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Feuermann (Fire Man) is a spectral manifestation. He may be a glowing skeleton, a man on fire from within or a flame. Feuermänner (Fire Men) appear about the size of a person, differentiating them from Irrlichter or errant lights such as will o' the wisp. See also: Wild Women and Winter Tales Goats in German Myth: Erntebock & Habergeiß Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Like the Irrwurz plant, the bright little Irrlichter, fairy lights or orbs can lead a person astray. Spirit lights appear in almost every culture. They can guide a person to treasure or certain doom. Sometimes they guard a gravesite. A person who sees the lights should avoid them. Like Fairy Ring magic, Irrlichter can induce a trance or hypnotic state as they lead the victim over a cliff, or round and round in circles of madness. Greedy people fall dead with exhaustion chasing the hope of riches. See also: Germanic Mythology - Brook Horses Fairy Rings, Moon & Nature Magic German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Feuermann can appear as a person of lead, wearing a cape of lead which blazes fire beneath. Metal and fire are both demonic traits. Another description is of a charred burned man inside a pillar of fire. He can also appear half charred and half burning. He may be headless, or carrying his head, especially if he is a revenant of the headless horseman variety. He may have long scrawny legs and a hollow back. Sometimes Feuermann appears as a charred or invisible shape with one or two eyes. See also: Neolithic Skull Cults & Ritual Skulls Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Neolithic Europe - Danube Valley Culture Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He may have a single eye or two fiery orbs in a shadow of darkness. Sometimes he carries a lantern, or smokes a sparking pipe. He might also be seen as a fiery plowman with blazing horse and plow. He can assume shapes such as a circle or pyramid, a sheaf of wheat, a ball of fire, a snake or a wheel. Feuermänner can fly above the canopies of trees and spray whirls of sparks. The Feuermann may be alone or accompanied by others of his kin. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek House Spirits of Germanic Mythology Schrat: German Nightmare Forest Elf Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In folklore Feuermänner are among the Wiedergänger or restless Undead, tormented spirits neither dead nor alive. Feuermann shares this distinction with the werewolf of Germany and the Nachzehrer, or German vampire, who wants to devour its family. A person usually becomes Feuermann by living an evil life or doing bad deeds without remorse. One particular type of Feuermann is Grenzfrevler, or boundary violator who has moved a marker stone with evil intent. The Undead spirit must forever haunt the boundary. See also: German Vampires - Nachzehrer Werewolf & Werewolves of Germany Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Other possible identities of Feuermann include a church member who stole money from the collection, or a murderer by fire-setting or arson. He may be a traitor, double murderer or unrepentant executed criminal; or victim of suicide, murder or violent death. Feuermänner come out late evening or at night. They appear in fields, field borders, meadows and swamps, similar to the smaller Irrlichter. Both Irrlichter and Feuermann are thought to appear before an impending fire or natural disaster. See also: Baal (Ba'al): Storm God & Love Demon The Sex Demons - Incubus & Succubus Wiedergänger - the Undead Walk Again Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Silesia, the Feuermann or Feuerpuppe (fire mannikin) is a type of Kinderschreck (child fright) in the grain field. Der feuriger Fischer or fiery fisherman haunts Lake Constance and is said to walk on the water surface to taunt fishers. Despite his fierce appearance the Feuermann is usually harmless to humans. He might light the way or do a good deed for a person in exchange for a blessing, if he's working off his mortal evils. See also: German Myth: Lindwyrm, Mare & Pig Demons Elp: Bronze Age Militant Cattle Culture Drude: Germanic Demon of Darkness Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books If he lights the way it's unlucky to speak, and one should enter the house backward. He's thought to come in if given an invitation to dinner. He will burn away cobwebs and let people light pipes on his flame. Though he may be helpful he can also be vengeful, especially if betrayed or tricked by a human. Feuermann may deliberately lead a person astray. As Aufhocker he might jump on a person's back and become progressively heavier. See