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What information medium are the Norns writing on?
In the Norse mythology, the Norns writing the fate of the gods, but what are they writing it on?
For example, the Greek Fates weave destiny on a loom.
If so, Does it have a name?
Xhark
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Most gods in Egyptian pantheons are with animal faces?
Why there are gods with animal faces but human bodies in Egyptian pantheons? Are they out-numbered the human-faced ones? From biological perspective human is weak in physical (body) but strong in intellect (head), why would the Egyptians use such a…
Mishu 米殊
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Famous treasure related with the Norse gods?
Is there any famous treasure related with the gods of Norse mythology? Something like a famous vault or maybe cave. An accumulation of important things that they wanted to protect, for instance.
Xhark
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Why is the helhest three-legged?
I recently stumbled upon a reference to the helhest, a "three-legged horse associated with Hel". Unfortunately, searching for more information on about this fascinating legend didn't turn up much.
Obviously, the most distinctive characteristic of…
yannis
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Story of Dionysus being slaughtered as a bull-calf and eaten by the Titans?
The story appears to be a variant of the sparagmos of the Orphic Zagreus, with the difference being that Dionysus was in bull-calf form when he was slaughtered. Wikipedia mentions the story (1, 2), referencing this paragraph in Walter Burkert's…
yannis
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Which Celtic god is the equivalent of the Roman Dis Pater?
In Book IV of his Commentaries on the Gallic War, Julius Caesar tells us all Gauls claimed descent from Dis Pater:
18. All the Gauls assert that they are descended from the god Dis, and say that this tradition has been handed down by the Druids.…
yannis
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Is there a Sami legend of a Shaman using human body parts to ward off demons?
The second season of the television series Fortitude revolves around a presumably Sami1 legend of a murderous Shaman. The legend is described in episode 6:
There's a legend among the people here that every few generations, the gods send down a…
yannis
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Is Ostara related to Astraea?
I was watching the finale of American Gods ("Come to Jesus"), which centered on the goddess Ostara, and I was also just reading this interesting little article on Astraea, and I thought, the two names sound sort of similar...
Ostara is associated…
DukeZhou
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Citations for Fragarach in Irish Mythology?
Wikipedia has a short page on the truth-discerning sword Fragarach, passed from Lugh to Cúchulainn, and subsequently to Conn Cétchathach.
It's been a while since I last read the the Ulster Cycle so I was wondering if anyone remembers offhand where…
DukeZhou
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Objects, substances or entities that compel or discern truth in traditional mythological canons?
In modern mythologies I'm noticing increasing reference to objects/substances that can tell or discern truth. Most famously, the use of truth serum as a trope in the spy genre in particular, and Wonder Woman's miraculous golden cord, newly…
DukeZhou
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Meaning and usage of Grimnir?
Interest in this epithet of Odin's was renewed when it was casually tossed out in a recent episode of American Gods. *
My question has three parts:
What is the meaning of Grimnir? I found this Old Norse lexical entry for grimmr but welcome more…
DukeZhou
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Why is Odin the patron of outcasts?
There was a question on Odin's patronage of Sigi, despite Sigi committing a murder and becoming an outlaw.
One of the ideas I used was the idea that Odin is the patron of outcasts, which is consistent with heroic mores in relation to the Sagas and…
DukeZhou
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Are there any deities whose roles had been greatly diminished by the Greek pantheon?
I was wondering if there were any deities whose roles had been greatly diminished by the Greek pantheon after being assimilated into it?
user1385
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Why is Milton invoking Urania?
The identity of the muse John Milton invokes in the opening of Book I in Paradise Lost is revealed in Book VII:
Descend from Heav'n Urania, by that name
If rightly thou art call'd, whose Voice divine
Following, above th' Olympian Hill I…
yannis
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What is the source work for Cadmus visiting Delphi?
This has been driving me absolutely nuts, as it is universally referenced across the internet, but nowhere cited.
It looks like Theoi originally grabbed it from Encyclopedia Britannica, not strictly a scholarly source (although I have no doubt…
DukeZhou
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