Seaxnēat

In Germanic mythology, Seaxnēat (pronounced [sæɑksnæːɑt]) or Saxnōt is a god connected with the Saxons and, as recorded in Anglo-Saxons sources, their founder and ancestor. Seaxnēat appears in the genealogies of the kings of Essex. His name does not survive in any English placenames, although the element nēat in isolation may do so. Continental Saxnōt is attested in the Old Saxon Baptismal Vow along with the gods Uuoden (Woden) and Thunaer (Thor).

According to William Chaney, Seaxnēat is identified as a son of Woden and Frige, and, more specifically, as identical with the god Tiw (Zio). Citing Gabriel Turville-Petre and employing Georges Dumézil's trifunctional hypothesis, Rudolf Simek says the identification is less likely to be *Tiwaz/Týr than the god Freyr.

Jacob Grimm (Teutonic Mythology) interprets the name as literally gladii consors or ensifer (the -not cognate with German ge-noss "comrade").

See also

• List of Germanic deities
• West Germanic deities

References

• Chaney, William A. (1970). The Cult of Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England: The Transition from Paganism to Christianity. Manchester University Press.
• Philippson, E. A.(1929). Germanisches Heidentum bei den Angelsachsen. Leipzig.
• Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer ISBN 0-85991-513-1