Æsir

Also known as Asier, Aesier, Ēse, Ōs, Áss

thumb|250px|Æsir gathered around the body of Baldr. Painting by [[Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1817]]

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The Æsir are the principal gods in Norse mythology, depicted in ancient Scandinavian religious beliefs and stories. They matter because they represent a foundational part of Viking-era culture and continue to influence modern understanding of Germanic and Norse heritage.

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Commons category: Æsir
female form of label: asynja
male form of label: áss

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Article

21 sections

Contents

Terminology
Etymology
Derived terms
Old Norse sources
Meaning of the term "Æsir"
Distinctions between "áss", "goð" and "vanr"
Proposed origins of a distinction with Vanir
Specific beings referred to as Æsir
Relation with jötnar
Old English sources
Wið færstice
The A-rune (ᚫ, ᚩ or ᚬ)
Modern worship
Place-names
Footnotes
See also
References
Bibliography
Primary
Secondary
External links

thumb|250px|Æsir gathered around the body of Baldr. Painting by [[Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1817]]

Æsir (Old Norse; singular: , female: , female plural: ) or ēse (Old English; singular: ) are gods in Germanic paganism. In Old Nordic religion and mythology, the precise meaning of the term "" is debated, as it can refer either to the gods in general or specifically to one of the main families of gods, in contrast to the Vanir, with whom the Æsir waged war, ultimately leading to a joining of the families. The term can further be applied to local gods that were believed to live in specific features in the landscape – such as fells. The Old English medical text Wið færstice refers to the Ēse, along with elves, as harmful beings that could cause a stabbing pain, although exactly how they were conceived of by the author of the text is unclear.