Seaxneat seems to have been a god unique to the Saxons, although he has been compared to Tiw/Tyr. His name is said to mean either sword god or friend of the Saxons. The problem with interpreting his name, is that the Saxons themselves, took their name from the word meaning sword, Sax or Seax. So it's not too sure if the Seax- element, in the
Sword
Seaxneat seems to have been a god unique to the Saxons, although he has been compared to Tiw/Tyr. His name is said to mean either sword god or friend of the Saxons. The problem with interpreting his name, is that the Saxons themselves, took their name from the word meaning sword, Sax or Seax. So it's not too sure if the Seax- element, in the
Seaxneat


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updated on: July 23,
2003

name Seaxneat, means just sword or is a reference to the actual Saxon folk. Seaxneat is recorded amongst the continental Saxon as Saxnot, where he is mentioned as a god who has to be denounced during their conversion to Christianity. In England where he was also worshipped, he was also seen as the Anglo-Saxons ancestor as recorded in the genealogies of Essex, and no doubt he was considered the ancestor of the continental Saxons also. The other Saxon kingdoms of England, Wessex and Sussex, don't record Seaxneat in their genealogies, but it seems reasonable to assume that at one time he was considered the ancestor of all the Saxon folk. The reason for his absence amongst the Saxons of Wessex and Sussex could be that he was eventually replaced by Woden who, as mentioned elsewhere, eventually became the chief god amongst the Anglo-Saxons in England. But in Essex for reasons unknown the Saxons there felt it necessary to remain loyal to him. If the name Seaxneat does mean sword companion, then his symbol in ancient days may have been that of a sword. In continental Germania dances are recorded amongst
Germanic folk, that involved the use of swords. No doubt these dances or similar ones were performed in England too, as images have been found showing men performing such dances/rituals. It seems likely that Seaxneat eventually fell out of favour with the Anglo-Saxons, possibly as mentioned due to the rise of Woden, but as on the continent his cult was more than likely killed of by the rise of another god, the Christian one.