So I really enjoy comparative mythology, and I love the idea of doing world building around it, where there are gods and it’s clear what “archetype” they fall under, but different cultures interpret them differently.
The sky father, the earth mother, the horned god, etc.
What are some divine archetypes that might make up a pantheon of gods?
I'm not looking for an author that argues for their own conclusion of the purpose/origins of myth, but book that gives a good overview of the field.
I'm looking for any resources which have compared and analyzed the religions and mythology of West Africa, primarily in the Guinea region (forested and coastal areas), including the Yoruba, Igbo, Benin, Akan, and others. I'm especially interested in how these religious systems have influenced each other and what commonalities they share, as well as how the pantheons of these traditions relate to one another and if there is any overlap in the deities they worship. I'd appreciate any related recommendations!
Looking for some comprehensive books about the similarity of human mythologies across the world, the origin of mythological archetypes, and the anthropological view on the topic.
Thank you very much <3
I think it was fairly recent - like that last ten years. Thank you
Let me explain. I got interested in these topic after watching the interview between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers.
Then I tried reading the books "The hero with a thousand faces" and "Myths to live by". But for me, it is too dense. Not easy to read. I am reading it but after few sentences, I do not know what I just read.
I am looking for something that is more easy to read. Thanks in advance for your help and wish you a nice day.
Ehrman mentions in one of his books that most scholars don't subscribe to (for example) the "dying-and-rising-gods" thesis, which came out of early 20th century comparative mythology. Within Biblical studies, I've seen Jonathan Smith (Drudgery Divine) and Samuel Sandmel ("Parallelomania", 1962) mentioned as having cast doubt on parallels drawn between myths in different religious traditions generally.
Aside from Smith and Sandmel, are there any other books or articles that describe proper approaches and standards for using comparative mythology in ancient (or even medieval) historical research? Does anything approaching a consensus exist on how comparative mythology should be used?
This question was inspired by this answer. What parallels of the life, miracles, and teachings of Jesus are in the Greco-Roman religions?
Hi, I'm looking for any articles or studies concerning comparative mythology in West Africa, specifically in the Guinea region (coastal/forested areas) and particularly for the Yoruba, Akan, Igbo, Benin, and/or Vodun. I would be most interested in comparative studies of their deities (orishas, abosom, alusi, loa, etc.), including their origins, cross-cultural connections, instances of syncretism, and similarities/differences between the pantheons. Any related resources would be greatly appreciated!
My interest in comparative Indo-European mythology started after reading Lincoln's "Death, War, and Sacrifice", which was soon followed by Puhvel's "Comparative Mythology", and while the former contains a critique of Dumézil's ideas, both books are markedly Dumézilian. Since I deeply enjoyed both reads, I dived deep into Dumézil's works (Gods of the Ancient Northmen, Loki, The Saga of Hadingus, etc.).
While I really like the way he writes and find most of the parallels he draws, if not always believable, at least quite smart and stimulating, these reads left me wondering how accepted his views are by modern mythologists, linguists, and in general researchers in Indo-European studies. My guess would be that his ideas still have an influence even on more modern studies, but I would like to hear the opinion of people who know much more about this topic than me.
This brings me to my second question: if, as I imagine, there are more modern approaches to comparative studies in Indo-European mythology, what would be a good place to start reading about them? I'm thinking mostly of books structured a bit like Puhvel's "Comparative Mythology", with a collection of themes explored in detail by comparing appearances of the same theme in different religions, but any recommendation is welcome!
Thanks!
So according to Christian mythology, the story goes that Roman soldiers decided to create a 'crown of thorns' to humiliate Jesus for being a 'king of jews'.
While this obviously is religious scripture and so most likely some kind of allegory, what I'm wondering is - did people in the ancient Roman period ever actually do things like this to people who were crucified? Humiliate them further by dressing them up in certain ways, or perhaps degrade them with humiliating acts, or other things of that sort?
I’m just wondering what books she’s drawing on for the videos that get into nitty gritty about how myths transformed over time. Specifically I’m thinking the videos on Dionysus, Aphrodite, and Hermes, where she gets into tracing the whole lineage of previous gods from other places.
Does anybody know good books that deal with that sort of thing?
I'm interested in the cross-influences between Ashkenazi Jewish and Eastern European Christian folklore, myth and superstition. Is anyone familiar with any work that has been done of this? Is there any book you can recommend?
Many thanks
First let me make clear that I'm not the author of the website or e-book, just a "fan".
The author is D.N. Boswell.
Website: https://mythodoxy.wordpress.com/ Free e-book: https://mythodoxy.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/gospel/
The book is written in a satirical manner but it has a lot of information and direct quotes from modern scholars. I thought some users here would find it interesting and informative.
In Hindu and Egyptian mythology there are examples of myths where the god meant to judge the dead is killed (Yama and Osiris). I'm looking for a 3rd example of the same sort of story from another culture. Any ideas?
