hrímþursar

hrímþursar, in Old Norse hrím- meaning frost and þurs meaning giant, are frost giants in Norse mythology. They are a subset of the jötnar, a broad category of giant beings, and are closely associated with winter, cold, and ice. In the primary sources, the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, hrímþursar are described as a distinct group within the giant kin.

They dwell in Jötunheimar, the realm of the giants, and are often depicted as adversaries or neighbors to the Æsir. The frost giants symbolize the chaotic, primal forces of winter and cold within the mythic world, standing in contrast to the gods who seek to impose order.

The best-known frost giant is Ymir, a primordial being formed from frost. According to the myth, Odin and his brothers slay Ymir, and from his body the world is fashioned: his flesh becomes the earth, his blood the seas, his bones the mountains, and his skull the sky. This cosmogony places hrímþursar at the origins of the natural world as chaotic, elemental forces that the gods must reckon with.

In various myths, the hrímþursar appear as formidable opponents for the gods, notably in tales featuring the Æsir and their encounters with giants. Their role can vary from antagonists to travelers and sometimes cautious allies, depending on the narrative.

Today, hrímþursar are generally translated as frost giants. They are integral to the Norse mythic landscape, representing the elemental edge of winter and the primordial chaos against which order is established by the gods.