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Are vampires called anything else in European folklore?
Does there exist alternative names for vampires? Perhaps an euphemism; for example, in Harry Potter, those who feared Voldemort called him "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" in lieu of his real name. Or perhaps something like a true name.
Is there anything…
Jillifish
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8
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Why is it that we say "Pandora's box" so often even thought it was a jar?
Why is it so popular to say that it was a box when it was actually a jar?
Anonymous
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8
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1 answer
Do swans [or geese?] have any medicinal-related significance in Greek mythology?
Please, have a look at this picture:
It represents the Medicine. At the bottom you see a swan and a cock. The cock was sacred to Asclepius and should be one of his symbols here. But what about that swan sitting on an open book? Currently I don't…
antmjr
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8
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1 answer
Did the dragons of Chinese mythology originate from tornadoes?
I remember reading that tornadoes disappeared from ancient Asia due to climate change, and so the memory of it is preserved in myth as dragons. Is this true?
Gstestso
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8
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1 answer
In Norse mythology, is there a reference to a stone/rock place, entity, object?
I've read up a bit but I'm struggling to get a reference to a place, entity or object consisting or containing stone (or rock).
Are there beings, mythological objects, or locations that are characterised by stone in Norse mythology?
TungstenX
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8
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2 answers
Symbolism of the "Temple of the Rose Cross"
The Temple of the Rose Cross (sometimes translated as the College of the Rose Cross) is a symbol associated with the Rosicrucians.
What is the meaning of this symbol?
user62
8
votes
1 answer
Is there a tradition of rock throwing for Mercury?
The Talmud refers to the Roman god Mercury as Merculus (מרקוליס) and always mentions that god in conjunction with a idolatrous practice of throwing a rock towards a pile of other rocks. Is there any documentation of such a practice as proper worship…
Reb Chaim HaQoton
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8
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2 answers
Are the four Horsemen more powerful than the Devil?
The Four Horsemen are the ones who will bring the apocalypse. Are they under the command of the devil? Are they more powerful than the devil?
Dark Army
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8
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1 answer
What did Sisyphus know and when did he know it?
Each time that Sisyphus began to roll the boulder up the mountain was he aware before beginning the task that the boulder would roll back down once he had finished? In other words, in addition to being compelled to undertake a task that he could…
James T. Barker
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8
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What did the Mayans hope to accomplish from ritual sacrifice?
There are many descriptions of Mayan religious practices involving human sacrifice. For example, the Wikipedia has a long article on bloodletting and human sacrifice by the Mayans. However, these treatments do not clearly explain the purported…
Tyler Durden
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8
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How does Shamhat know about Gilgamesh's dreams?
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Shamhat has intimate knowledge about Gilgamesh's dreams:
"Before you even came from the uplands,
Gilgamesh in Uruk was seeing you in dreams..."
(The Epic of Gilgamesh; dialogue spoken by Shamhat.)
How does she know…
user62
7
votes
1 answer
Significance of Gylfi's choice of pseudonym
When Gylfi tries to trick the gods into entering Asgard under a false identity, he adopts the name Gangleri.
Later, during his discussion with Hár, Jafnhár, and Þriðji, it is revealed to him in stanza 20 the list of names by which Odin is known (I…
plannapus
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7
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2 answers
Etymology of "charming" ("Encantadora" in spanish) seeing from the Greek mythology point of view
I originally posted this question in the Spanish StackExchange but it seems it fits more in here, even though the significance of the word looks more direct in Spanish than English.
My doubt rose up after vaguely remember the words of a professor…
AronNeewart
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7
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1 answer
According to the Gylfaginning, where do giants live?
I'm reading the Gylfaginning as part of our site's myth of the month challenge, and I noticed the following line:
How was the earth fashioned? Made answer Har: The earth is round, and without it round about lies the deep ocean, and along the outer…
user62
7
votes
1 answer
Was the transition of the descendants of Rígr into the family of Dan a peaceful one or a violent one?
The Rígsþula (found here) ends with a crow giving ominous council to Kon(r), son or Jarl, son of Rígr. The crow seems to urge him to fight Dan and Damp (also spelled "Danp"), supposedly Danish kings. On that note, the poem abruptly ends.
However, as…
HDE 226868
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