The Edda is an Old Norse poetry collection, which is believed to have been compiled in the 13th century. It contains two distinct works: the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. The Poetic Edda is a collection of mythological and heroic poems, while the Prose Edda is a handbook of poetics for skaldic poetry. Both works are important sources for understanding the beliefs and mythology of the pre-Christian Norse people.