This wiki has had no edits or log actions made within the last 45 days and has been automatically marked as inactive. If you would like to prevent this wiki from being closed, please start showing signs of activity here. If there are no signs of this wiki being used within the next 15 days, this wiki will be closed in accordance to the Odin
_by_Konrad_Dielitz.jpg)
Odin (Old Norse Óðinn) is probably the most well known Germanic god. Most surviving information about him associates him with wisdom, death, knowledge, war, sorcery, poetry and rulership. Odin is the son of Burr and Bestla and husband of Frigg. Odin, along with Vili and Vé, created the cosmos by slaying Ymir, the ancestor of the jötnar. Odin is known by many names, Alfödr (Allfather) being one of the more well-known. As is implied by the title, Odin is the king of the gods.
His name is the origin of the word "Wednesday".
Odin takes half of those who die in battle to his hall in Asgard, Valhalla (the other half going to Freya's hall of Fólkvangr) and gave up one of his eyes to learn the runes. He is connected with seiðr.
Other Names[edit]
- Wōden (Old English)
- Uuôden (Old Saxon)
- Wuodan (Old Dutch)
- Wêda (Old Frisian)
- Wuotan (Old High German)
- Wûtan (Old Bavarian)
Areas of Worship[edit]
- Scandinavia
- Germany
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- England
- Isle of Man? (based on archaeological finds)
Depictions[edit]
Odin is typically portrayed as an old man with a long beard, one eye, a spear (Gungnir), two ravens (Huginn and Muninn -- thought and memory) and two wolves (Geri and Freki). He is sometimes depicted riding his eight-legged horse Sleipnir.
Sacred Animals[edit]
- Ravens
- Wolves
- Possibly snakes, bears and horses (according to The Encyclopedia of Spirits). Horses could be argued because of Sleipnir.
Holidays[edit]
Odin is associated with Yule.
Miscellaneous[edit]
- In later folklore, Odin is the leader of the Wild Hunt
- The god Óðr, husband of Freya, may or may not be Odin
- His hall is the mead hall, Valhalla (hall of the slain)
- Plants associated with Odin are: Fly amanita (Amanita muscaria), Elecampane/elfwort (Inula helenium), Juniper (called Woden's Rod), Monkshood (Aconitum napellus), Wotan's Herb (Heliotropium europaeum) PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND RESEARCH PLANTS BEFORE USING THEM! some of the plants listed here have dangerous properties
Offerings[edit]
see: General offerings
- Knowledge
- Poetry
- Stories
- Meat
Kennings[edit]
- Alfǫðr, "Allfather" (attested in Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, Grímnismál)
- Angan Friggjar, "delight of Frigg" (attested in Völuspá)
- Blindi, "blind" (attested in Gylfaginning)
- Draugadróttinn, "lord of the undead" (attested in Ynglinga Saga)
- Gangari, "wanderer" (attested in Gylfaginning, Grímnismál)
- Goði hrafnblóts, "Goði of the raven-offering"
- Grímnir, "hooded/masked one" (attested in Gylfaginning, Grímnismál, et cetera)
- Hangi, "hanged one"
- Hrafnaguð, "raven god" (attested in Gylfaginning)
- Jǫlfuðr, "Yule father"
...many, many others. Odin has ~170 attested names.
See Also[edit]
- Burr - father
- Bestla - mother
- Vili and Vé - brothers
- Frigg - wife
- Einherjar, on Wikipedia
- Baldr - son
- Thor - son
Resources[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
- Lindow, John. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press, 2001. (pg 247)
- Gungnir, on Wikipedia
- List of names of Odin, on Wikipedia
- Odin, on Wikipedia
- Illes, Judika. The Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. (pg 777)