Mark Daniels

One of the most notable influences of Norse mythology is found in the English names for the days of the week. Monday and Sunday were named after the moon and sun respectively, with Tuesday to Friday dedicated to a different Norse god. It was in fact the Romans who first named the days of the week after the sun, the moon and five deities: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. You can still hear the remnants of those Roman names in the Spanish and French days of the week. The Nordics, however, took those Roman names for each day and simply switched their own corresponding god onto each one. The day named after the Roman god of war Mars changed names to the Norse god of war Tyr. It is the Norse versions that seem to have stuck in the Germanic languages, including English.

DAY

OLD NORSE

DEDICATED TO

Monday

Mánadagr

The moon

Tuesday

Týsdagr

Tyr, god of justice and war

Wednesday

Óðinsdagr

Odin, god of war, wisdom and poetry

Thursday

Þórsdagr

Thor, god of protection and thunder

Friday

Frjádagr

Freyja, goddess of love

Saturday

Laugardagr

Saturn, god of harvest

Sunday

Sunnudagr

The sun

The parallels can be heard in the order in which the world came into existence

From the life-giving mollusc and soil of the Yoruba people in West Africa, to the Rainbow Serpent of many of Australia’s First Nations, to the debate between the gods of grain and cattle that the Ancient Mesopotamians retold, no two stories are quite the same

eschatology – a term for the end of times.

Norse mythology originates from Scandinavia and Iceland in northern Europe

As the father of the gods, Odin sits on his throne in Asgard with two ravens and two wolves acting as protectors and messengers

the world is reborn

It was in fact the Romans who first named the days of the week after the sun, the moon and five deities: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. You can still hear the remnants of those Roman names in the Spanish and French days of the week. The Nordics, however, took those Roman names for each day and simply switched their own corresponding god onto each one

ples, who originally inhabited areas in Central America now known as Guatemala, Mexico, Belize and El Salvador. Their culture flourished particularly in the period from about AD 950 up to the protracted Sp

When the gods argue, humankind goes to war; when they celebrate, mortals fall in love; when they mourn, there is famine on Earth.