:''For the Marvel Comics Character, see [[Thor (Marvel Comics)]]. For other uses, see [[Thor (disambiguation)]]. Distinguish from [[thaw]].''

[[Image:Thor.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Thor's battle against the giants, by [[Mårten Eskil Winge]], 1872]]

'''Thor''' ([[Proto-Germanic]]: '''*Þunraz''', [[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: '''Þórr''', [[Old English language|Old English]]: '''Þunor''', [[Old Dutch]] and [[Old High German]]: '''Donar''') is the red-haired and bearded god of [[thunder]] in [[Norse Mythology]] and more generally [[Germanic mythology]]. He is the son of [[Odin]] and [[Jord]]. During [[Ragnarök]], Thor will kill and be killed by [[Jörmungandr]].

==Characteristics==

Thor features strongly in the [[Prose Edda]] of [[Snorri Sturluson]], in which Thor's many conflicts with the race of giants are a main source of plots. Thor is one of the most powerful Norse gods. He uses his superior power to protect [[Asgard]] and [[Midgard]]. He is also known as the God of Thunder.

===Family===

Thor is the son of [[Odin]] (Wotan or Woden) and the giantess Jörd (Jord, the Earth). His wife is called [[Sif]], and little is known of her except that she has golden hair, which was made for her by the [[Norse dwarves|dwarf]]s after [[Loki]] had cut off her hair. With his mistress, the giantess [[Járnsaxa]], Thor had his sons [[Móði and Magni|Magni]] and [[Móði and Magni|Modi]], and with [[Sif]] he had his daughter [[Þrúðr]]. The [[euhemerism|euhemeristic]] prologue of the Prose Edda also indicates he has a son by Sif named [[Loridi|Lóriði]], along with an additional 17 generations of descendants but the prologue is apocryphal and was meant to give a plausible explanation on how the Aesir came to be worshipped even though they were not gods in order to appease the church. Thor also has a stepson called [[Ull]] who is a son of [[Sif]]. ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'' mentions a figure named Hlóra who was Thor's foster mother, corresponding to Lora or Glora from Snorri's prologue, although no additional information concerning her is provided in the poem.

===Possessions===

Thor travels in a chariot drawn by the [[goat]]s [[Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr]] and with his servant and messenger [[Þjálfi]] and his sister [[Röskva]]. The [[skaldic poetry|skaldic poem]] ''[[Haustlöng]]'' relates that the earth was scorched and the mountains cracked as Thor travelled in his wagon. According to the Prose Edda, when Thor is hungry he can roast the goats for a meal. When he wants to continue his travels, Thor only needs to touch the remains of the goats and they will be instantly restored to full health to resume their duties, assuming that the bones have not been broken.

Thor owns a short-handled [[war hammer]], [[Mjolnir]], which, when thrown at a target, returns magically to the owner. To wield Mjolnir, Thor wears the belt [[Megingjord]], which boosts the wearer's strength and a pair of special iron gloves to lift the hammer.

The strike of the hammer caused thunderclaps, and Thor was named after the [[Common Germanic]] word for thunder. With the hammer, Thor performs his giant-killing duties.

Thor lives in the palace [[Bilskirnir]] in the kingdom [[Þrúðheimr]] or [[Þrúðvangr]].

==Surviving representations==

===Stories and myths===

Most of the surviving myths centre on Thor's exploits, and from this and inscriptions on monuments we know that Thor was very much the favorite deity of ancient [[Scandinavia]]ns.

According to one myth in the Prose Edda, [[Loki]] was flying as a [[hawk]] one day and was captured by [[Geirrod]]. Geirrod, who hated Thor, demanded that Loki bring his enemy (who did not yet have his magic belt and hammer) to Geirrod's castle. Loki agreed to lead Thor to the trap. [[Grid (Jotun)|Grid]] was a giantess at whose home they stopped on the way to Geirrod's. She waited until Loki left the room then told Thor what was happening and gave him her [[iron]] gloves and magical belt and staff. Thor killed Geirrod and all other frost giants he could find (including Geirrod's daughters, [[Gjálp and Greip]]).

[[Image:Manuscript thorr.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Thor carries his hammer and wears his belt of strength (MS [[SÁM 66]], 18th century).]]

According to [[Alvíssmál]], Thor's daughter was promised to [[Alvis]], a dwarf. Thor devised a plan to stop Alvis from marrying his daughter. He told Alvis that, because of his small height, he had to prove his wisdom. Alvis agreed and Thor made the tests last until after the sun had risen--all dwarves turned to stone when exposed to sunlight, so Alvis was petrified.

