Why is thursday named after thor

Seven days corresponds to the time it takes for a moon to transition between each phase: full, waning half, new and waxing half. Because the moon cycle is Jewish tradition also observes a seven-day week. The book of Genesis and hence the seven-day account of creation was likely written around B. Assyriologists such as Friedrich Delitzsch and Marcello Craveri have suggested that the Jews inherited the cycle of seven days from the Babylonian calendar.

This seven-day week system spread to other civilizations, which sometimes adjusted the names to their own language and beliefs. The rest of the day names with which we are familiar stem from Anglo-Saxon names for gods in Teutonic mythology. Wednesday, or Wodnesdaeg, refers to Woden, or Odin, the supreme deity. Similarly, Thursday, Thursdaeg, originates from Thor, the god of thunder corresponding to the Roman god Jupiter, or Jove. Thursday is the fourth day of the week according to the international standard ISO It is the fifth day of the week in countries that use the Sunday as the first day of the week in their calendar.

In Slavic languages and in Chinese, Thursday is the fourth day, while the Greeks and Portuguese refer to Thursday as the fifth day. Why does Thursday follow Wednesday? In the runic alphabet, the rune-S name is Sun. The name Monday is related to the moon.

One is the cosmic phenomenon 'the moon', and in the other sense it referes to a mythical person. He is primarily known as the god of justice and war, but is also described as wise and brave. The T-rune was associated with Tyr. Odin can be compared to the Roman god Mercury, so in the Nordic tradition Odin also known as 'Woden' gave his name to Wednesday. Odin is the most prominent god in traditional Norse mythology.

He is particularly associated with war luck, royal power, rune power and wisdom. He rules all things, and is mightier than the other gods, they all serve him as children obey a father.

Frigg is his wife, and she knows all the fates of men, though she speaks no prophecy. Odin is called All father because he is father of all the gods. He is also called father of the Slain, because all those that fall in battle are the sons of his adopt on, for them he appoints Valhal.

Thor is reminiscent of Jupiter, as they both deal with lightning and thunder. So this day of the week became Thursday.