For questions that compare mythology or folklore from multiple cultures.
Questions tagged [comparative]
184 questions
58
votes
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When and how did the Greek mythos transfer to the Romans?
It seems that there are a great many similarities between Roman and Greek Mythology. In fact, many people consider them synonymous and only really differ in the names. For example:
Greek ⇄ Roman
Zeus ⇄ Jupiter
Poseidon ⇄ Neptune
Hades ⇄…
user93
37
votes
3 answers
What is the earliest known dragon myth?
The myth of dragons can be found in many different traditions, with the major two being the European dragon and the Chinese dragon.
"There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European
dragon, derived from European folk traditions…
logic
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Where did the Roman gods live?
The ancient Greek gods lived on the famous Mount Olympus, which is an actual mountain in Greece.
The Romans borrowed quite a bit of mythology from the Greeks, so I at first assumed that the Roman gods lived somewhere similar, if not in the exact…
HDE 226868
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29
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Are there any myths we can plausibly trace back to a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor?
It is well-known today that many peoples trace their origin back to a group of people known as the Proto-Indo-Europeans, who probably lived c. 4000 BCE. Among them are some of the most mythologically-rich cultures in the world - most of Europe…
senshin
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27
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Why, according to Joseph Campbell, is the monomyth so common?
The Wikipedia page on the Monomyth has these statements in the summary at the top:
Campbell held that numerous myths from disparate times and regions share fundamental structures and stages,
and
Campbell argues that classic myths from many…
El'endia Starman
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27
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Why is the story of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil so similar to that of Jesus on the cross?
I hope this actually has an answer, I couldn't find anything but speculation on the web.
Basically, the story of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil is very similar to that of Jesus on the cross. Here are the stories broadly:
In order to learn of the runes…
Lara
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26
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2 answers
Did the Gods and Goddesses in Norse mythology act as patron gods?
I know in mythologies such as Greek mythology, gods and goddesses would act as patrons. For example, Athena was the patron goddess of Athens. Did the gods and goddesses in Norse mythology have any sort of similar patronage system for certain cities…
kuwaly
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23
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Prevalence of Underwater Panther
I was researching my tribe's clan history and came across something interesting. Osages, like most American Indian tribes, name their clans after either mythological creatures, or common animals (typically with a mythological backstory for the…
T.E.D.
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23
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Were any Buddhist narratives ever folded into the myths of the Greeks, or vice versa?
The cultural exchange between the Greeks (under Alexander, at first) and the Buddhists of northwestern India is known to have had impacts on both parties. I'm aware of some theological influences, at least, in that some features of Mahayana (e.g.…
senshin
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22
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Is there a connection between Adam and Eve, and Ask and Embla?
The creation myths of the Abrahamic religions declares humanity's protoplasts to be Adam and Eve. Norse lore declares them to be Ask and Embla.
Linguistically, these seem to be fairly similar names. Is there actually a connection there, or is it…
durron597
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17
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2 answers
Are there any apocalypse myths other than Ragnarok in which some people survive to repopulate the world?
In the story of Ragnarok, Lif and Lifthrasir survive by hiding in Yggdrasil, and presumably they go on to repopulate the world after all the fighting is over.
Are there any other cultures whose end-of-the-world myths explicitly include some…
Ixrec
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16
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Role of the North Star in arctic mythologies
In his 1907 essay on Chukchi mythology, Bogoraz describe their cosmogony as follows:
According to the cosmogonical beliefs of the Chukchee, there are several worlds situated one above another, in such a manner that the ground of one forms the sky…
plannapus
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16
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Mythologies with goddesses as the main deity?
In most mythologies, there is often a male god who is the chief god, like Zeus of Greek mythology and Ra of Egyptian mythology. As far as I know, the only mythology that has a female ruler of the universe is Ameteratsu, the Sun goddess of the Shinto…
user1385
15
votes
1 answer
Does Roman folklore feature an account of The Dream of Macsen Wledig?
The Dream of Macsen Wledig is a Welsh tale that may be loosely based on Emperor Magnus Maximus, of Rome. The story tracks his search for a fair maiden he sees in a dream, eventually bringing him to Britain, where he finds the lady he seeks. Learning…
HDE 226868
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15
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Who is god El in Legend of Keret?
In Legend of Keret we can read that:
King Keret of Hubur (or Khuburu), despite being reputed to be a son of the great god El himself.
To which El god this legend refers to?
Could be the same El as in the Bible?
kenorb
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