacob Grimm, the people in Värmland, Sweden call her “godmar” or Good mother.

Grimm also associated Sif with Ceres, Frigg and Freyja. Others have linked her to the Sámi goddess Ravdna who’s associated with Rowan and thier thunder god, Horagalles. One of the things Rowan is called is “savior of Thor”

🗡️Jarnsaxa “iron dagger”. Is a concubine of Thor and mother of Magni. She also is named as one of the 9 moms of Heimdallr. She’s a Jotun. Also in some cases, she’s identified with Sif or she’s her rival.

Trivia

One of Saturn’s moons is called Jarnsaxa (Saturn has 146 so far)

There is a glacier in Greenland called Sif and a Volcano on Venus (mons Sif)

Sources

Jarnsaxa

Sif

[jeffreystewart]

Norsery Rhymes from A to Z Happy Thorsday – Eir, Menglod’s Maid of Healing Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters.  This week it’s another version of Eir. Mentioned in the Prose Edda, Skaldic Poetry and Runic inscriptions.

Her name translates to ‘help’, 'protection, 'mercy’, and 'clemency’, and generally means she is thought of as 'The Helper’, or 'The Healer’. And is called “The Greatest Doctor” and “The Great Healer”.

She is listed in different sources as an Asynjur Aesir Goddess, one of Menglod’s Maids, and is also mentioned elsewhere as a member of the Valkyrie. Though these all may be separate people.

The first two are the most likely related as she is said to be a great physician Goddess in one and sit at the hill or mountain of healing as the other.

Though as the Valkyr raises up the fallen it’s possible they are all being associated as another aspect of a triple goddess, so common in the mythology, and even has been suggested as aspects of the Norns.

If I was to guess, I’d say they were each differently thought of initially.

Overall she is a healer who people would come to for the most extreme maladies. Offering sacrifices and offerings. And as a goddess she is called 'one of the most important’. Given the wide variety or medically themed people Norse pantheon her focus as being one of the best is saying something.

Her name became synonymous with women over time.

She is sometimes considered to be associated as Frigg, though with little to support it.

I designed this rendition Menglod’s Maid, and I’ll likely do a Valkyrie version next time.

[jeffreystewart]

Norsery Rhymes from A to Z Happy Thorsday – Eir, The Great Healer Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters.  This week it’s Eir. Mentioned in the Prose Edda, Skaldic Poetry and Runic inscriptions.

Her name translates to 'help', 'protection, 'mercy', and 'clemency', and generally means she is thought of as 'The Helper', or 'The Healer'. And is called "The Greatest Doctor" and "The Great Healer".

She is listed in different sources as an Asynjur Aesir Goddess, one of Menglod's Maids, and is also mentioned elsewhere as a member of the Valkyrie. Though these all may be separate people.

The first two are the most likely related as she is said to be a great physician Goddess in one and sit at the hill or mountain of healing as the other. 

Though as the Valkyr raises up the fallen it's possible they are all being associated as another aspect of a triple goddess, so common in the mythology, and even has been suggested as aspects of the Norns.

If I was to guess, I'd say they were each differently thought of initially.

Overall she is a healer who people would come to for the most extreme maladies. Offering sacrifices and offerings. And as a goddess she is called 'one of the most important'. Given the wide variety or medically themed people Norse pantheon her focus as being one of the best is saying something. 

Her name became synonymous with women over time. 

She is sometimes considered to be associated as Frigg, though with little to support it.

I designed this rendition as the Goddess. I may do a more Menglod's Maid, and Valkyrie version next time.