Norse Mythology

The Norse people lived from about A.D. 200 to 500 in northern Europe and Scandinavia. After A.D. 700, some of the Norse began migration in search of new lands, settling in parts of the British Isles, Iceland, Greenland and East into Russia. From this period on, the Norse are known as Vikings.

The Norse Family Tree
Back to the World Map
Arctic Cultures
The Norse pantheon is a colorful mix of gods and goddesses. Our knowledge of Norse mythology is based mainly on documents written between the 11th and 18th centuries, after the Norse officially became Christian. These documents record earlier stories and sagas. As in other cultures, many of the gods and goddesses in Norse mythology were thought to be related to one another, so they can be represented in a family tree.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Windows to the Universe</em></small></p>

Explore Norse Mythology

The Earth: Midgard

In Norse mythology, Midgard is the Earth. It was created when the supreme god, Odin and his ...Read more

The Sea: Aegir

Aegir was a fierce god of the sea in Norse and Celtic mythology. He and his wife, Ran, had ...Read more

The Winds: Njord

Njord was the god of the sea and wind in Norse mythology. He was the father of Freyr and Freya. ...Read more

The Thunder: Thor

In Norse mythology, Thor was the god of thunder. He produces thunder with his hammer, called ...Read more

The Sky: Tyr

In the early centuries after the birth of Christ, Tyr was a powerful god of the sky and war. ...Read more

The Sky: Odin

Odin was the mighty god to the Norsemen. He was called All-Father. He is pictured as a middle-aged ...Read more

The Aurora: Freya

Norse mythology associates the aurora with the beautiful goddess, Freya, daughter of Njord ...Read more

The Northern Lights: The Valkiries

In Norse mythology, it is believed that the northern lights (the aurora) were light reflected ...Read more

The Sun: Freyr

In Norse mythology, Freyr is linked with the Sun. His parents were the sea god Njord and the ...Read more

The Planet Venus: Sif

One of the volcanoes on the planet of Venus is named after the Norse goddess Sif. Most of the ...Read more

More about Norse Mythology

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that there may be 200 or so dwarf planets in the solar system, out to the Kuiper Belt?

Do you know what the gods Re, Tonatiuh, and Shamash all have in common?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Plate tectonics
xPlate tectonics : The theory supported by a wide range of evidence that considers the Earth's crust and upper mantle to be composed of several large, thin, relatively rigid plates that move relative to one another.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Scientists Study "Glaciovolcanoes," Mountains of Fire and Ice

In the spring of 2010, the eruption of a volcano called Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland cancelled many flights in Europe. Eyjafjallajökull is a glaciovolcano, which means it's a volcano that is covered by...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA