Nerthus is a goddess in Germanic paganism associated with fertility. Nerthus was mentioned by Tacitus, a 1st Century AD Roman historian, in his work entitled Germania. An amount of speculation exists regarding the goddess and her potential later traces amongst the Germanic tribes. Etymology Etymological links have long been made betweern Nerthus to Njörðr. Njörðr is commonly viewed as a masculine counterpart to Nerthus. Jacob Grimm wrote, “I should prefer Nertu… (More on Nerthus)