Thor was a deity of Norse mythology and recognized as the god of thunder, storms and agriculture. Originally from the Germanic culture, he is recognized by historians as the most popular god among the Norsemen of the Viking era. Son of Odin, he was regarded as the most powerful in the Norse pantheon.
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Thor Summary
Thor was a god of Norse mythology and most popular among Norsemen in the Viking Age.
He was known as the god of thunder, storms and agriculture.
His worship was popular, and human sacrifices were made to him, as well as statuettes built in his honor.
He was known as the strongest among the Norse gods, and his main weapon was his hammer Mjölnir.
In Ragnarök, he would fight Jörmungandr, the giant serpent, killing her, but dying from her poison.
Who was Thor?
Thor was the most popular god in the Nordic religiosity, people who inhabited northern Europe. The height of the worship of this god took place in the period known as the Viking Age, which stretched from 793 to 1066. Thor was recognized as the
GodofThunder, ofsky, of the storms and gives agriculture.This god was regarded by the Norse as the protector of Midgard, name by which they referred to the Earth, and also to Asgard, the abode of the gods. He was also known to be a giant slayer and was soninOdin, the god regarded as the father of all. His mother was called Jörd.
Thor was a Norse deity who originated in Germanic culture and derived from the god. Donate, also known as the thunder god. Historian Johnni Langer also points out the fact that he was a deity present in other cultures:
You Celts knew him as Taranis.
In Russia it was known as Peruvians.
The Lapps knew him as Horagalles.
In the Baltic region he was known as Perkunos.|1|
Thor had three very important accessories that were with him at all times: his hammerMjölnir, which he used when he was in battle; O beltMegingjord, known for doubling its strength; and the glovesiniron calls Jarnglófar, which he used to hold his hammer. His great strength manifested through these attachments, and the Norse believed that the sound of thunder was a result of Thor striking his hammer.
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He also had a cart that was pulled by two goats, called Tanngrísnir and Tanngnjóstr. He could kill them to feed, and they would be reborn the next day. This mention of these animals made this god also known as the lord of the goats, and it is understood that their sacrifice may be a reference to the human sacrifices made in their honor.|2|
Thor was married to Sif and was the father of four children, called modi, magni, Thrud and Lord. This marriage was his second, as he also got to be married to jarnsaxa.
According to the report of Edda in forpink, one of the written records of Norse mythology, Thor had his realm based at Thrúdvangar, and his hall was called bilskirnir, which had 540 rooms.|2|
Norse myths reported that Thor was an impatient and easily angered god, and one such myth claimed that he was the most powerful god of all. His influence was such that, in places of Anglo-Saxon culture, Thursday became known as Thor's Day. Thus, the term thursday (Thursday), in English, is a derivation of Thor's Day.
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How was the cult of Thor?
As mentioned, Thor was the most popular god among the Norse, who in the Viking Age were known as the Viking people. The Norse used to associate Thor with natural phenomena such as tides and thunder, but his importance in Norse life went far beyond that.
The Norse invoked Thor's name to solve problems and to ensure themselves protection. Historians point to the fact that his name was invoked to seal deals and marriages. The Norse prayed to him that there would be a good harvest and asked for his protection on their journeys by sea.
Thor's name was also invoked in battle, and historians know of countless other references people made to this god in their everyday lives. One of the most common ways of worshiping Thor was through the use of pendants with the shape of Mjölnir, the hammer that was its symbol.
Historians understand that the common use of these pendants was a popular reaction to the growing Christianization of the Norse from the 10th century. Furthermore, we know that human sacrifices were performed in honor of Thor, and figurines of this god were fabricated, placed in temples, and used in his worship.|3|
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How did Thor die?
Thor became known as the giant-slayer god, and there are several Norse myths that chronicled his struggles with these beings. Johnni Langer mentioned cases where Thor fought and defeated giants in Norse mythology:
He [Thor] slew the mighty giant Hrungnir in a duel; he destroyed Thrym and all the giants and their families, after stealing his hammer; murdered the giant who built the wall of Asgard. It also impresses the number of giantesses killed by the hero of Asgard […].|4|
Despite his reputation as a slayer of giants, Thor's most famous clash would have been during Ragnarök, the myth that chronicled the end of the Nordic Universe and the birth of a new Universe. This catastrophic event would be marked by a greatbattleFinal, which would end with the death of most of the Norse gods.
During Ragnarök, Thor would fight against Jörmungandr, a giant snake that would circle the entire planet with its length. This serpent was Loki's daughter with the giantess Angrboda and was understood in Norse religiosity as a carrier of chaos.
During Ragnarök, a final battle would take place on the plain of Vigrid, and in it Thor and Jormungandr would become would find again (there was a Norse myth that told of Thor's attempt to fish the snake). During the battle, Thor would kill the serpent with his hammer, but he would drop dead, victim of the snake's venom. If you want to know more about the topic of this topic, read: Ragnarok.
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|1| LANGER, Johnni. Thor. In.: LANGER, Johnni (ed.) Dictionary of mitology noordic: symbols, myths and rites. Hedra: São Paulo, 2015. for. 496.
|2| STURLUSON, Snorri. Edda in forpink: Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmal. Publisher Barbudânia, 2015. for. 58
|3| LANGER, Johnni. Thor. In.: LANGER, Johnni (ed.) Dictionary of mitology noordic: symbols, myths and rites. Hedra: São Paulo, 2015. for. 498.
|4| Idem, p. 497.
By Daniel Neves Silva
History teacher
