Vanir

The Vanir were a tribe of deities associated with fertility and prosperity. They lived in Vanaheim (Vanaheimr or Vanaland), the world of the Vanir.

They warred upon rival tribe of gods known as the Aesir. They differed from the Aesir, by being the Vanir gods of light. The Aesir seemed more sombre and gloomy. However, after a peace between the Vanir and Aesir, three of the Vanir - Njord, Freyr and Freyja, became also popular deities of the Aesir. (See War of Aesir and Vanir for more detail.)

Apart from the Njord and his children, there is very little information than about the Aesir. The Vanir deities seemed to be more popular in Sweden, where most of their places of worship were found. However, other Scandinavian countries also worship them.

One of the differences between the Aesir and the Vanir was that the latter practise incestuous marriage. Njord and his unnamed sister were husband and wife, and were parents of twins, Freyr and Freyja. Freyr and Freyja were also married to one another. While Njord and his children were living in Vanaheim, incest between siblings were normal practice, but when they became Aesir deities and lived in Asgard, the three Vanir deities have to find other partners. Obviously the Aesir frowned upon incest.