One is the Viking god and his company

Each people has its own culture, religion, worldview. Until Christianity in the west became the dominant religion, the countries worshiped the forces of nature and various creatures. Of particular interest are the gods of the ancient Vikings, the people, which horrified the population of all coastal cities. After all, they have long professed paganism, rather than inhabitants of other European states.

A special system of the universe

The gods of the Vikings, whose list is very impressive, are derived from the god Heimdal. He had three sons who gave life to three social groups: slaves (descendants of Trela), soldiers (descendants of Jarl) and land-plots (descendants of Karl). Courageous Normans, or Varangians, as they were called in Russia, considered it their ancestor exactly Jarl, his son Kon (Konung). Therefore, military business was considered noble, the one they are destined to deal with. Scandinavians believed that the gods lived in a fabulous place - Mitgarde, which was surrounded by Utgard. In this part of the universe lived different monsters, dwarfs and giants. With these forces, the gods waged a constant struggle. At a certain time, the greatest battle must begin, in which all will perish. But then the world will again be reborn and become a cleaner, more real paradise.

Gods of conquerors of the seas

As it is supposed to paganism, every god had his own functions and sphere, for which he was responsible. They looked like ordinary people, only had super abilities. Just below the gods in the Viking hierarchy stood the Valkyries - warlike maidens who rewarded the warrior either by victory at the behest of the gods, or valiant death on the battlefield. Worshiped also the Norn, who spun the thread of man's destiny and determined what will be his life.

The gods, according to the "Younger Edda", were divided into two families: vans - patrons of agriculture and fertility, and the aces - the dominant group, like the Olympians in ancient Hellas. Previously, they were at enmity, but then they made peace. Here are the names of the Viking gods (main):

• One is a supreme deity with a stern temper, unchecked and unpredictable, but very wise, his name was practically never mentioned, he was not written by runes;
• Thor is the god of thunder and lightning;
• Freyr is the god of fertility;
• Baldr;
• Loki;
• Hed;
• Vali;
• Heimdall;
• Ull;
• Bragi;
• Njord;
• Tyur;
• Vidar;
• Frigg is Odin's wife;
• Idunn - the goddess of youth, the keeper of apples of pure gold;
• Freya is the goddess of love;
• Siv is the wife of Thor.

One is the Viking god

This is the main god, who was considered to be the strongest and most powerful. He had only one eye. According to legend, the supreme Viking god sacrificed another eye to drink from the source of wisdom. The spring, located near the world tree Yggdrasil, was guarded by the giant Mimir, who demanded Odin's fee. The giant was later killed, but his head further helped with good advice.

God sat on the eight-legged horse Sleipnire and held a spear in his hand. Two crows served Odin, who brought him messages from all over the world. His house was Valhalla, where the souls of the dead soldiers led the Valkyries (it was a great honor and the limit of the viking's dreams). At this point, the souls of warriors trained and entertained, waiting for a great battle with evil.

Thor Thunderer

One was very revered . The God of the Vikings Tor is the second most important. He was the son of Odin and commanded the weather and harvest, rain and storms, thunder and lightning. If the element raged heavily, the priests ordered the sacrifice of the Torah. His character was perfect: he treated everything with understanding, was calm and reliable. But at the same time he possessed a great physical strength, through which he fought against evil (that is, with giants, the Mandgar Snake). Thor wore a huge hammer and rode on a cart drawn by goats. It was the pendant in the form of weapons of this god that was worn around the neck as an amulet (like a cross). The name of the god is mentioned on runic stones, in many sagas, in his honor are named many geographical objects.

Freyr, giving joy

The world rules One. The Viking God Freyr was also very revered, because it was believed that he gives people joy and peace. His statue with a huge penis was sacrificed during the wedding celebrations. He was also considered the progenitor of the Ingling, the royal family. Unfortunately, the famous statue was destroyed by the Bishop of Aegino during the Christianization of Northern Europe. But before us came a small figurine of God, made of bronze. The sister of God was Freya.

Insidious Loki

This is a contradictory god, cunning and insidious. His children were the wolf Fenrir and the serpent Midgard. Loki was an instigator, incited against each other gods and people, built intrigues, deceived, and therefore was some kind of personification of evil. However, he was appreciated for his sharp mind, incredible beauty and ability to change his appearance. And the gods often turned to him, if it was necessary to find a way out in a difficult situation.

Worship of the great gods

Scandinavians are a special people who lived in difficult natural conditions. They did not build themselves permanent houses, did not lead a settled life. Perhaps that is why they left no temples or other religious buildings. However, Odin (the Viking god), Thor, Freya and other deities had places of worship. These were sanctuaries in the open air, surrounded by stone embankments and rare burials. The main religious center of the Normans was Uppsala, where there was a gilded shrine. Around him lay a sacred grove, in which the trees hanging sacrifices to the gods - the bodies of people and animals. The chronicler Adam Bremen in his work (circa 1075) describes this temple. According to him, there were three giant statues. One of them represented Freyr, the other - Odin, the third - the Torah. Regularly, every nine years, Uppsala gathered people to worship the gods, to remember the dead ancestors, who were revered no less than the gods.