Who Is Vana
Vana is a name that appears in Ynglinga saga, part of Snorri Sturluson’s Heimskringla. She is described as a woman from Vanaland and is linked to the early royal mythology of Scandinavia through her marriage to King Sveigdir.
Unlike major gods and goddesses, Vana does not appear in multiple surviving myths with extended stories. Her importance comes from what her name suggests and where she is placed in the tradition: at the edge of the world of the Vanir, in the half legendary space where divine history and royal ancestry blend together.
In the saga, Vana becomes the mother of Vanlandi, a name that literally points back to Vanaland. Through this, Vana functions as a bridge between place, identity, and lineage.
Themes and Meaning
Saga Tradition
Known primarily from royal saga material rather than the main myth poems
Lineage and Identity
Her role connects Vanaland to a royal family line through Vanlandi
Mythic Kingship
Appears in a context where divine realms, famous places, and rulers overlap
Where Vana Appears
Ynglinga Saga
Vana is mentioned in the royal saga tradition connected to Vanaland and the Yngling line
Vanaland and Vanaheim
Her name and setting echo the wider idea of the Vanir and their homeland
Quick Facts
Associated Figures
King Sveigdir
The king who marries Vana in the saga tradition
Vanlandi
Her son, whose name points back to the land of the Vanir
Residence
Vanaland
A saga place name connected to the Vanir and the idea of their homeland