Vár

Norse deity

For the Romanian village of Var, called Vár in Hungarian, see Obreja.

In Norse mythology, Vár or Vór (Old Norse, meaning either "pledge"[1] or "beloved"[2]) is a goddess associated with oaths and agreements. Vár is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and kennings found in skaldic poetry and a runic inscription. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.

## Attestations

[edit]

In the Poetic Edda poem Þrymskviða, the blessing of Vár is invoked by the jötunn Þrymr after his "bride" (who is actually the god Thor disguised as the goddess Freyja) is hallowed with the stolen hammer of Thor, Mjöllnir, at their wedding:

>     Benjamin Thorpe translation:
>     Then said Thrym,
>     the Thursars's lord:
>     Bring the hammer in,
>     the bride to consecrate;
>     lay Miöllnir
>     on the maiden's knee;
>     unite us each with other
>     by the hand of Vör.[3]
> |

>     Henry Adams Bellows translation:
>     Then loud spake Thrym,
>     the giants' leader:
>     "Bring in the hammer
>     to hallow the bride;
>     On the maiden's knees
>     let Mjollnir lie,
>     That us both the hand
>     of Vor may bless."[4]
> |
> 
|
|

In the chapter 35 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, High tells Gangleri (described as king Gylfi in disguise) about the ásynjur. High lists Vár ninth among the sixteen ásynjur he presents in the chapter and provides some information about her:

> Ninth Var: she listens to people's oaths and private agreements that women and men make between each other. Thus these contracts are called varar. She also punishes those who break them.[5]

In addition, Vár appears twice more in the Poetic Edda. In chapter 75 of the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál Vár appears within a list of 27 ásynjur names.[6] In chapter 87 the name Vár is employed in a kenning referring to the goddess Skaði ("bow-string-Vár") in the poem Haustlöng by the skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir.[7] A runic inscription inscribed on a stick from Bergen, Norway around the year 1300 records a common mercantile transaction followed by a verse from a displeased scribe that mentions Vár (edits applied per the translator's notes):

>     'Wise Var of wire ["woman of filigree," meaning "wise bejeweled woman"] makes (me) sit unhappy.
>     Eir [woman] of mackerels' ground [likely gold] takes often and much sleep from me.'[8]

Mindy Macleod and Bernard Mees posit that the first line of the inscription essentially means "women make me miserable" or potentially "marriage makes me miserable," whereas the second line means "women often take a lot of sleep from me."[8]

## Theories

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Regarding the ceremonial marital reference to Vár in Þrymskviða, Andy Orchard opines that "the antiquity of such a ritual is far from clear."[1] Britt-Mari Näsström argues that, like many other minor goddesses, Vár was originally one of Freyja's names, "later apprehended as independent goddesses."[9]

Rudolf Simek says that the goddesses Sága, Hlín, Sjöfn, Snotra, Vár, and Vör should be considered vaguely defined figures who "should be seen as female protective goddesses" that are all responsible for "specific areas of the private sphere, and yet clear differences were made between them so that they are in many ways similar to matrons."[10]

## Notes

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1. ^ a b Orchard (1997:173).
2. ^ Byock (2005:178) and Simek (2007:353).
3. ^ Thorpe (1866:66).
4. ^ Bellows (1923).
5. ^ Faulkes (1995:30).
6. ^ Faulkes (1995:157).
7. ^ Faulkes (1995:87).
8. ^ a b MacLeod. Mees (2006:59).
9. ^ Näsström (2003:83).
10. ^ Simek (2007:274).

