Týr
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Tyr (Old Norse: Týr[1], ) is the god of single combat and heroic glory in Norse mythology, portrayed as a one-handed man. In the late Icelandic Eddas, he is portrayed, alternately, as the son of Odin (Prose Edda) or of Hymir (Poetic Edda), while the origins of his name and his possible relationship to Tuisto (see Tacitus' Germania) suggest he was once considered the father of the gods and head of the pantheon.
Corresponding names in other Germanic languages are Gothic Tyz , Old English Tīw and Old High German Ziu, all from Proto-Germanic *Tîwaz. The Old Norse name became Old Norwegian Ty, Old Swedish Ti, while it remains Týr in Modern Icelandic and Faroese).
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[edit] Origins
The name Tyr meant "god" (cf. Hangatyr, the "god of the hanged" as one of Odin's names); probably inherited from Tyr in his role as judge and goes back to a Proto-Germanic Tîwaz, earlier Teiwaz, continuing Proto-Indo-European *deywos "god" (whence Latin: deus, Sanskrit: deva and Lithuanian: dievas).
The teiva 𐌕𐌄𐌉𐌅𐌀 of the Negau helmet inscription (2nd or 1st century BC) may be a direct reflection of the Proto-Germanic term, but this is uncertain.
Discounting the Negau helmet, the oldest attestation of the god is Gothic *teiws, attested as tyz, in the 9th century Codex Vindobonensis 795[2].
Tîwaz was overtaken in popularity and in authority by both Odin and Thor at some point before the Migration Age. In Eddaic myth Tyr's strength is considered comparable to Thor's.
There is sketchy evidence of a consort, in German named Zisa: Tacitus mentions one Germanic tribe who worshipped "Isis", and Jacob Grimm pointed to Cisa/Zisa, the patroness of Augsburg, in this connection. The name Zisa could be derived from Ziu etymologically.
[edit] Tyr in the Edda
According to the Edda, at one stage the gods decided to shackle the wolf Fenrisulfr (Fenrir), but the beast broke every chain they put upon him. Eventually they had the dwarves make them a magical ribbon called Gleipnir from such items as a woman's beard and a mountain's roots. But Fenrir sensed the gods' deceit and refused to be bound with it unless one of them put his hand in the wolf's mouth.
Tyr, known for his great honesty and courage, agreed, and the other gods bound the wolf. Fenrir sensed that he had been tricked and bit off the god's hand. Fenrir will remain bound until the day of Ragnarök. As a result of this deed, Tyr is called the "Leavings of the Wolf".
According to the Prose version of Ragnarok, Tyr is destined to kill and be killed by Garm, the guard dog of Hel. However, in the two poetic versions of Ragnarok, he goes unmentioned; unless one believes that he is the "Mighty One".
In the Lokasenna, Tyr is taunted with cuckoldry by Loki, maybe another hint that he had a consort or wife at one time.
[edit] West Germanic Ziu / Tiw
A gloss to the Wessobrunn prayer names the Alamanni Cyowari (worshipers of Cyo) and their capital Augsburg Ciesburc.[3]
The Excerptum ex Gallica Historia of Ursberg (ca. 1135) records a dea Ciza a the patron goddess of Augsburg. According to this account, Cisaria was founded by Swabian tribes as a defence against Roman incursions. This Zisa would be the female consort of Ziu, as Dione was of Zeus.
The name of Mars Thingsus (Thincsus) is found in an inscription on an 3rd century altar found in Northumberland, thought to have been erected by Frisian mercenaries stationed at Hadrian's Wall. It is interpreted as "Mars of the Thing".
[edit] Lexical traces
Tyr/Tiw had become relatively unimportant compared to Odin/Woden in both North and West Germanic, and specifically in the sphere of organized warfare. Traces of the god remain, however, in Tuesday (Old English tíwesdæg "Tiw's day"; Old Frisian tîesdei, Old High German zîestag, Old Norse týsdagr), named after Tyr in both the North and the West Germanic languages (corresponding to Martis dies, dedicated to the Roman god of war and the father-god of Rome, Mars) and also in the names of some plants: Old Norse Týsfiola (after the Latin Viola Martis), Týrhialm (Aconitum, one of the most poisonous plants in Europe whose helmet-like shape might suggest a warlike connection) and Týviðr, "Tý's wood", in the Helsingor Tiveden may also be named after Tyr, or reflecting Tyr as a generic word for "god" (i.e., the forest of the gods). In Norway the parish and municipality of Tysnes are named after the god.
[edit] Tyr rune
The t-rune ᛏ is named after Tyr, and was identified with this god., the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is Tîwaz. The rune is sometimes also referred to as Teiwaz, or spelling variants.
The rune was also compared with Mars as in the Icelandic rune poem:
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[edit] Toponyms
- Duisburg, Germany - Tyr's Fort (possibly)[4].
- Thisted, Denmark - Tyr's Stead.
- Tiveden, Sweden - Tyr's Woods
- Tysnes, Norway - Tyr's Headland
[edit] Personal names
Icelandic has a number of male names that are derived from Týr. Apart from Týr itself: Angantýr, Bryntýr, Hjálmtýr, Sigtýr, Valtýr and Vigtýr.
[edit] Modern popular culture
Although representations of Tyr are less common than those of Thor, Odin or Loki, Tyr is often referenced or appears as a warrior figure in many modern depictions, particularly those relating to high fantasy, usually most identifiable by his missing arm and lust for battle.
[edit] References
- ^ IPA: [tʰyːr]; the common anglicized pronunciation is homophonous with tier (IPA: /ˈtʰɪɚ/) according to Merriam Webster Online Dictionary: Tyr
- ^ Grimm, Teutonic Mythology
- ^ Peter Buchholz, Perspectives for Historical Research in Germanic Religion, History of Religions, vol. 8, no. 2 (1968), 127.
- ^ Adrian Room, Placenames Of The World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for 6,600 Countries, Cities, Territories, Natural Features and Historic Sites, 2d edition ,McFarland & Company (2005), 114
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Grimm's Teutonic Mythology (English translation, chapter 9)
- Tyr in Germanic Religion
- Týr and Zisa by William Bainbridge
- Týr Official Site A Viking Metal Band from The Faroe Islands
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| List of Norse gods • Æsir • Vanir • Giants • Elves • Dwarves • Troll • Valkyries • Einherjar • Norns • Odin • Thor • Freyr • Freyja • Loki • Baldr • Týr • Yggdrasil • Ginnungagap • Ragnarök |
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| Sources | Poetic Edda • Prose Edda • The Sagas • Volsung Cycle • Tyrfing Cycle • Rune stones • Old Norse language • Orthography • Later influence | |
| Society | Viking Age • Skald • Kenning • Blót • Seid • Numbers | |
| People, places and things | ||
