Anglo Saxon/Old English - Religion

Gods

The Germanic deities who figure in the Old Norse pantheon were also followed by most of the peoples who settled in England although Christianity soon took over. There is literary evidence for many of the same stories and beliefs amongst them although the legend of Ragnarok is exclusive to Scandinavia.


NameAttributesFamily Wife
Woden (Grim)chief, skyFrig
Thunorthunder
Tiw originally sky god
Wayland/Welandsmith son of Wada/Wade, father of Widia
Hama (ON Heimdall)watchman


Goddesses

NameAttributesHusband
Frig/Freo/Frijamother of godsWoden
Wyrd/Wurddestiny (orig one of three fates)
Metod another possible 'fate' meaning measurer.
WaelcyrgeValkyries
Nerthus earth goddess?


Middangeard Middle Earth


Indo-European sky fatherDjevs or Deivos
Sanskrit Dyaus
Greek Zeus
Latin Jovis
North West Europe Tiwaz?
Germany Ziu
Scandinavia Tyr
England Tiw

Supplanted by:

Western Europe Wodenaz
German Wuotan
Old Saxon Wodan
Old Norse Voden, Odinn
Old English Woden


Calendar

The year began on 25th December. Boxing night was called modra nect or 'mother's night' after the ceremonies that Bede says were performed then.

12 + 1Giuli last month of old and first of new year
2Solmonath 'when cakes were offfered to the gods' says Bede
3Hretha-
4Eostre Easter
5Thrimilci cows milked three times a day
6 + 7Lithapossibly 'moon'
8Weodmonath 'weedmonth'
9Halegmonath 'holy month' (harvest festival?)
10Wintirfyllith 'winter full moon' (first full moon of winter?)
11Blotmonath 'blood month' (sacrifice of animals that would not survive winter)


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This collection of names compiled by Kate Monk. Copyright January 1997, Kate Monk. Last updated March, 98. Copies may be made for personal use only.