also: Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg German Myth & Folklore: Elves Aufhöcker - Cursed Undead of German Myth Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Feuermann may appear if summoned, for the chance of doing good if he's a revenant. He hates disrespect, for instance whistling to call him, or not giving a promised reward. He can quickly turn violent. He will slap faces, push people and set fires, even destroy an entire household. Just as with Headless Horsemen the touch of the Feuermann can cause a person to sicken and die. An object such as a stick can be held out for Feuermann to touch if he's done a good deed. See also: Herbology & Lore: Poison Hemlock Der Türst: Dread Huntsman & the Wild Hunt Hags in German Myth & Folklore Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The stick will show a black burn mark where Feuermann touches it. After midnight, Feuermann becomes mischievous and shoots glowing fireballs at passersby. See also: Nature Spirits of German Mythology Jimson Weed, Witches & Zombies Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Back to Top

Baal (Ba'al) is a fertility god and storm deity known by 2330 BCE. As Ba'al Hadad, his exploits form the Baal Cycle of texts. In Syria and the Levant he causes conflict for Yahweh. In grimoires the name Baal is equated with a demon also called Bael. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Shamash (Utu) Sun God of Mesopotamia Baal (Ba'al): Storm God & Love Demon Teshub: Hurrian Bronze Age Storm God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The god Baal is conflated with Hadad, the Northwest Semitic form of Adad, and may take both names as Baal Hadad or Ba'al Hadad as in the Baal Cycle. The name Hadad means sharp, quick, vehement; might; force, power, majesty; glory, splendor, joyous, rejoicing. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Storm god associated with bulls and lightning bolts, Baal / Hadad in Greco-Roman literature is equated with Zeus or Jupiter. He may also take a ram (Baal) or lion (Hadad) as a symbol. See also: Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the Hebrew Bible, Baal is an important Canaanite god. He's often portrayed as the primary enemy of Hebrew God Yahweh, a storm and weather deity who moves into the Levant region c. 1250 BCE as the Bronze Age begins its meteoric collapse. The Ba'al or Baal Cycle of c. 1500 - 1300 BCE chronicles the exploits of warrior god Ba'al Hadad. The first part tells of his battles with Yam (Yammu), personification of chaos and the sea. The monster Lotan is among the allies of Yam, who is also identified with Hedammu. See also: Kiashe (Kiaše) - Elemental Sea God Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The stories include The Myth of Baʿal Aliyan and The Death of Baʿal and are written in Ugaritic, a Northwest Semitic language. The text is discovered on a series of clay tablets found in the 1920s in the Tell of Ugarit (today's Ras Shamra). READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Baal Cycle covers specific themes in two sections. One is the battle of Yam (chaos) and Ba'al Hadad (order); the other is Baal's eternal struggle with death. See also: Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones Khet, the Body: Death Rites of Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ba'al Cycle - The Action Sea God Yam (Yammu) wants to be most powerful of all the gods. Yam is also deity of Syrian inland waters. He tries to establish himself as King of the Gods. He's most associated with Ugarit and considered equivalent to Hurrian sea god Kiashe and the snake monster Hedammu. In opposition, Storm and Fertility God Baʿal Hadad battles Yam and slays him Baʿal Hadad, with help of warrior goddess Anat and fertility goddess Athirat (Asherah), convinces his father El to let him build a palace. Baʿal Hadad commissions divine craftsman Kothar-wa-Khasis to construct the palace. He tries to subjugate Mot, the Ugaritic personification of death. In the mythology of Canaan, Baal and Mot are constant combatants. If Baal is victorious, seven years of fertility and plenty ensue. If Mot defeats him, seven years of drought and famine follow. In the Baal Cycle, Mot kills Baʿal Hadad. Wrathful Anat slays Mot, grinds him up and scatters his body throughout the land. Baʿal Hadad returns to Mount Zephon, also called Baal-zephon. According to the Hebrew Book of Exodus it's the site where Moses parts the waters of the Yam Suph or Red Sea. Mot, having healed himself as death is eternal, challenges Baʿal Hadad once more Baʿal Hadad fights for his place as King of the Gods, and Mot submits Baʿal Hadad rises to rule again See also: Myrrh - Mystique, Death & Divinity Ib the Heart: Book of the Dead Egypt Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In Ugarit Ba'al is a major deity of storms and rain, and a friend to the Sun Shamash in both agriculture and justice. He relates to moon god Sin (Nanna) in matters of fertility and harvest. In this capacity his spouse is weather and grain goddess Shala. The medieval demon Baal (Bael) comes from sorcery grimoires of the Middle Ages. Bael is ruled by Oriens, demonic god of the cardinal direction east. Possessing powers of invisibility the demon Bael dabbles in the arts of science and love, and commands 250 legions. Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine Schrat: German Nightmare Forest Elf Kohl: Eye Beauty Magic of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Grand Grimoire of c. 1421 - 1521 CE details demons and demonology, summoning demons and techniques for using them to do one's bidding. Bael (as Baal) is listed as a subordinate of Lucifuge Rofocale, or Lucifer. See also: Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Back to Top

Baal (Ba'al) is a Bronze Age Canaanite deity whose worship centers on the Levant and the industrious coastal city of Ugarit, north Syria. Baal (Bael) is also the name of a demon identified in early Hebrew writings and occult listings of the Middle Ages. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Gods of Ugarit c. 1800 - 1200 BCE Shams - Ancient Arabian Sun Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books As god of storms and fertility, Ba'al is an enemy or rival of the god Moloch, deity of fire and sacrifice. Both Gods compete to gain followers in the Ugaritic and Levant regions. Pre-1935, scholars believe Moloch is a pagan deity receiving child sacrifice at Jerusalem. Some modern scholars propose Moloch may be the same god as Milcom, Adad-Milki, or an epithet for Baal. Moloch also sounds similar to Hebrew melek, or 'king'. See also: Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones Schrat: German Nightmare Forest Elf Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Baal or Baʻal is a title meaning 'owner' or 'lord'. First used among people, it spreads into religion as a deity name as well as an honorific. The feminine form is baʿalah. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In ancient Levant, Baal or Ba'al is a god of fertility, weather, rain, wind, lightning, seasons, war and sailors. His symbols include the bull, thunderbolt and ram. See also: Bull of Heaven - Inanna vs Gilgamesh Apis - Sacred Fertility Bull of Egypt Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books One of his stellar centers of worship is Syrian Ugarit, trade port and active metropolis. Ugarit prospers from Neolithic times. It's abandoned in 1185 BCE at the collapse of the Bronze Age. Ugarit is famous for inducting neighboring gods into the pantheon. According to inscriptions, the name Ba'al is specifically applied to weather and fertility god Hadad and his local manifestations in the near East. As a major storm god he's equated to Greek Zeus, Hurrian Teshub and Egyptian Horus. See also: Tarhunna (Tarḫunna) Storm God of the Hittites Teshub: Hurrian Bronze Age Storm God Ugallu - Lion Headed Storm Demon Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Egypt Baal relates to Chaos God Set (Seth), as Set is god of foreigners. Baal also appears in the Hebrew Bible. He's set as a foil to Yahweh who is originally worshipped in the northwest Arabian Desert. In the Hebrew Bible Yahweh is the god of the Israelites. "Baal" defines various deities as false gods or idols. Baal is an ancient Canaanite-Phoenician deity of fertility and rain, favored as a god by the Omride rulers of Israel. According to Hebrew writings, Baal is a false god or idol who should be avoided by Jews. See also: Khnum: Ram Headed Potter God Egypt Crocodilopolis - Sobek Crocodile God Emmer Wheat - First Domestic Crops Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The name Baal is associated with Beezlebub, demons and the devil. Modern interpretations may derive from Baal (Bael) the Demon in European occult grimoires of the Middle Ages. One such text, the Liber Officiorum Spirituum (Book of the Office of Spirits) features Baal, Baall, Boal, or Boall as a hoarsely-voiced king or warrior. Some sources attribute him control of 250 legions of spirits. He has powers of invisibility, the sciences ... and love. See also: Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal The Sex Demons - Incubus & Succubus Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the Hebrew Bible, Baal is the name given a god of false prophets in the Book of Kings (c. 950 - 460 BCE). Through Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies in the New Testament, written between 50 CE and 120 CE, Baal is linked to Lucifer. In Ugarit, Baal is depicted as the King of the Gods, possibly subordinate to the previous King of the Gods, his father El. Baal is the most popular deity in theophoric names. Unlike some storm god kings, Baal does not challenge El for superiority. See also: Kumarbi - Castration Gods of Creation Ugarit - Trade Hub of Bronze Age Syria Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Scholars suggest the title is shared by Baal and El. The name Baal is thought to develop as an epithet of weather god Hadad, which is his primary name on the Mediterranean coast by c. 1500 BCE. