Nerthus
;)
was a Germanic goddess, whose cult was described by the Roman writer Tacitus in the first century AD. According to him, she was an important mother goddess who had a sacred grove on a Frisian island. At regular intervals Nerthus travelled inland along a recognized route, her image placed in an ox cart and attended by a priest. During these sacred journeys peace was expected to prevail because 'all iron was put away'. At a certain lake the goddess bathed, and afterwards slaves who had helped in this ritual were drowned in Nerthus honour. Sacrifice by drowning was a practice also favoured by the ancient Slays in eastern Europe. The name of the goddess may have meant 'powerful one' because it refers to strength. Quite possibly Tacitus was describing a local cult of Freyja. Some versions of the myths of Asgard, home of the gods, suggest that Nerthus was sister and wife to Njord, the sea god, and mother of Freyja and Freyr.