In Norse mythology, Jörð (Old Norse "earth", pronounced ˈjɔrð, sometimes anglicized as Jord or Jorth) is a female jötunn, the mother of Thor and Meili, and the personification of the Earth. Fjörgyn and Hlôdyn are considered to be other names for Jörð. Jörð is reckoned a goddess, like other jötnar who coupled with the gods.^[1] Jörð's name appears in skaldic poetry both as a poetic term for the land and in kennings for Thor.

EtymologyEdit

Jörð is the common word for earth in Old Norse, as are the word's descendants in the modern Scandinavian languages; Icelandic jörð, Faroese jørð, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian jord. It is cognate to English "earth" through Old English eorðe.^[2]

AttestationsEdit

GylfaginningEdit

In Gylfaginning, the first part of the Prose Edda, Jörð is described as one of Odin's concubines and the mother of Thor.^[3]

SkáldskaparmálEdit

In Snorri Sturluson's Skáldskaparmál, Jörð is called the rival of Odin's wife Frigg and his other giantess concubines, Rindr and Gunnlöd. She is the daughter of Annar and Nótt and half-sister of Auðr and Dagr.^[4]

NotesEdit

ReferencesEdit

• Lindow, John (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515382-0.
• Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell, London: ISBN 0-304-34520-2

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Jörð. The list of authors can be seen in the page history.