Æsir
Gods in Germanic paganism / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Æsir (Old Norse; singular: áss) or ēse (Old English; singular: ōs) are gods in Germanic paganism. In Old Nordic religion and mythology, the precise meaning of the term "Æsir" is debated, with it being able to refer to both the gods in general or specifically to one of the main families of gods, in contrast to the Vanir, with whom they waged war, ultimately leading to a joining of the families. The term can further be used to describe local gods that were believed to live in specific features in the landscape such as fells. In the Old English Wið færstice, the Ēse are referred to, along with elves, as harmful beings that could cause a stabbing pain, although exactly how they were conceived of by the author of the text is unclear.
Words for Æsir feature in many Germanic names, such as Oswald and Ásmundr, and in some place names in Norway and Sweden. They further likely give their name to the A-rune, attested in Elder Futhark, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc and Younger Futhark.