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The original name, Haddu/Hadad, remains in use but takes a back seat. In the Ugaritic texts, Baal is second only to El when it comes to the number of epithets applied to him, with as many as fourteen phrases attested. See also: Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania Mushussu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Most frequent is "the mighty one" (‘al‘iyn). Only one epithet, "the rider of the clouds" (rkb ‘rpt) relates to his depiction as a storm god. Various versions of Baal are worshiped in Ugarit according to ritual texts, including Baal of Aleppo and Baal of Saphon (Jebel al-Aqra). A series of Ugaritic myths known as the "Baal Cycle" describes Baal's struggle to attain kingship among the gods and his battles against various rivals, especially the sea god Yam. Also called Yammu, the sea god personifies chaos and is linked to the monster Lotan. See also: Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Baal has no permanent spouse. He may dally with goddess of the hunt, Anat, or goddess Astarte (Athtart), equivalent of Ishtar. His daughter Asray is goddess of the Ugaritic underworld. In c. 1200 BCE, a series of catastrophes, earthquakes, drought and internal conflicts culminate in mass destruction. The Hittite Empire shatters, Kassites topple and Mycenean Greece falls as attacks by Sea Peoples complicate the chaos. Ugarit crashes in 1185 BCE. See also: Lukka: Bronze Age Warrior Sea People Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Butzemann, Witches & Nyx - Scare 'em Good Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Gods have a way of surviving. Use of the name Baal to designate a weather god continues in Phoenician texts after the destruction of Ugarit. See also: Asray: Ugaritic Underworld Goddess Hattusa Green Stone - Mystic Secrets Aya - Goddess of Dawn, Mesopotamia Back to Top

Lotan means 'coiled' in Ugaritic. Lotan (Lôtān, Litan, Litānu), an enormous snake dragon, arises from the primal waters of chaos to wreak destruction in the boisterous seas of Ugarit, ancient Syria. But hark! A hero arrives. READ - Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In some tales it's Marduk, or Baal, Nergal, Hadad, Ninurta, Zeus or Yahweh. He's a god hero, god king or warrior. See also: Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Ninurta (Ninĝirsu) - God of the People Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Sometimes the forces of Chaos are female, as Tiamat in the Marduk legend. The Sea itself, water and life, has divine associations with both creation and destruction. Water is a feminine element. From death comes life, an eternal cycle. READ - Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In this case the monster Lotan is servant to the Sea God Yam (Yammu) meaning 'sea'. Yam is a god of all water, seawater and fresh water. At the same time he can be water or manifest as the whole of the sea. See also: Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Anzû - Mesopotamian Monster of Mayhem Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Lotan may have origins in an earlier Syrian sea serpent, Têmtum, of the 18th - 16th century BCE. Lotan is often depicted as a seven-headed or multi-headed monster analogous to the Greek Hydra, also a dragon with seven heads. The infamous Leviathan in the Hebrew Bible comes to be influenced by Lotan, especially as Ugarit in Syria, a well traveled trade city, is Canaanite. The epithets of Lotan include 'the Fugitive Serpent', 'the Wriggling Serpent' and 'the Mighty One with Seven Heads'. See also: Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients Heh Gods & Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt Ouroboros Glyph: Snake Eating Tail Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the Baal Cycle, a collection of myths c. 1500 - 1300 BCE, Yam is the enemy of the Canaanite storm and weather god Baal (Ba'al). They battle to become King of the Gods. Although Yam is sponsored by ancient creator God El, Baal is always victorious. READ - Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Hadad, the