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How did Tyr lose his hand to the wolf Fenrir?
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Germanic religion and mythology
Battle scenes and ships depicted on a memorial stone from Gotland, Sweden, late 8th century. In the third panel from the top, a warrior is being hanged in a tree as a sacrifice to Odin, whose cult is represented by an eagle and a twisted knot.
In Norse mythology, the god Tyr lost his hand as a consequence of his role as a guarantor of oaths and justice.1
The gods sought to bind the monstrous wolf Fenrir because they feared his growing strength. To trick the wolf into allowing them to place a magical chain upon him, the gods pretended the act was merely a test of his power. As a gesture of good faith to convince Fenrir to submit to the binding, Tyr placed his hand between the wolf's jaws.21
When Fenrir realized he had been trapped by the gods, he bit off Tyr’s hand in retaliation. This act of sacrifice cemented Tyr’s reputation as a brave deity and led to his characterization as the "one-handed god".213