Gersemi, and her twin sister Hnoss, are the daughters of Freyja and Odr. Gersemi is the goddess of adoration, watching over all the handmade and precious little things.
Short Facts about gersemi
responsibilities
Beauty, care, cherished items, desire, friendship, handmade gifts, love, passion, respect, sisterhood, and treasure
associated animals
An otter
weapon/domain of power
Her compelling magnetism, her passion and adoration, and her strong connection with her twin sister Hnoss
Beautiful and unique
Gersemi is the goddess of adoration and beauty. Together with her twin sister Hnoss, they are the mysterious and seductive Vanir deities of physical beauty. She and Hnoss are the daughters of Odr and Freyja.
Gersemi is also linked with care, precious valuables – especially small ones, handmade presents, passion and respect. Her name means ‘treasure’ in Old Norse and she’s so beautiful that everything nice-looking is called ‘gersamr’ meaning treasure.
Gersemi and Hnoss share the same abilities; overwhelming beauty and their names identical to treasure. This has led many scholars to assume that she is just another name for Hnoss. Yet, Odr and Freyja had two daughters and not just one. And although they are twins she is slightly different from Hnoss. Her eyes are said to be bluer and she is more energetic than her sister.
In the old texts
Gersemi, along with her twin sister Hnoss, is only mentioned once in the Ynglinga saga, as a daughter of Freyja.
FAQS
Gersemi does not appear in the old texts as much as her sister, Hnoss. She is mentioned once, as one of the twin daughters of Freyja. That however doesn’t necessarily mean that she isn’t an actual deity. After all, she was a lively child, uncontrolled and noisy, and didn’t even participate in any of the gods’ activities. Still, she is there, protecting every cherished little item and inspiring mortals with desire, love, and passion.
Featured Image Credit: George Dunlop Leslie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
