Norse Paganism

The Norse people were a group of people from northern Europe who spoke Northern Germanic languages, which evolved into the modern Scandinavian languages. These groups entered history in the late eighth century when they invaded western and eastern Europe. By the eleventh century, they had come to dominate these areas through a series of bloody battles and conquests. Over the next century, they made their way to England, Ireland, France, Russia, and Anatolia. These are the places today home to large, thriving Norse Pagan (Heathen) communities. One of the most widely known aspects of Norse mythology is the pantheon of deities that ruled over the ancient Germanic tribes in northern Europe. The gods and goddesses of the Norse people were highly regarded, and their stories are still told today. Some of these deities include Odin, Thor, Loki, Freyja, and Sif, and appear in the famous epic poems compiled and known as the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. Multiple sources give detailed insight into Norse paganism, including the archeological evidence discovered at various northern European sites and information found in other literary works of this period. This book presents information on Norse paganism to give you the foundational knowledge necessary to understand this topic. It can serve as a starting point for further study or to simply learn more about these religions. Norse paganism has a deep, vibrant history that has been largely forgotten, but it is being brought back to life today by a growing number of people.