Thor was once outwitted by a giant king, [[Útgarða-Loki]]. The king, using his magic, tricked Thor. The king raced Thought itself against Thor's fast servant, [[Þjálfi]] (nothing being faster than thought, which can leap from land to land, and from time to time, in an instant). Then, Thor was challenged by [[Útgarða-Loki]] to an eating contest with one of his servants. Thor lost, eventually. The servant even ate up the trough containing the food. The servant was an illusion of "Fire", no living thing being able to equal the consumption rate of Fire. He called Thor weak when he only lifted the paw of a cat, the cat being the illusion of the [[Jörmungandr|Midgard Serpent]]. Thor was challenged to a drinking contest, and could not empty a [[drinking horn|horn]] which was filled not with mead but was connected to the ocean. This action started tidal changes. And here, Thor wrestled an old woman, who was Old Age, something no one could beat, to one knee. It was only later that Thor was told that he had in fact performed impressively doing as well as he did with those challenges.

Þunor gave his name to the [[Old English language|Old English]] day ''Þunresdæg'', meaning the day of Þunor, known in [[English language|Modern English]] as Thursday. Þunor is also the source of the modern word [[thunder]]. Many writers ([[Saxo Grammaticus|Saxo]], [[Adam of Bremen]], [[Snorri Sturluson]], [[Ælfric of Eynsham]]) identified Thor with [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]]. The comparison can be borne: both are gods of the sky that control thunder and lightning, are children of the [[mother Earth]] and were at some time considered the most powerful of the gods. The oak tree was sacred to both gods and they had mysterious powers. Thor is to kill the [[Jörmungandr|Midgard Serpent]] and Jupiter, the dragon [[Typhon]]. [[Tacitus]] identified Thor with the Greco-Roman hero-god [[Hercules]] because of his force, aspect, weapon and his role as protector of the world.

===Norse literature===

The two biggest works are the Elder Edda (or Poetic Edda) and the Younger Edda (also Snorri's Edda, Prose Edda). Thor is a very common figure, probably more common than Odin.

Thor appears as the central figure in the following works of Norse literature:

*[[Þórsdrápa]] (summarised by [[Snorri Sturluson]] in [[Skáldskaparmál]])

*[[Hárbarðsljóð]] which details a contest between Thor and [[Odin]] in the guise of Harbarth as to who is the most accomplished.

Thor also appears in:

*[[Gylfaginning]]

*[[Grímnismál]]

*[[Hymiskviða]]

*[[Þrymskviða]]

*[[Alvíssmál]]

*[[Lokasenna]]

*[[Völuspá]]

*[[Njáls saga]]

*[[Gautreks saga]]

*[[Eiríksmál]]

*[[Ragnarsdrápa]]

*[[Eyrbyggja saga]]

*[[Húsdrápa]]

*[[Kjalnesinga saga]]

*[[Haustlöng]]

*[[Fóstbrœðra saga]]

*[[Fljótsdæla saga]]

*[[Hallfreðar saga]]

*[[Heimskringla]]

*[[Landnámabók]]

*[[Flateyjarbók]]

*[[Gesta Danorum]]

*[[Nordendorf fibula]]

*[[Saxon baptismal vow]]

*[[Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum]]

===Archaeological finds===

[[Image:ThorStatue.jpg|thumb|right|140px|A 10th century bronze statue of Thor, found in Iceland.]]

A seated bronze statue of Thor (about 2.5 in, 6.4 cm) from about AD [[10th century|1000]] was recovered at a farm near [[Akureyri]], Iceland and is a featured display at the [[National Museum of Iceland]]. Thor is holding [[Mjolnir]], sculptured in the typically Icelandic cross-like shape.

==Named after Thor==

===Places===

*In Norway: [[Torshov]] ([[Norse]] ''Þórshof'', 'Thors temple'), borough in Oslo (originally an old farm) - the same name also occurs in the parishes [[Enebakk]], [[Gjerdrum]], [[Jevnaker]], [[Lørenskog]], [[Løten]], [[Sigdal]], [[Torsnes]], [[Trøgstad]] and [[Vang]]. [[Torsnes]] (Norse ''Þórsnes'', 'Thors headland'), parish in the county of [[Østfold]] - the same name also occurs in the parishes [[Balestrand]], [[Jondal]] and [[Vikedal]]. Totland (Norse ''Þórsland'', 'Thors land'), name of farms in the parishes [[Birkeland]], [[Hosanger]], [[Masfjorden]], [[Moster]], [[Rugsund]], [[Samnanger]], [[Seim]] and [[Øvre Sirdal]]. Torset (Norse ''Þórssetr'', 'Thors farm') farm in the parish of [[Fjaler]]. Torstvet (Norse ''Þórsþveit'', 'Thors farm') farm in the parish of [[Hedrum]]. Torsøy (Norse ''Þórsøy'', 'Thors island') district in the parish of [[Tjølling]].

* [[Thurso]] (Scottish town in [[Caithness]])

* [[Torsåker]], [[Torslunda]], [[Torsvi]], [[Torshof]], and [[Torsharg]] (places in [[Sweden]])

* [[Þórshöfn]], [[Þórsnes]], and [[Þórsmörk]] (places in [[Iceland]])

* [[Tórshavn]] (the capital of the [[Faroe]] Islands) means "Thor's harbour".