Ugaritic version of Baal, similarly fights the monster Lotan. The names of Baal and Hadad are sometimes used interchangably. Hadad is the God of Weather, Hurricanes, Storms, Thunder and Rain. He wears the traditional horned helmet of gods. See also: Teshub: Hurrian Bronze Age Storm God German Myth - Harvest Spirits 2 Wadjet - Winged Snake Goddess of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He's often depicted with a fist full of lightning bolts, and an ax or club. His sacred animals are the Bull and Lion. The Litani River that winds through the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon is named after Lotan. Early people believe the river is the personification of Lotan as an elemental god. See also: Owl - Death, Messages, Mystic Wisdom Shakhar & Shalim: Divine Twins of Ugarit Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Back to Top

The Sun Goddess fulfills a special role in mythology. She nurtures the earth with warmth, and her sunshine nourishes plants through photosynthesis. She's Mother Goddess or fertility deity in ancient lore, celebrated throughout the world as the bringer of light and life. See also: Pagan Solstice Fests: Mithras & the Sun Herbology & Lore: Rowan (Mountain Ash) Chicken Soup: Chickens in German Folklore Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the Northern Hemisphere, the time to celebrate the coming of the light and rebirth of the land is the Winter Solstice, the day of longest night on December 21. The return of the light is precious, a welcome reprieve from the dark cold nights. The Sun signifies hope, optimism, inspiration, creation, nurturing and growth. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice is in June. Sun Goddesses of World Mythology include: Ainu (North Japan) Tokapcup-kamuy (Ainu: トカㇷ゚チュㇷ゚カムイ) or "day-illuminating god" is a solar goddess in Ainu culture. Her husband is the moon. In variations she's Chup Kamui and switched places with her brother the moon to become the solar goddess. Arabian (Yemen) Sun Goddess Shams or Shamsun is a solar goddess exalted in Himyar, the south of Yemen. She was primary deity of the nearby Sabaeans. Her name means 'shining', 'Sun', or 'brilliant'. She was the South Arabian equivalent of the North Arabian sun goddess Nuha. Both Shams and Nuha formed trinities with other gods. See also: A Viking Christmas Yule Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Schrat: German Nightmare Forest Elf Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Australian Indigenous mythology Bila Among the Adnyamathanha of south Australia, Bila or Belah is a cannibal sun goddess who roasted people over a fire. Lizard Men put an end to her deadly habits, which is why goannas and geckos are held in high regard by the Adnyamathanha. Gnowee In Wotjobaluk mythology, in the area now known as the State of Victoria in South Australia, the solar deity is the seeking mother, Gnowee. She still wanders the sky, lighting the world with a torch as she searches for her son. Wala Wala is also named as a solar goddess in some Aboriginal lore. Fearing the Sun was too hot she journeyed to catch it, and put it in a bag until the moon was gone. See also: Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Neolithic Skull Cults & Ritual Skulls Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Wuriupranili Another torch bearer comes from the North Australian myth of the Tiwi people. Sun Woman decorates herself with red ochre and the powder tints the clouds at dawn and sunset. Yhi In Gamilaraay mythology, Yhi, (Yarai/Yaay) is Goddess of the Sun, Light and Creation. Yhi is a Creator sun deity. Woken by a whistle, she opens her eyes and light falls upon the Earth. She creates the world, seasons and animals. Baltic (Lithuania and Latvia) Saulė is a major Goddess of the Sun and Creator Goddess. In one account Saulė and Mėnuo/Mēness (the Moon) were wife and husband, until Mėnuo misbehaved and they divorced. They both want to see their daughter the Earth, so Saulė comes during the day and Mėnuo visits at night. See also: Eschenfrau: Wicked Ash Tree Woman Cult of the Bull: Divine Sacrifice Ancient Marsh Muse - Rough Horsetail Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Basque Beliefs Ekhi is the gender-ambiguous god/dess of the Sun and protector of humanity. S/he banishes evil spirits. Amula (Earth) is mother of Ekhi the Sun and her sister Ilazki the Moon. Amula is considered to be not only Goddess of the Earth, but the Earth herself. Berber Religion Another strong solar deity is Magec, the goddess of the Sun and light in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Her name means "possesses radiance" or "mother of brightness". She was held prisoner in an ancient volcano