Ásynjur

The collective name for the female deities of the Æsir. They are not less holy than the Æsir, and are of no less authority. Their hall is called Vingólf.

Snorri Sturluson in Gylfaginning, chapter 35, enumerates sixteen goddesses: Frigg, Sága, Eir, Gefjon, Fulla, Freyja, Sjöfn, Lofn, Vár, Vör, Syn, Hlín, Snotra, Gná, Sól, and Bil. In Skáldskaparmál, chapter 1, he includes Iðunn, Gerðr, Sigyn, Fulla, and Nanna among the Ásynjur, and in chapter 33 he includes Skaði and Sif.

In the Nafnaþulur section of Skáldskaparmál Snorri gives yet another list, adding several more giantesses: Frigg, Freyja, Fulla, Snotra, Gerðr, Gefjon, Gná, Lofn, Skaði, Jörð, Iðunn, Ilmr (Hilmr), Bil, Njörun, Hlín, Nanna, Hnoss, Rindr, Sjöfn, Sól, Sága, Sigyn, Vör, Vár, Syn, Þrúðr, and Rán.

Frigg is periphrased Lady of the Æsir and Ásynjur.

The word is not attested outside Old Norse.

References

Sources

  • Gylfaginning, 35.
  • Skáldskaparmál, 1, 19.