godsipclub

godsipclub, 7 hours ago to poland

In 2023, in #Poland, yet another grave was discovered¹ with several common anti-vampire tracts:

• The body was placed downward
• A sickle was placed on the body's neck
• A lock was placed on its feet

In that case, if the buried one was a #vampire, or tried to come back among the living, those gimmicks hopefully would have stopped it.

It wasn't uncommon, in Eastern Europe, to have legends and beliefs about vampires. In #Slavic mythology:

• The strzyga, not to be confused with the worshippers of Morana or Striga (Stribog's² female counterpart), was believed some kind of vampire or demon
• Strigoi³ were vampiric spirits and witches
• A kresnik⁴ (not the homonymous god) was a shamanic worker who was said to hunt vampires and protect villages form malicious spirits
• It was common to put some "extra precautions" in some tombs, as copper coins in the mouth of the deceased as expedient against evil

¹ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/anti-vampire-graves-poland
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stribog
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strigoi
⁴ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krsnik_(vampire_hunter)

@mythology #mythology

godsipclub, 27 days ago to australia

The placenta has always been seen as something mystical.

In #Australia, if it was believed that, if the mother had launched the afterbirth into the water, the baby would have been a good swimmer.
Batak¹ people from Sumatra, #Indonesia, buried it under the house; it was believed to be the newborn's sister or brother.
Similarly, Baganda² from #Uganda believed that the placenta was a doppelgänger of the child – this is similar to the #Irish (or #British, in general?) concept of fetch.³

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baganda
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetch_(folklore)

#Folklore @folklore

godsipclub, 1 month ago to folklore

In #Folklore, the belief that metal can harm #fairies reflects a captivating intersection of ancient myth and practical symbolism. Pliny the Elder¹ speculated in his Naturalis Historia that iron nails in tombs can repel nocturnal spirits, offering a possible explanation for this mystical connection.

Additionally, the fierce warrior culture of the #Celts, known for their intricate metal craftsmanship and rituals, likely influenced the perception of metal as a potent force against otherworldly beings.

In general, it is still common to hang horseshoes on doorsteps in order to bring luck. You can also read it… to keep fairies, or bad luck, away.

Everybody quite agrees on this subject: 🧚 💔 🧲

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elder

@folklore

godsipclub, 1 month ago to Christianity

You may know well #Thor, the #Norse god of Thunder—but have you head about Perun?

He is often depicted as a powerful, bearded man wielding a hammer or axe. His domain included the sky, where he controlled the weather and protected the earthly realm from evil forces.

In #Slavic belief, thunder was thought to be the sound of Perun striking his enemies with his thunderbolts. As a deity associated with war, Perun was also considered a guardian of justice and order, punishing evildoers and upholding moral law. His cult was widespread among the early Slavic tribes, and he was one of the most important gods in their pantheon.

Perun's importance declined with the spread of #Christianity in Eastern #Europe, where he was often equated with Saint Elias due to their shared associations with thunder and lightning. Nonetheless, Perun remains a significant figure in Slavic folklore and cultural heritage, symbolizing strength, protection, and the forces of nature.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perun

#Folklore #Mythology @folklore @mythology

godsipclub, 1 month ago to folklore

Cannock Chase¹, also known as The Chase, is a beautiful area in #Staffordshire, West Midlands, loved for its natural scenery, wildlife, and history. However, it's also renowned for its #folklore, which includes stories of black-eyed children, panthers, #UFOs, #Bigfoot, and more. Castle Ring Hillfort, over 2,000 years old, is a spot associated with supernatural phenomena, leading some to believe it's a portal. Reports of strange sightings continue, with tales of pale creatures and an eyeless girl haunting the woods.

One of the most infamous stories is that of the 'Black-Eyed Child', said to have originated in the 1970s when a couple encountered a girl asking for help, only to be terrified by her dark, eyeless stare. This chilling encounter left many feeling hypnotized and unwell afterward. Over the years, investigators have flocked to The Chase to unravel the mystery behind these strange occurrences.

Additionally, The Chase has a dark history, with reports of child abductions and murders dating back to the 1960s. These tragic events, known as the 'Babes in the Ditch' murders, may have contributed to the area's eerie reputation.

