blotissa

Blotissa is a term encountered in Norse-derived religious contexts and in some modern neopagan usage. It refers to a woman associated with sacrificial rites, or blot, within reconstructed or revivalist practices that draw on Norse and Germanic traditions. The word resembles a compound of Old Norse elements: blót meaning sacrifice and dís meaning goddess or lady. In scholarly and traditional texts, the more common form is blót-dís or blótgyðja, and blotissa appears mainly in later or reconstructed writings rather than in primary medieval sources.

Historical usage of a term like blotissa is not well attested in early medieval sources. Old Norse literature describes ritual specialists and participants at blot rites, including both men and women, but the precise, standardized term blotissa is not consistently attested across manuscripts. When discussed, female ritual roles are often described in relation to broader categories such as ritual specialists, priestesses, or goddesses associated with sacrificial cults, without a single fixed title.

In contemporary practice, blotissa is used by some groups within Ásatrú and other neo-pagan communities to designate a woman who leads blot rites, organizes ceremonies, and performs offerings. The exact responsibilities and authority attributed to a blotissa can vary by community, and the term is not universally standardized. Some practitioners prefer traditional terms like goðkona (female priest) or blótkona, while others adopt blotissa as a modern designation linking back to the old sacrificial tradition.

See also: blot, dís, goði, goðkona, Ásatrú.