The ancient Germans lived in a tribal system. Each tribe had its own deities and beliefs, which differed significantly from each other.
At the heart of one of the ancient Germanic mythologies are Scandinavian legends. The inhabitants of the northern part of Europe were too far from extraneous influences, for this reason they better and longer preserved their original culture and beliefs. It is Scandinavian mythology that has survived to this day, preserved in two literary works. One collection called "Elder Edda" consists of poetic hymns, the second is written in prose and is called "Younger Edda". The author of these works is Snorri Sturluson, who lived in the 13th century.
Scandinavian mythology is close to the myths of the Slavs, connected with the Scandinavians by strong ties. These geographically close peoples had a lot in common in their cult and folk celebrations. They celebrated the same calendar holidays (for example, the summer and winter solstices).
According to Scandinavian mythology,originally there was only the abyss of the world, filled with emptiness and darkness. First, the androgynous giant Ymir, who gave rise to the world, was born. According to Scandinavian mythology, the gods divided his body into several parts and created heaven, water and earth from them. After that, the great gods Odin, Lodur and Khenir raised the land from the bottom of the oceans, ennobled it and gave life to the first people. Thus, the existing order of things was given a start.
The most important gods and goddesses of the Scandinavian pantheon differed in individual features and various functions. A whole cycle of myths was associated with each of these deities. Some experts argue that Scandinavian mythology has much in common with ancient Greek. However, only polytheism can be considered a similar feature.
The supreme god in Scandinavian mythology was Odin, who was endowed with the features of a strong shaman, a sage. Thor was called the god of storm, thunder and fertility, the main protector from giants and terrible monsters. He was portrayed as a hero with a red beard, who was armed with a war hammer.
As Scandinavian mythology tells, Loki played the role of a mythical rogue among the gods, in which cunning and comedy were intertwined. He participates in the creation of people together with Odin, as a companion of the ingenuous Thor, helps him in the fight against monsters. In Scandinavian mythology, Freyr was the god of fertility, peace and we alth. His sister was Odin's wife. Freya (namely, that was her name) was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. She was looking for her husband Odin,mourning him with golden tears.
The whole Scandinavian mythology makes an extraordinary impression. Apparently, it belonged to courageous and stern people who were not afraid to look death in the face. All participants know that the course of events leads to the death of the world, but honestly and steadfastly fulfill their duty.
Such a belief was caused by the way of life of the Scandinavian jarl princes, their warriors and skald poets. Thus, this mythology can be said to be a direct reflection of the harsh and difficult conditions in which the people who created it lived.
