Attestations Vanir

1 attestations

1.1 poetic edda
1.2 prose edda
1.3 heimskringla

attestations
poetic edda

the sun shining behind them, vanir god freyr stands boar gullinbursti (1901) johannes gehrts.

in poetic edda, vanir, group, referenced in poems völuspá, vafþrúðnismál, skírnismál, Þrymskviða, alvíssmál , sigrdrífumál. in völuspá, stanza describes events of Æsir–vanir war, noting during war vanir broke walls of stronghold of Æsir, , vanir indomitable, trampling plain.

in vafþrúðnismál, gagnráðr (the god odin in disguise) engages in game of wits jötunn vafþrúðnir. gagnráðr asks vafþrúðnir van god njörðr came from, though rules on many hofs , hörgrs, njörðr not raised among Æsir. vafþrúðnir responds njörðr created in vanaheimr ( home of vanir ) wise powers , details during Æsir–vanir war, njörðr exchanged hostage. in addition, when world ends (ragnarök), njörðr return wise vanir.

alvíssmál consists of question , answer exchanges between dwarf alvíss , god thor. in poem, alvíss supplies terms various groups, including vanir, use refer various subjects. alvíss attributes 9 terms vanir; 1 earth ( ways ), heaven ( weaver of winds ), clouds ( kites of wind ), calm ( hush of winds ), sea ( wave ), fire ( wildfire ), wood ( wand ), seed ( growth ), , ale ( foaming ).

the poem Þrymskviða states god heimdallr possesses foreknowledge, vanir can. sigrdrífumál records vanir in possession of sacred mead . in poem, valkyrie sigrdrífa provides mystical lore runes hero sigurd. sigrdrífa notes runes once carved on various creatures, deities , other figures, , shaved off , mixed sacred mead. mead possessed Æsir, elves, mankind, , vanir.

in skírnismál, beautiful jötunn gerðr first encounters god freyr s messenger skírnir, , asks him if of elves, of Æsir, or of wise vanir. skírnir responds not of of 3 groups. later in poem, skírnir successful in threats against gerðr (to have gerðr accept freyr s affections), , gerðr offers skírnir crystal cup full of mead, noting never thought love 1 of vanir.

prose edda

flanked boar hildisvini, vanr goddess freyja (right) (1895) lorenz frølich.

the vanir mentioned in prose edda books gylfaginning , skáldskaparmál. in chapter 23 of gylfaginning, enthroned figure of high relates njörðr raised in vanaheimr. high says during Æsir–vanir war, vanir sent njörðr hostage Æsir, , Æsir sent vanir god hœnir. sending of njörðr hostage resulted in peace agreement between Æsir , vanir.

chapter 35 provides information regarding goddess freyja, including 1 of names dis of vanir. in same chapter, high tells goddess gná rides horse hófvarpnir, , horse has ability ride through air , atop sea. high continues once vanir saw path rode through air , unnamed 1 of these vanir says, in verse (for no source provided):

flies there?
what fares there?
or moves through air?

gná responds:

fly not
though fare
and move through air
on hofvarpnir
the 1 whom hamskerpir got
with gardrofa.



a wild boar in northern europe. in prose edda, van-child listed name boars. both freyja , freyr attested accompanied boars.

in chapter 57 of skáldskaparmál, god bragi explains origin of poetry. bragi says origin of poetry lies in Æsir-vanir war. during peace conference held end war both Æsir , vanir formed truce spitting vat. when left, gods decided shouldn t poured out, rather kept symbol of peace, , contents made man; kvasir. kvasir later murdered dwarves, , blood mead of poetry made.

in chapter 6, poetic names njörðr provided, including descendant of vanir or van . reference, poem 11th century skald Þórðr sjáreksson provided njörðr described vanr. in chapter 7, poetic names freyr listed, including names reference association vanir; vanir god, descendant of vanir, , van. freyja repeatedly cited vanr. in chapter 20, of freyja s names listed , include van-deity , van-lady, , chapter 37 provides skaldic verse referring freyja van-bride. in chapter 75, names pigs provided, including van-child.

heimskringla

odin throws spear @ vanir host, illustration (1895) lorenz frølich

the heimskringla book ynglinga saga (chapter 4) provides euhemerized account of Æsir–vanir war. peace agreement, 2 sides agreed trade hostages. vanir sent njörðr , freyr Æsir, , in turn Æsir sent vanir hœnir , mímir. upon receiving mímir, vanir sent cleverest amongst them, kvasir. in vanaheimr, vanir made hœnir chieftain. however, whenever hœnir appeared @ assemblies or meetings vanir asked him opinion on difficult issues, response let others decide. vanir suspected had been cheated Æsir in hostage exchange, , grabbed hold of mímir, cut off mímir s head, , sent Æsir.

the same chapter describes while njörðr lived among vanir, wife (unnamed) sister, , couple had 2 children; freyr , freyja. however, among Æsir forbidden marry near kin. odin s appointment, njörðr , freyr became priests on offerings of sacrifice, , recognized gods among Æsir. freyja priestess @ sacrifices, , first taught Æsir magic practiced among vanir.

in chapter 15, king sveigðir recorded having married woman named vana in vanaland , located in sweden. 2 produced child, named vanlandi (old norse man land of vanir ).