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A (also jotun; in the normalised scholarly spelling of
Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlement ...
, ; ; plural / ) or, in
Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th ...
, (plural ) is a type of
supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
being in
Germanic mythology Germanic mythology consists of the body of myths native to the Germanic peoples, including Norse mythology, Anglo-Saxon mythology, and Continental Germanic mythology. It was a key element of Germanic paganism. Origins As the Germanic lang ...
. In
Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern per ...
, they are often contrasted with gods ( Æsir and Vanir) and other non-human figures, such as dwarfs and
elves An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes ...
, although the groupings are not always mutually exclusive. The entities themselves are referred to by several other terms, including , (or ) and if male and or if female. The typically dwell across boundaries from the gods and humans in lands such as . The are frequently attested throughout the Old Norse record, with also featuring in the Old English epic poem ''
Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. ...
''. The usage of the terms is dynamic, with an overall trend that the beings become portrayed as less impressive and more negative as Christianity becomes more influential. Although the term " giant" is sometimes used to gloss the word "" and its apparent synonyms in some translations and academic texts, are not necessarily notably large. The terms for the beings also have cognates in later folklore such as the British Yotun and Danish which can share some common features such as being turned to stone in the day and living on the periphery of society.


Origin, appearance and terminology

Old Norse (also ) and
Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th ...
developed from the
Proto-Germanic Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. Proto-Germanic eventually developed from pre-Proto-Germanic into three Germanic br ...
masculine noun .Orel (2003:86).
Philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined ...
Vladimir Orel says that semantic connections between with Proto-Germanic ('to eat') makes a relation between the two nouns likely. Proto-Germanic is reconstructed from Old Norse 'consuming', Old English 'voracious, gluttonous', and
Old High German Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050. There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old Hig ...
'greedy'. The word is cognate with , an archaic word for ''giant''. Old Norse and Old High German derive from the Proto-Germanic masculine noun . Orel observes that the
Old Saxon Old Saxon, also known as Old Low German, was a Germanic language and the earliest recorded form of Low German (spoken nowadays in Northern Germany, the northeastern Netherlands, southern Denmark, the Americas and parts of Eastern Europe). I ...
adjective 'enormous' is likely also connected.Orel (2003:472). Old Norse , Old English , and Old High German 'devil, evil spirit' derive from the Proto-Germanic masculine noun , itself derived form Proto-Germanic , which is etymologically connected to
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
- 'strong, powerful, rich'.Orel (2003:429–430). Several terms are used specifically to refer to female entities that fall into this wider category, including (plural ), (plural ) and (plural ). The cognates (ON) and (OE), and (ON) and (OE) have been equated by scholars such as J. R. R. Tolkien and Rudolf Simek, with the word being used to describe the being when in either
Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlement ...
or Anglo-Saxon mythology respectively. In the Eddas, are beings typically with similar power to the gods and may also be referred to by the negative terms and . The harmful nature of is also described in the Icelandic and Norwegian rune poems, where they are identified for causing strife to women.Dickins (1915:28–33) Despite the terms used to refer to male and female often being glossed as 'giant' and 'giantess' respectively, in Eddic sources they are often not described as notably large and are thus sometimes anglicised or left untranslated in translations and academic texts.Some translators of the ''Poetic Edda'' do not render the word to ''giant''. For example, in the Foreword to Jeramy Dodds's translation of the '' Poetic Edda'', Terry Gunnell says that is "sometimes wrongly translated as 'giants and instead uses ''jötunns''. (Dodds 2014:9). Descriptions of the appearance of are uncommon however the progenitor of the is described as having the form of a man. Some female are described as being beautiful, such as Gerðr and Hymir's partner while others are described as monstrous and having many heads. Some dwarfs are described as such as Regin and Fáfnir, while in Alvíssmál, the eponymous dwarf is noted for having the likeness of a . As the influence of Christianity grew, became demonised and typically portrayed as less intelligent, easier to outwit and more monstrous, as is common with giants in later
Germanic folklore Proto-Germanic folklore is the folklore of the speakers of Proto-Germanic and includes topics such as the Germanic mythology, legendry, and folk beliefs of early Germanic culture. By way of the comparative method, Germanic philologists, a vari ...
. In some later sagas, such as Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss, are clearly distinct from however in others the terms are used interchangeably, albeit with an overall trend that have begun to be seen negatively relative to . has a much wider semantic scope in Old Norse literature than solely , also including individuals with unusual or supernatural traits such as witches, abnormally strong, large or ugly people, ghosts and berserkers.Ármann Jakobsson (2008).


