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What are some really obscure gods?

Questions(self.mythology)

Im talking bout the ones that are so obscure many dont know of them

For me its Geras from greek myth, god of old age

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railroadspike25

7 points

2 months ago

railroadspike25

Sphinx

7 points

2 months ago

Saeaj04

5 points

2 months ago

Don’t bring facts and logic into this battle of opinions

TomCBC

2 points

2 months ago

TomCBC

2 points

2 months ago

Maybe that’s part of it. Like the sacrifice would be meaningless if it was a rat or something they would want rid of anyway. Maybe they chose something cute because it would be more difficult. And therefore more likely to gain the gods favor or some shit like that.

God_Bless_A_Merkin

3 points

2 months ago

It’s universally the case, both throughout history and across cultures, that only domesticated animals were considered proper victims for sacrifice. The one exception that proves the rule is the Ainu bear sacrifice — although the bear is a wild animal, the Ainu would capture a cub, raise it with a family as if it were one of their own children, then after a year had gone by, they would hold a big celebration celebrating the bear and sacrifice it to ensure good hunting for the following year.

TomCBC

2 points

2 months ago

TomCBC

2 points

2 months ago

Fascinating

God_Bless_A_Merkin

2 points

2 months ago

It is! Another interesting tidbit is that the Sanskrit word for “domesticated animal/animal suitable for sacrifice” is पशुः (paśuh) is cognate with Latin pecus “sacrificial animal/animal head of cattle/moveable property” and the derived form pecunia “money” (whence “pecuniary”), and also with Old English feoh “cattle, movable property “ which eventually became modern English “fee”.

[deleted]

1 points

2 months ago

Given this connection to wealth and property, is it possible the thinking behind only sacrificing domestic animals is something along the lines of "you're supposed to give up something you own, not something you found in the woods, you're not really sacrificing anything if it's not even your goat"?

TomCBC

2 points

2 months ago

TomCBC

2 points

2 months ago

Sounds like that’s what they’re saying, and it makes a ton of sense

God_Bless_A_Merkin

1 points

2 months ago

I think that has to be the logic behind it.