How Many Norse Gods Were Worshiped Historically?

Only 5-6 Norse gods were ever worshipped according to all the sources. There is no evidence that any gods other than Odin, Thor, Freyr, Freyja and Tyr were ever worshipped. That is because all the other gods and characters in the myths are representative of different aspects of nature and the universe. This video goes over all the sources about this.

00:00 -Intro/How many?
01:55 -1.Ritual sources
03:18 -2.Prayer Sources
05:10 -3.Archaeology/Idols
06:33 -4.Place names
07:53 -5.Specific Worship sources
11:00 -Conclusion

#norsepagan
#heathen
#norse

[DVX_BELLORVM]

It does seem that a wider range of goddess were worshiped than are mentioned in the Eddas and Sagas. In continental Germanic and Anglo-Saxon (pre Viking Age) sources, it appears that Frig/Frijia/Frea was worshiped. The best evidence of this is Paul the Deacon's account of two chieftains of the Langobards invoking Frea for victory before a battle with the Vandals. According to Bede, Anglo-Saxons also worshiped Eostre and Hreda. Tacitus mentions a few other goddesses being worshiped such as Tanfana and Baduhenna. Then there are the various votive altars to goddesses such as Nehalennia and Harimella.

[Son-of-Tyr]

Really cool finding in Denmark recently. They found a broach depicting Fenrir biting off Tyr's hand. Check it out, it's awesome.

[whalespirit]

You literally are the coolest youtuber

[HansWick]

I have only ever worshipped Odin, Thor, Freya and Frey. I have a Odin statue, a hammer, a small cat carved from stone and a boars tusk to represent them. Never felt called to any others but I will look into Tyr more. Thanks for the sources like always

[rrsjr]

I find it interesting Tacitus equated Odin with Mercury and not Jupiter. This seems to equate Odin with Hermes and by extension Thoth via Hermes Trimegistus. This analogy appears to denote his identification of Odin as a magician/alchemist as opposed to a "king daddy" like Zeus/Jupiter, despite his appellation as the All-Father and head of the Aesir. Also interesting to me is the apparent shift away from Tyr as "head" of the Aesir (much more of a "king daddy" in character) to Odin the mystic. Could this change in orientation be causally-linked to the Swedes' shift towards a stronger spiritual awareness and emphasis in the Viking Age as you've discussed in another vid?

[seanjobst]

Great video and I completely agree. I try to reconstruct as much as possible what was historical to my Suebi and Alemanni Heathen ancestors, using the same type of multifaceted approach as yours. Our three main Gods that were worshipped were (using their original Alemannic names): Wuodan, Ziu (Tyr), and Donar. These are attested not only by Tacitus but countless charms, rune inscriptions, and other archaeological findings as late as the 7th century. Also place-names, such as Ziusburg (now Augsburg) after Ziu and Gutenstein (where the famous Scabbard showing a wolf-warrior was discovered) after Wuodan (at some point in Germany, "g' and "w' were used interchangeably), etc.. Missionaries and monks such as Columbanus disrupted blots and libations to these three Gods....As for Goddesses, we have folklore (told to me by my Oma although she died a Catholic) about Frau Holle, not much I can find about Freyja although our kindred Langobards did venerate her under the name Frija. Holle being described as the "wife" of and often interchangeably with Wuodan (whose name later evolved in German as Wotan), such as their being joint leaders of the Wild Hunt, etc., lead me to think she was none other than whom the Norse knew as Frigg and basically the feminine power-force, Earth Mother Goddess. Roman evidence also attests to another Goddess named Zisa, about whom I wrote an article and had to dig through alot of research, who seems regional to Augsburg and was associated most with fertility. She would be the female equivalent to Ziu....I could (yet) find no evidence of the Vanir among our tribe....As for the God Balder, I am not sure and I tend to agree with your conclusions about what he represents, but its tantalizing because one of my ancestral villages was Baldern (now just part of Bopfingen), where there is a famous castle where my great-great-grandfather worked as a forester in the forest leading up to the mountain. So I wonder if this place-name has anything to do with Balder.

[sylvarogre]

I know this is a year old, but thought you might find this interesting. Los Angeles isn't the full name of the city. The English translation is "The City of Our Lady Queen of the Angels." I'd also point out that Catholics don't worship Mary or Angels any more than Pagans worship their ancestors and nature spirits. Which I think is kind of your point. Recognizing and honoring various spirits is often mistaken for worship. Worship is very specific and reserved for particular deities at particular times and places. I think highly of Shaquille O'Neil because he tall and strong and successful, but I don't worship him even a smidge.

[carnation]

Just a blind shot in the dark but I wonder if the worship of Nerthus was from the Greek goddesses Nereids or mix of them & their father Nereus who were all associated with bounties of the sea. Just a thought. Thanks for the great video. PS I guessed 5. The 4 original you listed plus Tyr which I think was the man one before the others came along. Also..your laugh is contagious😂♥️

[noregrveidr]

I know this video is older, but what about Ullr? atleast in Sweden and Norway he seem to be a major god with the Place names and the temple + the oath rings that were found there

[colinp]

After viewing a few of your videos subbing is a must for me. I like your method of presentation that comes across easy and not arrogant as some do.
I believe that you do not worship Goku but was that a figurine of the godess Barbie in the background?
Seriously Michael, when you gesture the number two with the index and middle fingers with your palm inwards you are insulting us viewers in the UK. This gesture is telling the UK to fuck off and is believed to date back to the middle ages when the English were fighting the French. During the war Churchill used the opposite gesture V for victory, with the palm facing outwards, towards his audience.

[pamelasavage]

What God's do you worship? Just curious.

[realplank]

I lke the idea of Tyr, Freyr, and Seaxnôt being regional divine ancestors.

[ThomasTegelmark]

Couldn't the names of our weekdays be an indication also for Odin, Tyr, Frei and Tor?

[g.l.holdren]

If you think there wasn't worship of angels when Las Angeles was named, you're out of your mind. It continues to go on in many of its churches.

[susanschaffner]

Los Angeles? Hard to believe. I live on the Mojave desert.

[yippikahyey]

The gods are sort of Captain Planet. Forces of naturen combined into an effegy by the actions of people.

[anticucarachas]

I forgot some people have pointed idunn and gefjun.gefjun I've read in some writings but can't remember if it was a saga

[Silvercrypto-xkzy]

what are you wearing on your neck? it doesn’t look like your mjolnir.