Notable

* Gerðr, a daughter of Gymir and wife of Freyr. Usually regarded as an earth-goddess. * Fárbauti, the jötunn father of
Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi ...
with Laufey. * Fenja and Menja, sisters who turn the mill ''Grotti'' to produce gold and
Fróði's Peace Fróði's Peace (Old Norse: ) is a semi-legendary period of peace throughout Northern Europe that is referenced in Nordic mythology, skaldic poetry and historical accounts. Attestations Heimskringla In Snorri Sturluson's euhemeristic account of ...
. * Jörð, the mother of
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
with
Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, ...
. * Skaði, a daughter of
Þjazi In Norse mythology, Þjazi (Old Norse: ; anglicized as Thiazi, Thjazi, Tjasse or Thiassi) was a giant. He was a son of the giant Ölvaldi, brother of giants Iði and Gangr, and the father of Skaði. His most notable misdeed was the kidnapp ...
and later wife of Njörðr. Goddess associated with skiing and claimed as a mythical ancestor of Haakon Sigurdsson. *
Þjazi In Norse mythology, Þjazi (Old Norse: ; anglicized as Thiazi, Thjazi, Tjasse or Thiassi) was a giant. He was a son of the giant Ölvaldi, brother of giants Iði and Gangr, and the father of Skaði. His most notable misdeed was the kidnapp ...
, a jötunn who once kidknapped Iðunn and her apples of youth. He was later killed by the gods and his eyes made into stars. * Ymir, the progenitor of the . *
Urðr Urðr ( Old Norse "fate"Orchard (1997:169).) is one of the Norns in Norse mythology. Along with Verðandi (possibly "happening" or "present"Orchard (1997:174).) and Skuld (possibly "debt" or "future"Orchard (1997:151).), Urðr makes up a trio o ...
(Wyrd), Verðandi (Verthandi), and Skuld, the primary Norns.The article
Nornor
' in '' Nordisk familjebok'' (1913).


Mythological origin

In a stanza of '' Völuspá hin skamma'' (found in the poem "
Hyndluljóð ''Hyndluljóð'' (Old Norse: 'The Lay of Hyndla') is an Old Norse poem often considered a part of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in its entirety only in '' Flateyjarbók'', but some stanzas are also quoted in the ''Prose Edda'', where th ...
") all descend from Ymir.Bellows (1923:229) and Thorpe (1866:111). Gylfaginning elaborates on this, describing that the primordial Ymir formed in the warm waters that arose in Ginnungagap when the rime of Niflheim was melted by the heat of Muspelheim. He lay there asleep, fed by milk from Auðumbla, whereupon from his left armpit he sweated a male and a female, and his legs begat a son with one another. Together, these children became the ancestors of all other . Later, he was killed by the first gods, resulting in a
flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
of Ymir's blood, in which all drowned except
Bergelmir Bergelmir ( ; Old Norse: ) is a jötunn in Norse mythology. Name The Old Norse name ''Bergelmir'' has been variously translated as 'bear-yeller', 'mountain-yeller', or 'bare-yeller'. According to linguist Jan de Vries, the name should be read ...
and his family, who survive this event by way of sailing upon a . This has been linked to a runic inscription on a sword hilt in
Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. ...
which describes the being killed in an ancient flood and has been proposed to derive from Germanic and wider
Indo-European mythology Proto-Indo-European mythology is the body of myths and deities associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language. Although the mythological motifs are not directly atteste ...
. According to Gylfaginning, after Ymir was killed, his body was wrought into the world and a sea surrounded it. The gods then gave the surviving families lands along the shore to settle, placing them in the periphery. Ymir's brows were then used to build Midgard and protect it from the due to their known aggression.


