Vanir
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In Norse mythology, the Vanir are one of two groups of gods, the other being the Æsir. In Norse Mythology, the Vanir are a distinguished subgroup of gods most associated with fertility. All gods of Norse Mythology can be classified under the one group known as the Æsir yet the Vanir were a distinct tribe of gods that oppressed the rest.
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[edit] Vanaheim
Vanaheim is the land in which the Vanir dwell. It is also known by the name of Vanaland or Vanaheimr. According to Snorri's Edda, Vanaland is said to lay east to Ásaland, the home land of the Asgardians. Tanais is the word most associated with Vanaheim and is the classical name for River Don, which is where Vanaheim is said to lie on.
[edit] The Deities
The Vanir produced several gods who played key roles in Norse Mythology. However the best-known of these are Njord, Freyr, and Freyja.
- Njord was known to be the first king of the Swedes. He was said to have had all the wealth in world. He had power over the wind and the seas. Many fishermen call on him for seafaring and fishing. Njord often played a passive role in Norse Mythology yet is most famous for the Hostage Exchange that took place between the Vanir and Asgardians.
- Frey was the son of Njord and is described as a god of fertility. Frey was often called upon for prosperity and peace. He is said to be the most noble of the Asgardians(following the Hostage Exchange) and rules over rain, sunshine, and the growth of the Earth.
- Freyja was the daughter of Njord and the sister of Frey. She is said to love erotic poetry and is good to call upon for love. Freyja is married to Od and when he leaves for long journeys, she cries tears of red. Freyja essentially exists as an object of male lust for giants.
These three are the only gods known to have lived among the Asgardians as a result of the Hostage Exchange. Other gods are present among the Vanir yet the Poetic Edda speaks little of them.
[edit] The Æsir-Vanir War
The Æsir-Vanir War was fought at the beginning of time, and eventually resulted in the unification of the two groups. One of the more fascinating aspects of the war is a seeress by the name of Gullveig, who could not be defeated by the Æsir. Many scholars believe this seeress to be Freyja. The Völuspá is where most information about the war is derived from. It is said to be written by the seeress herself and explains much of the war and its aftermath. Many scholars believe that Freyja was most likely responsible for the war. It could be said that Freyja was sent to Ásgard, the capital of Ásaland, to corrupt the Asgardians through greed, lust, and witchcraft.
The Asgardians and Vanir plundered each other's walls until each grew tired and weary of the neverending struggle. Both groups of gods finally concluded on peace. As a truce settlement, a kettle was brought before both the gods of the Vanir and Asgardians, and both groups of gods spat into the kettle. From the mingled spittle, the gods created the first of man. His name was Kvasir. Kvasir was said to be the wisest of all the gods and went about sharing his knowledge with the rest of the universe.
[edit] The Hostage Exchange
Along with the creation of Kvasir, the gods reaching peace resulted in the exchange of hostages. The Asgardians sent the gods Hœnir and Mímir to the Vanir and in exchange the Vanir sent Njörd and Freyr. The Asgardians proclaimed that both Hœnir and Mímir were great leaders and the best of Ásaland. The Vanir had sent their two chief leaders, however they found that they did not receive a fair trade.
Following the exchange, the Vanir found that Hœnir did not possess great leadership qualities that the Asgardians claimed he did. Without being able to seek council from Mímir, Hœnir proved worthless to the Vanir. The Vanir suspected that they had been cheated, and in retaliation they decapitated Mímir and sent his head to the ruler of the Aesir, Odin. Odin preserved Mímir's head and Mímir in return told Odin many hidden things about the Vanir. As for Njörd and Freyr, the Asgardians made them leaders of cult and made great use of them.
Because of the incorporation of Njörd and Freyr into the Asgardians as leaders, the Vanir in time became unified with the Asgardians as a whole.
[edit] Parallels
The Æsir-Vanir War is often seen as the reflection of Indo-Europeans overrunning the fertility cults of those in the Germanic area. There are also ties to Greek and Roman mythology, primal gods being replaced by newcomers who resided in the sky. This war between the Asgardian gods and Vanir gods is seen by scholars[who?] as no more historical than any other myth.
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