Dedicated to

Freyr, Freyja and Njord

The ‘Vanir’ are one of the families of
gods that make up the Norse/Anglo-Saxon pantheon. However they seem to stand
independant from the other deities and the Norse myths describe a great battle
between the Vanir and the Aesir (Odin, Thor & company) mirroring a clash of
two religions on Earth. The Vanir are:

FREY, god of
fertility, weather, wealth, magic, kingship and wisdom. Frey’s symbols are the
boar (which was often worn on helmets for good luck in battle) and the ship.
Early images of Frey’s show him with a large phallus.

FREYJA,
goddess of fertility, love, magic, war and death. In the Norse myths Freyja
gets first pick of the warriors slain in battle who dwell in her hall
Sessrumnir.

NJÖRÐ,
god of the sea. Father of Frey and Freyja.

NERTHUS,the
Earth mother (Nerthus is only known from German sources but her name is very
closely connected to Njord.

GERD,
Frey’s giantess wife, possibly another fertility goddess.

SKAÐHI,
Njörð’s giantess wife – the ski-goddess

The Vanir are particually connected with
fertility and their cult is based on the agricultural year.