## References

[edit]

* Bellows, Henry Adams (Trans.) (1923). The poetic Edda. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation.
* Byock, Jesse (Trans.) (2005). The Prose Edda. Penguin Classics. ISBN 0-14-044755-5
* Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). Snorri Sturluson: Edda. First published in 1987. London: Everyman. ISBN 0-460-87616-3
* Lindow, John (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515382-0
* Macleod, Mindy. Mees, Bernard (2006). Runic Amulets and Magic Objects. Boydell Press. ISBN 1-84383-205-4
* Näsström, Britt-Mari (2003). Freyja - the great Goddess of the North. Harwich Port: Clock & Rose, 2003. First published: University of Lund, 1995. ISBN 1-59386-019-6.
* Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-34520-2
* Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer. ISBN 0-85991-513-1
* Thorpe, Benjamin (Trans.) (1866). Edda Sæmundar Hinns Frôða: The Edda of Sæmund the Learned. Part I. London: Trübner & Co.

* v
* t
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Old Norse religion and mythology

Mythological Norse people, items and places

Deities,
dwarfs, jötnar,
and other figures

| Æsir|

* Almáttki áss
* Baldr
* Bragi
* Dellingr
* Forseti
* Heimdall
* Hermóðr
* Höðr
* Hœnir
* Ítreksjóð
* Lóðurr
* Loki
* Máni
* Meili
* Mímir
* Móði and Magni
* Odin
* Óðr
* Thor
* Týr
* Ullr
* Váli (son of Odin)
* Víðarr
* Vili and Vé

|

Ásynjur|

* Bil
* Eir
* Frigg
* Fulla
* Gefjon
* Gerðr
* Gná
* Hlín
* Iðunn
* Ilmr
* Irpa
* Lofn
* Nanna
* Njörun
* Rán
* Rindr
* Sága
* Sif
* Sigyn
* Sjöfn
* Skaði
* Snotra
* Sól
* Syn
* Þorgerðr Hölgabrúðr
* Þrúðr
* Vár
* Vör

Vanir|

* Freyja
* Freyr
* Ingunar-Freyr
* Yngvi
* Gersemi
* Gullveig
* Hnoss
* Kvasir
* Njörðr
* Sister-wife of Njörðr

Jötnar|

* Ægir
* Alvaldi
* Angrboða
* Aurboða
* Baugi
* Beli
* Bergelmir
* Bestla
* Bölþorn
* Býleistr
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* Fárbauti
* Fjölvar
* Fornjót
* Gangr
* Geirröðr
* Gillingr
* Gjálp and Greip
* Gríðr
* Gunnlöð
* Gymir
* Harðgreipr
* Helblindi
* Helreginn
* Hljod
* Hræsvelgr
* Hrímgerðr
* Hrímgrímnir
* Hrímnir
* Hroðr
* Hrungnir
* Hrymr
* Hymir
* Hyrrokkin
* Iði
* Ím
* Járnsaxa
* Laufey
* Leikn
* Litr
* Logi
* Mögþrasir
* Narfi (father of Nott)
* Sökkmímir
* Surtr
* Suttungr
* Þjazi
* Þökk
* Þrívaldi
* Þrúðgelmir
* Þrymr
* Útgarða-Loki
* Vafþrúðnir
* Víðblindi
* Vosud
* Vörnir
* Ymir

Dwarfs|

* Alvíss
* Andvari
* Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri
* Billingr
* Dáinn
* Durinn
* Dúrnir
* Dvalinn
* Fáfnir
* Fjalar and Galar
* Gandalf
* Hreiðmarr
* Litr
* Mótsognir
* Ótr
* Regin
* Sons of Ivaldi
* Brokkr
* Eitri

Heroes|

* List of figures in Germanic heroic legend
* A
* B–C
* D–E
* F–G
* H–He
* Hi–Hy
* I–O
* P–S
* T–Y
* people, clan, and place names in Germanic heroic legend
* named animals and plants
* named weapons, armour and treasures

