Questions tagged [iconography]
For questions relating to mythical symbols or depictions in artwork.
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Are there any sources about defiling and/or renouncing an idol being a capital offense?
Are there any sources about defiling and/or renouncing an idol in the ancient pagan world being a capital offense?
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What is in the hand of Castor? Can that be a mirror?
My question is about the twin brothers - the mortal Castor and the immortal Pollux. Regarding this statue, which is a Roman copy of a 4th-5th century BC Greek version:
In the descriptions I found it ...
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Did ancient Greek authors describe any consistent details of the Olympians' appearance (hair/eye color, relative height, etc)?
Obviously there are tons of statues of various gods, but these can usually be summed up as "muscular men and beautiful women." There's not a ton of detail in terms of facial appearance, ...
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Who is the figure holding a cross next to Christ fallen with the cross in the statue at Budapest 2, Pasaréti tér?
Christian iconography question. This is about a 1936 life-sized statue of Jesus Christ fallen beneath the cross, by sculptor Somló Sári. The statue is at Budapest 2. ker. Pasaréti tér, next to the ...
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Was the Grim Reaper originally depicted with a scythe or a sickle?
Was the Grim Reaper originally depicted with a scythe or a sickle? I have seen both versions of the Angel of Death's weapon and was wondering which one is considered the older, more original version.
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What is the significance of the two cities on the Shield of Achilles?
In Book 18 of the Iliad, Homer describes the Shield of Achilles. The second layer from the shield's centre features scenes from two cities. In the first city a wedding and a tribunal are taking place:
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What symbol is on the staff of The Sorceress by Georges Merle?
This painting depicts a number of symbols from various cultures. It was shown at a Paris exhibition in 1883, and I suspect the painting is more imagination than an accurate depiction of any sorceress....
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What is this Norse symbol?
It is possibly Icelandic but I can only find it in one place with no name or explanation. Similar to a helm of awe but with an A in the middle and the ends are alternating circles and crescents.
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Who is the female figure in the Nirgul tablet?
The Nirgul tablet (also known as Cerberus relief) was a Parthian relief carving of the Mesopotamian god Nergal, a three-headed dog and a seated female figure:
According to Wikipedia, which cites ...
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Did the ancient Egyptians worship Cats and Dogs deities at the same period?
Did Egyptians worship feline and canine gods at the same period in history?
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Contribution of ancient Greek pottery to mythology studies
I was wondering if the study of ancient Greek pottery art has contributed to the field of Mythology, and how, besides the cool illustrations:
Heracles and Athena. Source pic: Wikipedia.
For example, ...
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What do we know about the winged male figures representing the souls of warriors in the weighing of souls?
The pictured black-figured lekythos features Hermes (in his role as a psychopomp), weighing the souls of Achilles and a Trojan warrior (Memnon or Hector):
What I find particularly interesting in the ...
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What is the significance of the three stars in Ruben's Saturn painting?
What is the significance of the three stars in Peter Paul Ruben's Saturn devouring a Son painting?
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Why was Nekhbet depicted as a vulture?
Nekhbet, a predynastic goddess that eventually became the patron of Upper Egypt, was commonly depicted in art as a vulture.
Why is that? The vulture seems - at least to me - like an odd choice for ...
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Why is the constellation Capricornus depicted as a sea-goat? [duplicate]
The constellation Capricornus is often represented in the form of a sea-goat:
Why is that? Are there tales that attempt to explain how this curious hybrid came to be?
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What culture does this duality symbol belong to?
While browsing today I came upon this symbol tagged as duality, but I am unable to identify it.
Does anybody recognize where this symbol comes from? Is it part of a culture/religion or just ...
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Why does the astrology sign for cancer seem to represent a yin and yang?
So there appears to be an astrology tag with very few questions. This somewhat represents mythology around cancer specifically.
Why does the astrology sign for cancer seem to represent a yin and ...
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Which god holds a shepherd's crook?
Which, if any, god(s) in the ancient world is depicted as holding a shepherd's crook? I am looking for gods depicted in such ways in statues, idols, drawings, etc...
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