Questions tagged [origins]

For questions about the mythology and folklore behind the creation or existence of a being, object or idea.

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Is there any folklore in non-European culture that may be an attempt to "explain" similar to changeling myths in Western Europe and Scandinavia?

It has been suggested by some authors that stories of changelings in Scandinavia and western Europe are an attempt by ancient peoples used to try and explain developmental abnormalities in children, ...
user2352714's user avatar
6 votes
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137 views

What is the origin, mythical or historical, of the idea that having sex with a god grants power?

I read about this for the first time in "La ultima bruja" (2017), a book about witches. In this book, there's a chapter in which a girl has to have sexual relationships with a Wolf God so He grants ...
J. Maria's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
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The Phoenician Months MTN and P'LT

I'm doing some research into the names of the months in the Phoenician calendar. I have a theory that all but three of the names have ties to the Phoenician pagan practices, but don't have evidence ...
Harel13's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Why do so many cultures have a myth of the world being made or remade from water?

In various creation and flood myths the world is said to be remade from water, why would different ancient cultures have this same theme?
Xandra Wolfbane's user avatar
2 votes
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Need help identifying a specific prophetic or cursed book of unknown origin

My mum recently told me about a book that her own mother (my grandmother) mentioned to her when she was a child. Neither of them actually had a physical copy of the book, but I'd like to know if ...
ParadoxPython's user avatar
2 votes
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What is the origin of fortune-telling cards with faces divided into four triangles, which were known in Russia in 1850?

In her book Reading Russian Fortunes (Cambridge University Press, 1998), Faith Wigzell refers (p.33) to a type of fortune-telling card deck that reached Russia in 1850, ascribed to Marie Anne ...
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2 votes
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Ancient prophecies involving alcohol?

Are there any ancient prophecies involving alcohol? I asked this question on Beer, Wine & Spirits SE some two years ago and have not received an answer: Prophecies involving alcohol? When we read ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
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2 votes
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What is the origin of the 'Light' as a ghost?

As a ghost (or after death), it is popularly believed that you will see a light and that light will take you to the afterlife. Where, and/or when, does this 'light' emerge in folklore's history?
Andrew Johnson's user avatar
1 vote
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Were Cambions originally the demon offspring of a Succubus and Incubus?

The earliest evidenced appearance of the word "cambion" in the sense of an offspring of two demons is in the 1818 French-Language Dictionnaire Infernal. The 1825 edition of that book has the ...
Orionixe's user avatar
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1 vote
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what was the reason for rape in greek myths and culture

Is the reason gods assaulted women because of Eros? Did gods and mortals alike blame Eros for their act of "passion"?
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