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170 EELIGION OF THE NOKTHMEN.
himself he made his appearance in the form of an
elderly, grave-looking, otie-eyed manj usually clad
in a green, blue, or spotted mantle, with a sloiiched
hat upon his head and a spear in hand.*
Although Odin is represented in the Asa Mythology
as the highest' of the !^sir, yet it appears
that Thor did not hold an inferior place in the
worship of the people, especially among the inhabi-
tants of Norway and Iceland. There is evidence of
this in the circumstance that temples dedicated to
him alone, or in which he w^s" the chief object of
worship, are so often mentioned in the ancient
Sagas, as well as the firm faith which not merely
individual ISTorthmen but the people of whole
provinces of itforway are said to -have placed -in
him in preference to any other deity of heathendom.
There were temples dedicated to Thor on the island
of Moster near HorSaland, on Kandsey near JSTaum-
dal, upon Thorsnes in Iceland, at Hundsthorp in
Gudbrandsdal; he was the principal Divinity
worshiped in the chief-temple at Mseri in Inner-
Throndheim and at many other places in ^Norway.
The people of Gudbrandsdal put their highest trust
in Thor. "When Thorolf Mostrarskegg wished to
leave Norway, he consulted Thor in order to learn
whither he should go, and Thor directed,him to Iceland.f
By Thor's direction, likewise, the Northman
Kraku Hrei5ar selected a'dweUing-place upon that
* Volsunga S. 3, 11, 13; Norna-Gests S. 6; HSlfs S. 1; Snor.:
Olaf Tryggv. S. 11 ; 01. Tryggv. 5, in Skalli. 63 ; HorSs S. 14.
t Eyr%ggja S. 4.