Attributes and themes


Position as the "Other"

Most stories in Old Norse mythology show a clear division between "This World", pertaining to that of gods and men, and "The Other", which is inhabited by and beings associated with them. A common motif is the journeying to obtain secret knowledge from the . In the Eddic poem
Hyndluljóð ''Hyndluljóð'' (Old Norse: 'The Lay of Hyndla') is an Old Norse poem often considered a part of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in its entirety only in '' Flateyjarbók'', but some stanzas are also quoted in the ''Prose Edda'', where th ...
, Freyja travels to the to obtain understanding of the lineage of Ottar, and the "ale of remembrance" ( non, minnisǫl) so that he does not forget it. In the Eddic poem
Vafþrúðnismál ''Vafþrúðnismál'' ( Old Norse: "The Lay of Vafþrúðnir") is the third poem in the '' Poetic Edda''. It is a conversation in verse form conducted initially between the Æsir Odin and Frigg, and subsequently between Odin and the jötunn Vaf ...
, Óðinn travels to the
Vafþrúðnir Vafþrúðnir ( Old Norse: ; "mighty weaver"Orchard (1997:170).) is a wise jötunn in Norse mythology. His name comes from ''Vaf'', which means weave or entangle, and ''thrudnir'', which means strong or mighty. Some interpret it to mean "mighty i ...
whereupon they engage in a wisdom contest. He also travels to the to obtain from
Suttungr In Norse mythology, Suttungr ( ; Old Norse: ) was a ''jötunn'' and the son of Gilling. Mythology Suttungr searched for his parents and threatened the dwarven brothers Fjalar and Galar who had killed them, tying them and some other dwarves ...
the Mead of poetry, which imparts skill in poetry to any who drink it. The
völva In Germanic paganism, a seeress is a woman said to have the ability to foretell future events and perform sorcery. They are also referred to with many other names meaning "prophetess", "staff bearer", "wise woman" and "sorceress", and they are ...
who tells the Völuspá prophecy to Óðinn, while not explicitly described as a but was raised by them. Cosmology in Germanic mythology, as with other oral cultures, has many apparent contradictions when viewed from a naturalistic standpoint. Despite this, a system of motifs repeat when travelling to the . In the
Prose Edda The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been ...
that the dwell in Jötunheimr which is at points located in the North or East and in can only be reached by air, however are also found South and across water. such as
Suttungr In Norse mythology, Suttungr ( ; Old Norse: ) was a ''jötunn'' and the son of Gilling. Mythology Suttungr searched for his parents and threatened the dwarven brothers Fjalar and Galar who had killed them, tying them and some other dwarves ...
and Skaði live in mountains, which is further reflected in the terms non, bergrisar (mountain risar) and non, bergbúi (mountain dweller), a kenning for . Their lands of inhabitation are not restricted to this, also including forests, underground, and the shore. Sometimes they are referred to as living in specific geographical locations such as Ægir on
Læsø Læsø ("Isle of Hlér") is the largest island in the North Sea bay of Kattegat, and is located off the northeast coast of the Jutland Peninsula, the Danish mainland. Læsø is also the name of the municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') on that ...
. These motifs are also seen in the section of
Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. ...
concerning the fight with
mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ...
of the
Grendel Grendel is a character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem '' Beowulf'' (700–1000). He is one of the poem's three antagonists (along with his mother and the dragon), all aligned in opposition against the protagonist Beowulf. Grendel is feared by ...
which has been noted by scholars to closely resemble the fight between a and Grettir in his eponymous saga, wherein the female beings may only be reached by crossing through water. The seemingly ununified location of the has been suggested to be an outcome of their intrinsically chaotic nature. Even within the same story, what seem like contradictions have been noted by scholars, prompting the proposal of a model that the otherworld where the dwell can be reached from a number of passages or boundaries that cannot be traversed under normal conditions, such as the mountains, darkness and "flickering flame" crossed by
Skírnir In Norse mythology, Skírnir (Old Norse" ; "bright one"Orchard (1997:149).) is the god Freyr's messenger and vassal. In the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Skírnismál'', Skírnir is sent as a messenger to Jötunheimr to conduct lovesick Freyr's wooing o ...
in
Skírnismál ''Skírnismál'' (Old Norse: 'The Lay of Skírnir') is one of the poems of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in the 13th-century manuscripts Codex Regius and AM 748 I 4to but may have been originally composed in the early 10th century. Many ...
. In Eddic sources, present a constant threat to gods and humans, often leading them to confrontation with
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
. In Hárbarðsljóð and Þrymskviða tell that if it was not for
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
and Mjöllnir, would soon overrun Midgard and Asgard respectively. Nonetheless, Thor also has a positive relationship with some , such as Gríðr and the unnamed wife of Hymir, who provide magical items and council that enable him to overcome other .


