Questions tagged [symbolism]

For questions about objects in myths that stand for something else in either the myth or the real world, sometimes for teaching a lesson.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
37 votes
4 answers
6k views

Why were there exactly 12 main Olympian Gods?

Did the ancient Greeks believe that the number 12 symbolized everything? Was it random that there were 12 Olympian gods and no more (or less)?
Shevliaskovic's user avatar
20 votes
8 answers
8k views

What is the meaning of the star symbols appearing on seal VA 243?

Here is the picture of cylinder seal VA/243. Image credits: Z. Sitchin This seal was named like that because it is number 243 in the collection of the Vorderasiatische Museum in Berlin. What is the ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 2,525
14 votes
4 answers
31k views

What is the symbolism behind Psyche's tasks?

The taskmaster in the story of Cupid and Psyche was Cupid's mother, the love goddess Venus or Aphrodite. Venus had never liked Psyche, so the opportunity of putting her to a series of tests gave Venus ...
Hanilucas's user avatar
  • 429
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

What deities/creatures personify the universe in the aspect that it manifests as varied duplexity (that serve the same symbolic function as Yin/Yang)?

I'm looking for deities or mythological creatures that symbolize the universe in the aspect that it manifests as a duality (which is for example symbolized by the Yin/Yang), but as a fictional ...
01AutoMonkey's user avatar