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannock_Chase

#England @folklore

godsipclub, 1 month ago to Russia

Austeja¹ is one of the #Slavic goddesses of #Spring, known also as "The Weaver", "The Protective Goddess", or "The #Bee Goddess".

It was told that bees were her messengers, and here voice could be heard in their hum.
In Slavic customs, bees tell important news as births or deaths in the household. Also, the soul could take the form of a bee. In #Russia, it is a sacrilege to kill these insects.

The verb "austi" means "to weave": bees were thought to weave the honeycombs inside the hive as the goddess weaved the humans' fate.

About the etymology: Indo-European word "aus" means both "East" and "dawn".
The Proto-Indo-European name of the goddess is thought to be "auesos", which comes from the #Germanic Austron, goddess of dawn and spring.
Her name became Eastre/Eostre² in Old #English, which became… #Easter.

BONUS!
It could be that #Austria was named after the goddess, and Germany after Jarilo's³ "German" title (or maybe Jarila's "Germania")

¹ https://mythicalencyclopedia.com/austeja/
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%92ostre
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarilo

godsipclub, 2 months ago to folklore

Nickanan Night, also known as Roguery Night or Peasen Monday, is a revered #Cornish tradition held on the Monday before #ShroveTuesday. Initially centered on pea splitting, it has evolved into a festivity marked by youthful mischief.

As twilight falls, youths armed with short clubs engage in door-knocking escapades, seeking pancakes from households. Mysterious disappearances of household items add intrigue, with items reappearing the next day as tokens of revelry. In locales like Polperro, festivities culminate in the procession of 'Jack-o-Lent', symbolizing Judas Iscariot. It was paraded through the streets and pelted with rotten vegetables. It was then taken to the beach where it was ceremonially burned — which also recall #Celts and #Imbolc festival.

Thomas Quiller Couch captured the essence of Nickanan Night, characterized by innocence and mischief: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickanan_Night#19th_century_description.

Echoing through the night, a cherished rhyme can be heard:

"Nicka nicka nan,
Give me some pancake, and then I'll be gone.
But if you give me none, I'll throw a great stone,
And down your door shall come."

#Cornwall #Britain #folklore @folklore

godsipclub, 2 months ago to Catroventos

Starlings¹, derived from the Old #English word 'Staer', are known for their mesmerizing gatherings in massive flocks during autumn and winter, a breathtaking spectacle known as murmurations.

In #mythology, Starlings have an intriguing connection to Myna birds², both of which are capable of mimicking human speech. One fascinating tale from medieval #Welsh lore revolves around Branwen³, the daughter of Llyr. Mistreated by her Irish husband, Branwen teaches a tamed starling to speak and sends it across the #Irish Sea to inform her brother, Bran, who then raises an army to rescue her. This myth highlights the intelligence attributed to starlings and their association with communication and aid in #folklore.

Additionally, historical names for Starlings reflect various aspects of their behavior and appearance. For instance, the term "Sheep Stare" from #Somerset highlights their habit of alighting on the backs of sheep to pick at ticks in their coats, a behavior beneficial to both parties.

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starling
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myna
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branwen

@folklore @mythology

godsipclub, 3 months ago to iran

Peris¹ and Div² are creatures from ancient #Persian mythology.
The first are fairy-like beings, so delicate and beautiful that it was said they fed on good perfumes — not food.
The other ones are huge, hairy orc-like creatures, with long fangs and snakes as beard.

Many legends narrate of Div kidnapping a Peri, imprisoning it in a tiny cage on the top of a tree. Other Peris, then, carried sweet scents to the poor one until it has enough strengths to fly away.

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peri
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Div_(mythology)

#Iran #Folklore #mythology @mythology @folklore

godsipclub, 3 months ago to folklore

Panthers, among several past civilizations, were mythical creatures¹ that emitted a very sweet odor in order to attract other beings (except the dragon, which is afraid by this animal).

