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Are there any desertification myths?

Many cultures have a flood myth; one explanation is that these were real, localised floods during the end of the last ice age, which were passed down through prehistoric oral traditions and myths. Likewise, there were other kinds of dramatic climate…
congusbongus
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Confusion regarding the telling of a chess game in the Völuspá (Ragnarök aftermath)

The Völuspá, from my understanding, is where it mentions the aftermath of Ragnarök. In it, they talk of the chess game where they find golden pieces of the "dead" gods and then use them to play a game of chess. Where did Snorri get this idea of…
K Johnson
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Why is Asclepius said to have been a god when he was killed?

Asclepius was a son of Apollo and the mortal princess Coronis. Chiron, the centaur, nurtured his talent for the art of medicine, eventually surpassing himself and his father. One day, the demigod found a way to bring back the dead. He only did it…
Andrew Johnson
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When and why did necromancy became a bad thing?

Talking about Europe and cultures that influenced it... Why and since when was the revival of the dead considered evil? In Greek mythology bringing back a loved one is hard or comes at a price, but it doesn't seem to be frowned upon. So the…
Nuloen The Seeker
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Identifying the places in the Odyssey

I suppose there have been academic attempts to identify all the places mentioned in the Odyssey by Homer, specially after Heinrich Schliemann found Troy. I would like to know if there's any kind of consensus about the route Odysseus took. I've found…
Rodia
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Did Greeks bow to their gods?

Is there an instance in which a Greek (or related, Roman, Trojan...) would bow to a god if they appeared? I would think not. Iliad Athena appears to Achilles, did not bow. Athena appears to Odysseus, did not bow (runs to the ships). Ares.. appears…
Andrew Johnson
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What is the earliest known instance of "When Shepherds Washed their Socks by Night", the children's version of the Christmas carol?

A popular Christmas carol runs While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night, All seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down, And glory shone around in its first verse. It was recorded in 1700 and has been attributed to Nahum…
user1618
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Who was the spirit entity who Solomon commanded to help build the temple?

Entity? Demon? Spirit? Who was or is he? How or by who’s power was this bieng controller?
JRow
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What are the 365 virtues?

I was researching and I came across Abraxas, a daemon(inferior god), an archon, an aeon, the "Supreme" god, an angel... He has a place in many mythologies, and the number 365 keeps coming up. 365 heavens, spheres, numbers, archons, skies, powers of…
Andrew Johnson
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Are there any established religions that explicitly support homosexuality?

According to scripture Judaism doesn't support gay marriage. Christianity is similar. Hindiusm talks about people born with out gender parts and therefore being 3rd gender but doesn't accept homosexuality. Buddhism says nothing about gay…
William
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What are some iconic legends of human depravity and spiritual pollution?

My purposes are non-salacious, I promise. There's an undercurrent in mythology and folklore that I didn't get a lot of in school, but which I've noticed more and more of as I've read on my own. These are stories of men and women, often royal but…
Random
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Is Greek mythology derivative of/influence by Ugartic/Canaanite mythology?

I know that the character of 'Adonis' is of Phoenician origin, but there are many other parallels which are too many to be ignored: Phosporus- Shahar Hesperus- Shalim Zeus/Poseidon/Hades- Baal/Yamm/Mot Athena- Anat Aphrodite- Astarte Heracles-…
Reggie O'Donoghue
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Anglo-Saxon and Faeries

I am trying to figure out whether the Anglo-Saxons had much of a belief in faeries or had an equivalent like elves or wights. I'm finding it pretty hard to disentangle what is actually English folklore and what is the legacy of the Victorians!
rougon
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Is there a Greek god/goddess of freedom?

according to Wikipedia, Ananke is the personification of inevitability, compulsion and necessity. She is often depicted holding a spindle. One of the Greek primodorial deities, Ananke marks the beginning of the cosmos along with her father and…
Mozibur Ullah
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Are there any four-armed deities or creatures in the Greek or Roman pantheons?

As in the title, are there any four-armed (two-legged) deities or creatures in the Greek or Roman pantheons? Essentially the morphological opposite of centaurs, in terms of limb numbers.
rek
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