Nerthus ? (Pilleati)
| Lineage | Swydd |
| Sex | Female |
| Full name (at birth) | Nerthus ? |
| Other last names | Pilleati |
| Other given names | Nyrddas (Welsh) |
| Parents
♂ Godwulf Geatweol (King Gylfi) b. 80 d. 163 | |
Events
child birth: ♀ Freya Njordsdotter
Notes
The worship associated with Nerthus is similar in nature to the adoration of Nahalennia in north western Europe. In Beowulf literary transcriptionists used the ancient story to illustrate the triumphant victory of Christianity over paganism through the destruction of Grendel's mother who was a descendant of Nerthus and Cain (poss. Nehalennia a diety adored in the Netherlands, and Nemetoma a diety adored in the British Isles).
After the Langobardi come the Reudigni, Auiones, Angli, Varni, Eudoses, Suarines and Nuithones, all well guarded by rivers and forests.[4] There is nothing remarkable about any of these tribes unless it be the common worship of Nerthus, that is Earth Mother. They believe she is interested in men's affairs and drives among them. On an island in the ocean sea there is a sacred grove wherein waits a holy wagon covered by a drape. One priest only is allowed to touch it. He can feel the presence of the goddess when she is there in her sanctuary and accompanies her with great reverence as she is pulled along by kine. It is a time of festive holiday making in whatever place she decides to honour with her advent and stay. No one goes to war, no one takes up arms, in fact every weapon is put away, only at that time are peace and quiet known and prized until the goddess, having had enough of peoples company, is at last restored by the same priest to her temple. After which the wagon and the drape, and if you like to believe me, the deity herself is bathed in a mysterious pool. The rite is performed by slaves who, as soon as it is done, are drowned in the lake. In this way mystery begets dread and a pious ignorance concerning what that sight may be which only those who are about to die are allowed to see. --Germania, ch. 40.
If Nerthus is a northern Germanic deriviation of the Dacio/Idumean name Nehalennia it would be possible to illustrate cultural continuity spread via the Roman army and link the Aula family together. The migratory cultural exchange would also go a long way to explaining how some of the Celtic and Sarmatian artifacts arrived in the bogs of Denmark and Scandinavia.
