Hnoss

Hnoss (Old Norse: [ˈhnosː], "jewel" or "treasure") is one of the daughters of Freyja and Óðr in Norse mythology.^[1]

The Old Norse term Hnoss has been translated in a variety of ways by scholars and folklorists. David Leeming and Christopher Fee in their joint book The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother^[2] claim that Hnoss' name was drawn from the word for "gem," in which she is described as sparkling like a diamond. Given Hnoss is the daughter of the most beautiful goddess Freyja, it should come as no surprise that jewels bear her name.

Hilda Ellis Davidson in her Roles of the Northern Goddess^[3] similarly claims that Hnoss' name derives from a great beauty whose name may be "used for treasure in poetry"^[3] or simply "treasure."^[3] This translation shares semantic and etymological similarities with the Icelandic word hnoss (meaning "nipper") as well as the Old Danish words noss (meaning "sweetheart") and nusse (meaning "infant"). In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson states that beautiful things were called hnossir (Old Norse: 'treasures') after her name.

Despite various interpretations, The Concept of The Goddess,^[4] states that Hnoss "bears her mother's eyelash-rain,"^[4] which translates to "there is gold on the precious object."^[4]

In Gylfaginning (The Beguiling of Gylfi), Hnoss is portrayed as the beautiful daughter of Freyja and Óð:

Freyia is highest in rank next to Frigg. She was married to someone called Od. Hnoss is the name of their daughter. She is so beautiful that from her name whatever is beautiful and precious is called hnossir [treasures].

— Gylfaginning, 34–35, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.

In Skáldskaparmál (The Language of Poetry), a þulur (18–22) mentions Hnoss as the daughter of Freyja ("How shall Freyia be referred to? By calling her (...) mother of Hnoss"),^[5] and in Ynglinga saga a passage (Chapter Ten) describes "Hnoss and Gersimi" as her daughters.^[6] Gersemi (whose name also means 'treasure' and only appears in this passage of the Prose Edda) could be the same figure as Hnoss.^[7]

The 12th-century skald Einarr Skúlason, cited by Snorri in Skáldskaparmál, refers to Hnoss in a kenning as Freyia's "glorious child" and Freyr’s niece:

I am able to possess Horn’s [Freyia’s] gold-wrapped glorious child [Hnoss; hnoss = treasure]. We received a valuable treasure. Ocean’s fire [gold] rests on shield’s damager [axe]. Freyr’s niece [Hnoss] bears her mother’s eyelash-rain [tears]

— Einarr Skúlason, Skáldskaparmál, 36–37, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.

• de Vries, Jan (1962). Altnordisches Etymologisches Worterbuch (1977 ed.). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-05436-3.
• Faulkes, Anthony, trans. (1987). Edda (1995 ed.). Everyman. ISBN 0-460-87616-3.
• Lindow, John (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-983969-8.
• Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-34520-5.