Mannus

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Mannus, son of Tuisco was a mythological character from whom the Germanic peoples were descended.

The name of this deity means human or man (as in Homo sapiens). It stems from the same root as the Indo-Iranian Manu, progenitor of humanity, first holy king to rule this earth who saves mankind and the Vedas and the priesthood from the universal flood. It might also be related to the name of the Irish deity Manannan mac Lir, for whom the Isle of Man is named.

According to Tacitus, Roman historian of the 1st century AD who wrote in Germania, Mannus had three sons whose names can be extrapolated as Ing, Irmin, and Istaev aka Iscio. Some identify the sons as Freyr (aka Yngvi) and Thor and Odin (aka Jormun) of the Icelandic Eddas.

In the Eddas, Mannus seems to most closely resemble Heimdall (World's Brightness). In the opening passage of the Voluspa, men are referred to as being Heimdall's kin, while in the poem Rigsthula he is shown uniting each of the hierarchal ranks in siblinghood. Furthermore, while Mannus is remembered as being the father of both Odin and Frey, Heimdal is remembered as being one of the Aesir, but also to have qualities directly linked to the Vanir and to exist in a close paternal relationship to Freyja.

In Eddaic Creation, Mannus is comparable to Bor.

Finally, given his relationship to Tuisco, and their mutual association with the founding of the Germanic peoples, it is possible that both Tuisco and Mannus are those deities alluded to at the end of the Little Voluspa; ushering in the new age according to patterns laid down in the past.

Tacitus (Germania, chapter 2) explicitly mentions the names of these Germanic tribes, claiming descent from Mannus:

• Ingvaeones (living at the coastal line of the North Sea)
• Irminones (living in the interior part around the Elbe)
• Istvaeones (living at the borders of the river Rhine)

See also

• Mannaz
• Manu

Notes

References

• Grimm, Jacob (1835). Deutsche Mythologie (German Mythology); From English released version Grimm's Teutonic Mythology (1888); Available online by Northvegr © 2004-2007: Chapter 15, page 2-; 3 File retrieved 09-26-2007.
• Tacitus. Germania (1st Century AD). (in Latin)

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Last updated on Thursday December 20, 2007 at 08:56:41 PST (GMT -0800)
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