About the actual feline, Leonardo Da Vinci, in his notebooks, curiously described it as... "all white and marked with black spots"!²

¹ https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast79.htm
² https://cdn.fulltextarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-advanced-pdf/1/The-Notebooks-of-Leonardo-Da-Vinci-Volumex5321.pdf

@folklore @mythology #folklore #mythology

godsipclub, 3 months ago to folklore

#February was the month of purification, for ancient #Romans.
One of the old rituals is #Lupercalia: young men (luperci) were initiated, and they hit the ground with goat-skin stripes in order to chase away evil spirits.
Also, they "hit" women because the festivity was linked with #Juno, goddess of childbirth.

#ValentinesDay is probably the #christianization of the Lupercalia festival.

In general, it is quite a busy –and complicated– month!
Read more 👉 https://godsip.club/articles/february-stars/

#Folklore #Rome #History @folklore #folklorethursday #mythology @mythology

godsipclub, 3 months ago to philosophy

Today I was going to write a brief post about #February rituals in ancient #Rome, but it came out so long that I had to write a blog post!

In brief, in February, on the same days, several gods were honored:

• Febris
• Juno
• Lupercus

But… How can they be related? 🤔

Find it out here! ⬇️
https://godsip.club/articles/february-stars/

@folklore @mythology #folklore #mythology

godsipclub, 3 months ago to folklore

In the #Fiji islands, the "local little people" are the Vele, which are often described as small, hairy people.
Some say they have shining eyes, visible in the dark, but they are extremely shy, and it is more common to hear them whispering.
Locals are quite well-disposed to talk about them, several witnesses can be found on the internet:
• https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p301541/pdf/interlude-veli.pdf
• https://www.jstor.org/stable/44012040

#Folklore @folklore #FolkloreThursday

godsipclub, 4 months ago to Tolkien

As you probably know, Radagast¹ is a character from #Tolkien's "The Hobbit", but... How many of you ever heard about Radogost²?

In #Russian folk tales, he's son of Koljada, the goddess of the New Year.
In the #Czech Republic, "radlo" means plow, which is often related to other figures, as Kurent³, connected with fertility. The plow, in fact, was needed to make the earth fertile.

Radogost was also called "The Hospitable One" or "The Peacemaker".

In XVI and XVIII centuries there are writings that describe his statues with a bird spreading wings on his crown, or his head.
A head of a black ox was on his chest, supported by his right hand; and his left hand held an axe.

Wikipedia has an accurate drawing of this figure, the only difference is the axe, which is a spear. Neat!

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radagast
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radogost_(mythology)
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurentovanje

godsipclub, 4 months ago to italy

Last week I wrote a post on my blog about a myth from Northern #Alps, in #Italy.

It is about the Crodères, beings who inhabit the mountains who have a stone heart, so they can't feel any emotions. It is the story of their queen, Tanna, who instead loved to help humans.

That is a #myth like no other I know because of its structure, with no climax or twists, and tells about how harsh life is, and the process of our inner growth. It's very interesting, it has multiple interpretations.

Check it out! 👇
https://godsip.club/articles/tales-boys-myths-men/

#Folklore #FolkloreThursday @folklore

godsipclub, 4 months ago to ireland

Today is the #Epiphany, the end of the #TwelveDaysOfChristmas.¹
In #Ireland, though, this day is also known as Nollaig na mBan, a.k.a. Little Christmas.²
It is hard to find a root of this tradition, but it is a feast dedicate to #women: they take a break from all the work of the past days, and they can celebrate as they wish. 🎉

Beware of other traditions, though, as removing all the Christmas tree decorations before the end of the day, or there will be bad luck! 🚫🍀

But don't forget to keep the #Christmas holly! It is good to use it for the fire to cook pancake on Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras³, the day before #Lent!

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Christmas
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday

#Nollaignamban #folklore @folklore

godsipclub, 4 months ago to folklore

Some of my personal favorite #folklore creatures from #Hungary are the Tünder and the Bábák.

The first ones are water-based creatures, or fairies, as many of the white ladies¹. They protect orphans and the poorest, gifting them with pearls. When they comb their long hair, they spread small gems or gold nuggets in rivers. They alway wear white, and they can fly, taking the shape of a swan.
Some say that they originally lived among humans, then moved to the top of mountains when the world started to change, becoming the modern one that we know. Anyway, they still can be seen dancing in the moonlight. 🌕💃

Bábák, instead, are the "usual" old, cranky witches of the collective imagination. The root of the word is the same as many other Eastern European languages that means "wise old lady" (Baba Yaga is the most famous character named after that).²

These two creatures perfectly match the common figures of European folklore: tiny, in contrast, and filled with mystical powers… but not necessarily evil.