* [[Thor's Beach]], a sandy beach in the [[Slocan]] Valley, in the [[Kooteneys]] of [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]. (This name is of course from modern times)

* Perhaps [[Thoresway]], a village in North [[Lincolnshire]], England

* [[Thundersley]] in [[Essex]], England

** ''However, the common English place name "[[Thorley]]" came from "[[Thorn]]-ley".''

===Persons===

* [[Thor Heyerdal]] Norwegian Adventurer

* [[Thorbjørn Wulff]] London based Danish Musician

* The name of the god Thor is the first element in several Norwegian male names: Toralv, Torbjørn, Torfinn, Torgeir, Torgils, Torgny, Torgrim, Torkjell, Torlak, Torleif, Tormod, Torodd, Torolv, Torstein and Torvald. And also some female names: Torbjørg, Tordis, Torfrid (Turid), Torgerd, Torgunn, Torhild (Toril), Torlaug, Torunn and Torveig.

*The American actress Thora Birch is named after the feminine version of Thor.

===Misc===

*"Thor's Day" is ''Þórsdagr'' in Old Norse, ''[[Thursday]]'' in English, ''Donnerstag'' in German (meaning "Thunder's Day"), ''Donderdag'' in Dutch (meaning Thunder day), ''Torstai'' in Finnish, and ''Torsdag'' in Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian.

*The [[galaxy]] NGC2359 is known as Thor's Helmet.

*"[[Thor's Oak]]" was an ancient tree near [[Fritzlar]] in northern Hesse (Germany) and one of the most sacred of sites of the old Germans. In 723, St. [[Boniface]] cut down the tree to demonstrate the superiority of the Christian god over Thor and the other Germanic/Nordic deities, an event that commonly marks the beginning of the Christianization of the non-Frankish Germans.

*[[Thorium]] was named after the god Thor by [[Jöns Jakob Berzelius]], the chemist who discovered it.

==Homologues==

===Homologues in related religions===

These are homologues that were created in religions of other speakers of [[Indo-European languages]].

*[[Taranis]]

*[[Indra]]

*[[Perkūnas]]

*[[Perun]]

*[[Hercules]]

*[[Heracles]]

===Homologues in other religions===

*Tiermes, Tordöm or Torum ("the golden light", [[Finno-Ugric languages|Finno-Ugric]]). Several Finno-Ugric peoples have thunder gods with names similar to Thor. Some, like Estonian [[Taara]] even retain the connection with Thursday. One theory is that Thor is a loan from Finno-Ugric mythology, although the [[Hittites|Hittite]] [[Tarhunt]] and the [[Vedic religion|Vedic]] [[Indra]] seem to be cognates pointing to a basis in a [[Proto-Indo-European religion]], which suggests the opposite; that the god was borrowed from the Proto-Indo-Europeans by Finno-Ugric groups. It may even be seen as representing some common heritage between the two peoples. (The celtic [[Taranis]] also seems to be linguistically related.)

==Modern popular culture==

[[Image:Ring16.jpg|right|thumb|Donner calls upon the storm clouds in this illustration by [[Arthur Rackham]] to Wagner's ''[[Das Rheingold]]''.]]

{{Main|Thor in popular culture}}

Thor, under the German form of his name, "Donner", appears in [[Richard Wagner]]'s opera cycle, ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen]]''. This has led to many portrayals based on Wagner's interpretation, although some are closer to pre-Wagner models. Since Wagner's time, Thor has appeared, either as himself or as the namesake of characters, in comic books, on television, in literature, and in song lyrics.

Thor has been featured in American comic books dating back to 1963. Thor first appeared in ''Journey Into Mystery'' 83 and later [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|his own book]] with number 126 on. Thor has been a major charcter in the [[Marvel universe]], as he was also in the superhero team known as [[The Avengers (comics)|the Avengers]], which also featured [[Iron Man]] and [[Captain America]].

==Thor in modern symbolism==

*The City of [[Sheffield]]'s [[coat of arms]]'s [[supporter]]s are the Roman god [[Vulcan]] and the Germanic god Thor, to represent heating and hammering of iron and steel in the area's [[heavy industry]].

==See also==

*[[Almáttki áss]]

*[[List of names of Thor]]

== External Links ==

* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/norroena/rydberg-contents.html Viktor Rydberg's "Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland" e-book]

* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/asgard/asgard-contents.html W. Wagner's "Asgard and the Home of the Gods" e-book]

* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/guerber/guerber-contents.html H. A. Guerber's "Myths of Northern Lands" e-book]

* [http://www.vaidilute.com/books/munch/munch-contents.html Peter Andreas Munch's "Norse Mythology: Legends of Gods and Heroes" e-book]

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