Peitho (formortalhearts) wrote in nevermore_ooc, @ 2016-04-12 23:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | *helpful things, -circe, -resources |
Etruscan Mythology
I really love the Etruscans, you guys, but they don't exactly have the wealth of info available that most of the other mythologies have. So he's my quick overview and a list of gods we could possibly play *whistles*
dis is etruscan ok? THE PEOPLE The Etruscan civilization is the modern name for the folks who lived in the area of Italy that is now Tuscany/Western Umbria/Northern Lazio. The Romans called them the Tusci or Etrusci, but the Etruscans mostly referred to themselves as Rasenna/Rasna. They showed up around 800BC and pretty much disappeared by got consumed/turned into Rome. Rome is like 70% Etruscan inspired, basically, and a lot of the art pieces we think of as Roman are actually Etruscan. Most things are decided by date - earlier is Etruscan, later is Roman. The major problem is that everything we know about them comes from other people, as we've got no texts or literature from them. Which super sucks because Roman authors make mentions of things like being weirded out about how many men and women of all classes there could read, and 'tuscan theatre traditions' and are all 'oooh, I read this great Etruscan book the other day. I won't tell you what it was about because we all read it but OH BOY I sure would have hated not to have read that important work of literature!' So, Etruscans were immanent polytheists, meaning that they believed that all visible phenomena was a manifestation of divine power, and that the gods who wielded these powers could be dissuaded or persuaded in favour of human affairs. Their religion was super preoccupied with death, and almost all their deities come with some sort of side serving of death-patronage. The people were big believers that the neglected dead would become nasty evil ghosts, so they made amazing fancy tombs like the Egyptians to stop that from happening. • The Mysterious Etruscans (a really detailed site about the Etrucans, including a page on the religious beliefs) • The Etruscan World. (The linked page goes to the religion page, but it's got really detailed history stuff) • The Mysterious People of Italy's pages: Obsession with Death, Society of Scandalous Pleasures, • wikipedia's page on Etruscan mythology/religion • Godchecker's Etruscan page/list of deities There are a few gods that are sometimes depicted as male and sometimes depicted as female, so that's fun too. The majority of the god/desses get to have wings, badass. The gods are so obscure and guessed at that if anyone makes one, they'll need to make sure they're not very powerful. There guys are excellent, but belief wise they would be weak - but also very changable, which would be cool to play. This list is short for two reasons: 1. Most of the major gods are once that took Greek stories and/or became the basis for Roman gods, ie: Menrva = Minvera but with more banging Hercules, Thesan = Eos but with added childbirth aspects. 2. Most of the minor non-syncretised gods don't have much left that we actually know about them. Alpan - goddess of love and the underworld. Catha - sun god/dess, especially of daybreak, but also sort of starlight? Culsu - goddess/demoness of the underworld, gate keeper, connected with snakes, psychopomp Charu/Karun - His name came from the Greek Charon but his role is very different. He's an underworld psychopomp who carries a hammer and is shown with pointed ears, snakes around his arms, and a skin that is blue and/or rotting away. Sometimes he's got horns, sometimes he's got wings, sometimes he's got snakes for hair. He's the more menacing counterpart to Vanth. Cupra - the great goddess of the Etrucans, patron of mothers, giving birth, fertility, the earth, AND she throws thunderbolts. Horta - goddess of gardens. Lasa - fate goddess, usually drawn as a beautiful winged goddess, naked but for jewelry and boots. Leinth - death goddess, name means 'old age'/'she who stops' but she's depicated as a young woman Malaviskh - goddess of love and beauty who watches over brides, may actually be the Etruscan version of Helen of Troy? Munthukh - goddess of love, health, elegance, Vanth - fate goddess, underworld demon, benevolant guide for the dead, dresses like a huntress, psychopomp, youthful and vibrant Nortia - time, fate, destiny and chance. |