P.S. Wow, a lot of new followers arrived in these last couple of days! Thank you! 🙏

¹ https://godsip.club/articles/white-ladies/
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yaga#Etymology

@folklore @folklorethursday #folklorethursday @folklorethursday #Europe

godsipclub, 4 months ago to Iceland

Happy New Year, everyone! 🥂

Did you celebrate? But did you do it respecting the traditions and the Hidden People?

For example, in #Iceland, it was believed that New Year's Day was the moving day of the #fairies, or Huldufólk¹. So people lit candles in front of the windows to help them find the way home. 🏠🕯️🧚

¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulduf%C3%B3lk

#Folklore @folklore

godsipclub, 5 months ago to random

One of the main concepts we need to realize to better understand old deities, is that the #calendar was divided in two or three #seasons:

• If they were shepherds (e.g. #Celts), it was split in two — summer and winter, if the animals had to graze in the fields or stay in the barn

• If they were farmers (e.g. #Romans), the seasons were three: spring, summer and #winter

So, gods could have two or three forms, according to the season: in #Slavic religion, there are both examples.

Bialobog and Czarnobog were called "the white god" and "the black god". The first one turned into the black one at the beginning of #November. One is extrovert and joyful; the other is introvert, loves the dark, and stillness. This is a good example of duality.

Other deities have a young form associated to the #spring, an adult one for #summer, and an old one for winter.
One example is Jarila¹ > Siva² > Koliada³

¹ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarilo
² https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDiva_(mythology)
³ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koliada_(deity)

godsipclub, 5 months ago to Japan

Quite popular among several countries, there was the belief that, during childbirth, knots had to be untied.
Everything, in the house, had to be loose to ease the delivery.
Also, a broom was kept in a corner of the room – this custom was followed in #Japan, too!

#Roman husbands wrapped their wives with special belts, which then were untied, to ease the pain of the labor.
Also, in the #MiddleAges, special birth girdles¹ were used.

¹ https://inpress.lib.uiowa.edu/feminae/DetailsPage.aspx?Feminae_ID=40847

#Folklore @folklore

godsipclub, 6 months ago to random

This radio silence is because I'm working (also) on a new article, based on folklore tales.

There is something common in all European countries, but there are also (literal!) apparitions all around the world…

Hints:

1. they are white
2. they are ghastly
3. they are linked to water
   👻

godsipclub, 7 months ago to folklore

Some #folklore facts about #death from Siberia, #Russia.
From Arnold Van Gennep's "Rites of Passage", which is publicly available¹.

For some Ostyaks tribes², the #otherworld was underwater, in the Arctic Ocean; it is illuminated only by the light of the #moon.
For other ones, it was in the sky, accessible through ladders hundreds of feet long, or by climbing up a chain.

¹ https://archive.org/details/theritesofpassage/page/n177/mode/2up
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostyak

@folklore @folklorethursday #folklorethursday

godsipclub, 8 months ago to ireland

Puck is a shape-shifter from the #Midlands, #England.

As other hobgoblins, he can help with house works. In particular, he loves jokes and pranks.

William #Shakespeare calls him Robin Goodfellow in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" — and thus in @neilhimself 's wonderful Sandman.
His father is Oberon, king of #fairies; his mother is a beautiful country girl.

In #Ireland, instead, he's called Phouka. He's always mischievous, but he reciprocates kind feelings. He wears green, like pixies.

mythologyandhistory, 9 months ago to history

This isn't #history...yet.

But let's talk about all the things banned in #China. Because it's a lot.

You probably know that comparing #XíJìnpíng to Winnie the Pooh is illegal.

But did you know that showing time travel in media is also #banned?

And so is showing female models modeling underwear. (Because it is a "substitute for porn" as that's also illegal, & now some men are modeling lingerie & it's hilarious).

Chat GPT, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Crypto & Christmas, are banned too.