Ancestors of gods and humans

The distinction between gods and is not clearly defined and they should be seen as different culturally rather than biologically, with some gods, such as
Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, ...
,
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
and
Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi ...
being the descendants of . A common motif that often forms the core storyline of Eddic narratives is the unsuccessful attempts of to marry one of the goddesses, be it through either trickery or force. In contrast, the female Skaði chooses the male Vanr Njörðr as a husband. According to
Ynglinga saga ''Ynglinga saga'' ( ) is a Kings' saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It is the first section of his '' Heimskringla''. It was first translated into English and published in 1 ...
, she later had children with Odin, from whom kings such as Earl Hakon were descended. The Freyr also marries Gerðr, who are the claimed ancestors of the
Ynglings The Ynglings were a dynasty of kings, first in Sweden and later in Norway, primarily attested through the poem ''Ynglingatal''. The dynasty also appears as Scylfings (Old Norse ''Skilfingar'') in ''Beowulf''. When ''Beowulf'' and ''Ynglingatal'' ...
. Odin also seduces the
Gunnlöð Gunnlǫð (Old Norse: ; also Gunnlöd) is a jötunn in Norse mythology. She is the daughter of Suttungr, for whom she guards the mead of poetry. Saturn's moon Gunnlod is named after her. Name The Old Norse name has been translated as 'war-i ...
and Rindr and marries Jörð. In the cases when gods marry , they appear to be fully incorporated into the gods and are referred to as Ásynjur in
Nafnaþulur ''Nafnaþulur'' (Old Norse: ) is a subsection of the ''Prose Edda The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland d ...
. Consistent with this, reference to Skaði's s in Lokasenna and toponyms such as Skedevi in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...
suggests that despite being a , she was worshipped in Old Norse religion.


Association with animals

One of the who dwell in the wood Járnviðr is a mother of ''jötnar'' in the forms of wolves and from whom are descended all wolves. This has been suggested to be Angrboða, the who begat with
Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi ...
the monstrous wolf Fenrir and venomous worm Jörmungandr who become enemies of the gods. Also in ''Járnviðr'' dwells the ''jötunn '' Eggþér who has been interpreted as either a guardian of the ''gýgjar'' who live there or a herdsman of the wolves. Wolves are also taken as mounts by such as Hyndla and Hyrrokkin, the latter of which using snakes as reins. This is further attested in skaldic poetry in which "wolf" is described by the
kennings A kenning ( Icelandic: ) is a figure of speech in the type of circumlocution, a compound that employs figurative language in place of a more concrete single-word noun. Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English ...
" Leikn's horse", " Gjálp's horse", " Gríðr's horse", while a group of wolves is referred to as "Gríðr's grey herd of horses". Wolf-riding are referred to as ("riders in the night") or ("dusk riders"). Hræsvelgr is told in Vafþrúðnismál (37) and Gylfaginning (18) to be a in an arnarhamr (eagle-guise) who creates the wind by beating his wings. Other , such as
Þjazi In Norse mythology, Þjazi (Old Norse: ; anglicized as Thiazi, Thjazi, Tjasse or Thiassi) was a giant. He was a son of the giant Ölvaldi, brother of giants Iði and Gangr, and the father of Skaði. His most notable misdeed was the kidnapp ...
and
Suttungr In Norse mythology, Suttungr ( ; Old Norse: ) was a ''jötunn'' and the son of Gilling. Mythology Suttungr searched for his parents and threatened the dwarven brothers Fjalar and Galar who had killed them, tying them and some other dwarves ...
are able to become eagles by wearing their , or resemble them like Griðr in Illuga saga Gríðarfóstra who has hands like eagle talons.


Demonisation

In later material composed during the Christian period such as the legendary sagas, are often portrayed as uncivilised and cannibalistic. In the case of ''Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss'' and Hálfdanar saga Brönufóstra they specifically eat both human and horse meat, the latter of which was directly associated with heathen practices. The post-Christian association between and pre-Christian practices is also seen in
Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. ...
, in which the man-eating
Grendel Grendel is a character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem '' Beowulf'' (700–1000). He is one of the poem's three antagonists (along with his mother and the dragon), all aligned in opposition against the protagonist Beowulf. Grendel is feared by ...
is described as having a "heathen soul" and "heathenish hand-spurs". Female are explicitly described as being heathen in some later sources such as '' Orms þáttr Stórólfssonar'', in which religion prevents her from being with the hero, and the legendary saga Þorsteins þáttr bæjarmagns, in which she must be baptised before marrying the hero.


