ORIGIN: Germanic
TYPE: God of war
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP: Prehistoric times until Christianization circa 500 CE
SYNONYMS: Wotan; Woden (Anglo Saxon)
CENTER(S) OF CULT: Scattered forest sanctuaries
ART REFERENCES: Stone carvings and engravings on metal.
LITERARY SOURCES: Germania (Tacitus); Gothic War (Procopius); History of the Goths (Jordanes); Geography (Strabo); History of the World (Orosius)
INFORMATION: Wodan may have possessed similar characteristics to Othin, beleived to have been a Norse descendant of Wodan. Germanic tribes including the Heruli, the Celtic Cimbri and the Goths all practiced sacrificial appeasement rites to Wodan, including stabbing and burning. The Cimbri hun their captives over bronze cauldrons while priestesses cut their throats. Booty, including mutilated weapons, gold and silver, animals and human sacrifices who had been hanged, strangled or had their throats cut, was also thrown into sacred lakes as sacrifices for Wodan.
The classical writers substituted the name of the Roman god Mercury, thus the same day of the week is called Wednesday in English but Mercredi in French. Many Anglo-Saxon kings traced their royal lineage back to Wodan as divine ancestor.