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Was Loki originally a fire god?
A number of sources claim Loki to have originally been a fire god of some description. This, for instance:
Loki was originally a fire deity before he became more closely associated with the trickster archetype, and this better explains the odd…
femtoRgon
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Why are goats associated with Satan?
Why is the goat often associated with Satan in various religious folklore and illustrations? What makes the goat satanic?
amphibient
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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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28
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Why was Odin afraid that his ravens would not return back to him?
Odin's ravens would continuously fly all over Midgard to collect information and bring it back to Odin.
In Norse mythology, Huginn (from Old Norse "thought") and Muninn
(Old Norse "memory" or "mind") are a pair of ravens that fly all
over the…
anon
28
votes
2 answers
Why are cats so important in Ancient Egypt?
Cats were worshipped in ancient Egypt. This can be clearly seen by the large amount of cat statues, mummified cats, ... that have been found. There is even a God specific for cats (Bastet).
But why were cats seen as sacred animals?
Arperum
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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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Was the Minotaur a single being, or a race?
In the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur, we know that the Minotaur dwelled at the center of the maze built by Daedalus. However, the creature itself (part man, part bull) doesn't appear to show up in any other well-known legends.
Was this Minotaur…
Luna
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Why did Charon collect a toll at the River Styx
Charon is known as the ferryman of the River Styx, letting certain people cross the river with a fee. Charon himself is well known for helping many significant heroes in multiple Greek legends.
He always seems to collect a toll from those who cross…
Anthony Pham
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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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What is Loki considered to be?
I was reading about something and came across the wikipage of Loki. There it says that Loki is a shapeshifter.
Loki is a shape shifter and in separate incidents he appears in the form of a salmon, mare, seal, a fly, and possibly an elderly woman.…
maam27
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What species is the Lady of the Lake?
In Arthurian legend, the Lady of the Lake is usually depicted as a beautiful woman. However, she is clearly not human (as she seems to spend most of her time hanging out underwater). One might think mermaid, but I don't recall any mentions of fins…
Luna
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26
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What differences were there in Greek soldiers worship of Ares and Roman soldiers worship of Mars?
I am looking for a comparison/contrast of war gods. (Feel free to mention other deities in your answer if they are relevant or helpful in explaining)
Considering their direct linkage I am curious to know how Ares and Mars were treated different by…
James
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How did Athena keep from being turned into stone by her shield?
After Perseus killed Medusa, he gifted her head to Athena, who mounted it on a shield and used it in battle to turn her enemies into stone. How did she keep herself from being turned into stone by looking at the shield?
Mr. Bultitude
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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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Are Kitsune and Huli jing the same?
Both the kitsune and huli jing are "fox spirits" with 9 tails, tricksters that can shapeshift into, or possess, young women.
One famous kitsune appears in the true story of Hideyoshi writing a letter threatening to kill all foxes in Japan unless…
congusbongus
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