Post-medieval folklore

Giants with names cognate to terms for are found in later Northern European folklore, such as the English ''ettin'' or ''yotun'', ''thurse'' and ''hobthrust'', Danish and Swedish . In
Germanic folklore Proto-Germanic folklore is the folklore of the speakers of Proto-Germanic and includes topics such as the Germanic mythology, legendry, and folk beliefs of early Germanic culture. By way of the comparative method, Germanic philologists, a vari ...
, giants often share traits with , particularly as depicted in legendary sagas, combined with motifs from other European giants and are often interchangeable with trolls. As with , Germanic giants live outside of human communities, in woods and mountains. They commonly show an aversion to Christianity, often showing a disdain for the ringing of church bells. Similarities are also both seen in their role in the construction of stoneworks. Akin to the Old Norse tale of the who built the wall of Ásgarðr, giants often enter into wagers involved in the building of churches which they later lose, as with the tale of Jätten Finn who is attributed with the construction of Lund Cathedral. Ruins are also attributed to the works of both beings, as in the Old English poem The Ruin and the aetiological story of Wade's Causeway in
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
. Some standing stones in northern Europe are explained as petrified giants such as the Yetnasteen in Orkney which derives its name from non, Jǫtna-steinn (''Jötunn's'' stone). According to folklore, it awakens every New Year at midnight whereupon it visits the Loch of Scockness to drink. Orcadian folklore also explains the
Ring of Brodgar The Ring of Brodgar (or Brogar, or Ring o' Brodgar) is a Neolithic henge and stone circle about 6 miles north-east of Stromness on Mainland, the largest island in Orkney, Scotland. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the ...
as dancing giants who were turned to stone by the morning sun. This motif is also seen in Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar, in which the Hrímgerðr engages in a senna with Helgi Hundingsbane until the sun rises and she is turned to stone. The
Orcadian Orcadians, also known as Orkneymen, are an ethnic group native to the Orkney Islands, who speak an Orcadian dialect of the Scots language, a West Germanic language, and share a common history, culture and ancestry. Speaking Norn, a native North G ...
tradition of Gyro Night derives its name from non, gýgr and consisted of two older boys dressing up as masked old women one night in February and chasing smaller boys with ropes. Similar to this are the
Faroes The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway betw ...
e and
Shetland Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the n ...
ic popular customs of dressing up as giantesses referred to as (plural ), or other similar terms, in costumes traditionally made from a combination of animal skins, tattered clothes, seaweed, straw and sometimes featuring masks. Grýla is a female creature described in
Sturlunga saga ''Sturlunga saga'' (often called simply ''Sturlunga'') is a collection of Icelandic sagas by various authors from the 12th and 13th centuries; it was assembled in about 1300. It mostly deals with the story of the Sturlungs, a powerful family cla ...
as having fifteen tails, and listed as a in the
Nafnaþulur ''Nafnaþulur'' (Old Norse: ) is a subsection of the ''Prose Edda The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland d ...
section of the
Prose Edda The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been ...
who features in folklore throughout the North Atlantic islands settled by Scandinavians.


Toponomy

Placenames derived from ''þurs'' or cognate:
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
*
Thursford Thursford is a village and civil parish in the county of Norfolk, eastern England. The village is 16.3 miles southwest of Cromer, 24.5 miles northwest of Norwich and 121 miles north-east of London. The village lies 6.9 miles northwest of the nea ...
(Þyrs ford) – Village in
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
* ''Thursgill'' (Þurs' gill) –
Gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they ar ...
in
West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
, field in
Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. ...
* ''Thruss Pits'' (Þyrs pit) – Field in
Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...
* ''Thrispin Head'' (Þurs fen) – Wetland in
West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
* ''Trusey Hill'' (Þyrs hill) – Hill in
East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Riding or East Yorkshire, is a ceremonial county and unitary authority area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and west, South Yorkshire t ...


See also

*
Asura Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated ...
– a comparable class of deities in Indian mythology *
Div Div or DIV may refer to: Science and technology * Division (mathematics), the mathematical operation that is the inverse of multiplication * Span and div, HTML tags that implement generic elements * div, a C mathematical function * Divergence, a ...
– a comparable class of beings in Islamic-Persian lore * Ents * Giants (Marvel Comics) * Giant (''Dungeons & Dragons'') *
Titan Titan most often refers to: * Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn * Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology Titan or Titans may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities Fictional locations * Titan in fiction, fictiona ...
– a comparable class of deities in Greek mythology


Citations


Bibliography


Primary

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Secondary

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jotunn Types of deities