Review article
Animals in the Religions and Mythology of Ancient Peoples (Part 4)
Petar Džaja
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Jozo Grbavac
; Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Magdalena Palić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zlatko Horvat
Krešimir Severin
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In the fourth part of this study, the following animals are described as deities, mythical beings or monsters: elephants, pigs, scorpions, tigers, otters, squirrels, wolves, rabbits, snakes and frogs. Of all the animals depicted in this study, the snake is most often worshipped, whether depicted in its original form or with some human or animal body parts, including the body parts of different animal species (hybrid). Besides the snake, the following animals were most often worshipped in ancient civilizations: the elephant, tiger, and wolf. According to their characteristics, different civilizations considered these animals to be a symbol of strength (the elephant), prosperity, happiness, courage, well-being, passion, naivety and dirt (the pig), courage and absolute power (the tiger), feminine energy (the otter), the balance of work and play (the squirrel), a greedy outlaw and fugitive (the wolf), rebirth and the source of life (the rabbit), scientific secrets and fertility (the snake) and a symbol of fertility (the frog).
Keywords
religion; mythology; ancient peoples; hybrids; monsters; oracular animals
Hrčak ID:
296674
URI
Publication date:
27.3.2023.
Visits: 2.191 *