Others|

* Ask and Embla
* Auðr
* Auðumbla
* Aurvandill
* Beyla
* Borr
* Búri
* Byggvir
* Dísir
* Landdísir
* Dragons
* Draugs
* Einherjar
* Eldir
* Elves
* Dark elves (Dökkálfar)
* Light elves (Ljósálfar)
* Black elves (Svartálfar)
* Fimafeng
* Fjalar (rooster)
* Fenrir
* Fjörgyn and Fjörgynn
* Fylgja
* Garmr
* Gullinbursti
* Hati Hróðvitnisson
* Hel
* Hildisvíni
* Hjúki
* Horses of the Æsir
* Árvakr and Alsviðr
* Blóðughófi
* Falhófnir
* Gísl
* Glaðr
* Glær
* Glenr
* Grani
* Gullfaxi
* Gulltoppr
* Gyllir
* Hamskerpir and Garðrofa
* Hófvarpnir
* Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi
* Sleipnir
* Svaðilfari
* Jörð
* Jörmungandr
* Líf and Lífthrasir
* Loddfáfnir
* Móðguðr
* Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán
* Nine Mothers of Heimdallr
* Narfi (son of Loki)
* Níðhöggr
* Norns
* Personifications
* Dagr
* Elli
* Nótt
* Sumarr and Vetr
* Sæhrímnir
* Skírnir
* Sköll
* Shield-maiden
* Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr
* Troll
* Þjálfi and Röskva
* Vættir
* Landvættir
* Váli (son of Loki)
* Valkyries
* Völundr
* Vörðr

Locations|

| Underworld|

* Hel
* Éljúðnir
* Gjallarbrú
* Náströnd
* Niflhel
* Niðafjöll

|

Rivers|

* Élivágar
* Gjöll
* Ífingr
* Kerlaugar
* Körmt and Örmt
* Slidr River
* Vadgelmir
* Vimur River

Other locations|

* Asgard
* Amsvartnir
* Andlang
* Barri
* Bifröst
* Bilskirnir
* Brávellir
* Brimir
* Fensalir
* Fólkvangr
* Fornsigtuna
* Fyrisvellir
* Gálgviðr
* Gandvik
* Gastropnir
* Gimlé
* Ginnungagap
* Glaðsheimr
* Glæsisvellir
* Glitnir
* Gnipahellir
* Grove of fetters
* Heiðr
* Himinbjörg
* Hindarfjall
* Hlidskjalf
* Hnitbjorg
* Hoddmímis holt
* Iðavöllr
* Járnviðr
* Jötunheimr
* Mímameiðr
* Myrkviðr
* Munarvágr
* Nóatún
* Okolnir
* Sessrúmnir
* Sindri
* Singasteinn
* Þrúðheimr
* Þrúðvangr
* Þrymheimr
* Uppsala
* Útgarðar
* Valaskjálf
* Valhalla
* Vanaheimr
* Víðbláinn
* Vígríðr
* Vingólf
* Wells
* Hvergelmir
* Mímisbrunnr
* Urðarbrunnr
* Ýdalir
* Yggdrasil

Events|

* Æsir–Vanir War
* Fimbulvetr
* Fróði's Peace
* Hjaðningavíg
* Ragnarök

Sources|

* Gesta Danorum
* Edda
* Poetic Edda
* Prose Edda
* Runestones
* Sagas
* Jómsvíkinga
* Legendary
* Tyrfing Cycle
* Völsung Cycle
* Old Norse language
* Orthography
* Later influence

Society|

| Religious practice|

* Anthropomorphic wooden cult figurines of Central and Northern Europe
* Blót
* Hof
* Heitstrenging
* Horses
* Hörgr
* Worship
* Öndvegissúlur
* Reginnaglar
* Sacred trees and groves
* Sonargöltr
* Temple at Uppsala
* Til árs ok friðar
* Vé
* Wetlands and islands

|

Festivals and holy periods|

* Álfablót
* Dísablót
* Germanic calendar
* Þorrablót
* Vetrnætr
* Yule

Other|

* Death
* Ergi
* Félag
* Galdr
* Goði
* Hamingja
* Heiti
* Kenning
* Mead hall
* Nīþ
* Norse cosmology
* Numbers
* Philosophy
* Rings
* Runes
* Seiðr
* Skald
* Viking Age
* Völva

See also|

* Germanic paganism
* Heathenry (new religious movement)
* Nordic Bronze Age

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