Thor Statue, Mjollnir Norse God Wood Carving Sculpture

Thor is the famous Norse god associated with thunder and lightning. His other claim to fame is that the weekday Thursday (Thor’s day) was named after him.

In Norse mythology, Thor is an Aesir god who personifies strength and fertility. Generally depicted with red hair and a red beard, he was prominent throughout the history of the Germanic tribes. His popularity reached a peak during the Viking Age (from around the 790s to 1066).

Thor’s father is Odin, the half-giant and ruler of the Aesir gods, and his mother is Jord (known as Fjörgen in old Norse), the earth goddess who is entire of giant ancestry. Thor was married to Sif, a golden-haired goddess with whom he fathered a daughter, Thrúd. He had one son, Magni, with his lover, the giant Járnsaxa, and another called Modi. His children were all associated with strength and braveness, embodying their father’s features.

Thor carried a hammer called Mjölnir (lightning), which was built by the dwarves and could crush mountains. He also possessed iron gloves and a magical belt named Megingjörd with which he killed his enemies. These “weapons” traveled with him in a cart or chariot drawn by two massive goats.