until the Sky God set her free. Buddhism Marici, Goddess of the Heavens, Sun and Light, plays a powerful role with diverse variations. In many Buddhist texts she's Goddess of Dawn. Among the warrior class of East Asia she's revered as a male god. In Tibet she's a healer seeking enlightenment, while in Japanese Buddism she's a warrior. To some degree Marici is all of the above. See also: Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation German Myth - White Ladies & Changelings Bear Worship: Sacrifice of the Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Chinese Mythology Doumu Goddess of the Heavens, partner of the Sky God, the multi-armed deity is sometimes entwined with Buddhist Marici. Xihe She's one of the wives of Di Jun, an ancient Supreme Deity of China. His other wife is Changxi, moon Goddess. Xihe is mother of ten suns, represented by three-legged crows in a mulberry tree. Every day one sun crow travels around the world on the carriage of Xihe. See also: German Nature Spirits: Evolution Sun Goddess: Creator & Cannibal Myths of Australia Milk & Dairy: Ancient Lactose Gene Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Celtic mythology Áine Irish goddess of love, summer, wealth, and sovereignty, related to the Sun and midsummer in June. As the goddess of fertility, she rules crops and animals and is also an agriculture or harvest deity. Macha "Sun of the womanfolk" or Grian Banchure, she's also a Goddess of kingship, war, fertility, land and horses. Olwen Daughter of a giant, she's a Welsh heroine often constructed as originally a solar goddess. White clover (trefoil) flowers grow where she walks. Of all the clover varieties, white clover is the most likely to bear four-leafed clovers. See also: Herbs & Natural Remedies - Ancient Egypt Victorian Trends - Stripes to Taxidermy Hotel of Horror - The Lady Detective Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Sulis The British goddess Sulis is goddess of healing, water, hot springs and curses, and equated with Minerva. Her name relates to the common Proto-Indo-European word for "Sun". She relates to Helios, Sól, Sol, and Surya, sun deities connected with healing and hot springs. Dahomey (west Africa) Mawu and her husband brother Lisa were born of the Dahomey supreme goddess Nana Buluku. Creator deities, they often join together as an androgynous deity Mawu-Lisa. Mawu is associated with the Sun and the Moon Egyptian Mythology Bastet Originally a fierce lioness warrior goddess of the Sun, Bast or Bastet was worshipped through most of ancient Egyptian history. Later she evolved into the cat goddess known today. See also: Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine Witches & Witchcraft: Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Hathor Major Goddess of the Egyptian pantheon, Hathor is mother of Horus and Ra. A Sun goddess and sky deity, Hathor has both a benevolent and malicious side. She can be represented as a lioness, a cobra, a cow or a sycamore tree. Finnish mythology Päivätär, or Lady Sun, is the Finnish goddess of the Sun. She owns the silver of the Sun, spins silver yarn, and weaves clothes of silver. She's described as very beautiful. She's also the mother of wasps. Her name means the same as Auringotar, the creator of fire. German Myth Sonne is a sun goddess or Sun herself. See also: Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Book of the Heavenly Cow - Myths of Egypt Hags in German Myth & Folklore Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Greek Mythology Eos Greek goddess and personification of the dawn, Eos rose each morning from her home by the river Oceanus to cast light and disperse the night. She was fond of taking lovers and had many children. Hemera Hemera means 'Day', and she is Goddess of the Day, daughter of Erebus (Darkness) and Nyx (night). Her Roman counterpart is Dies, Latin for Day, though their origin stories are different. Electryone Also called Alectrona she was the daughter of the Sun Helios. She died a virgin and is venerated on the Isle of Rhodes, Greece. In some lore she's goddess of the sunrise. See also: Germanic Mythology - Brook Horses Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Limonite: Ancient Earth Pigments Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Hindu Mythology Tapati is a Sun goddess of great beauty. She's also known as goddess of the river Tapati and mother-goddess of the South (home of the sun) where she brings heat to the earth. In some Hindu writings, Tapati is the daughter of Surya (the Sun god) and Chhaya, one of his wives. Hittite Belief Istantu The Sun goddess of Arinna, she may be identified as Arinniti or as Wuru(n)šemu. A chief goddess, she's the companion of weather god Tarḫunna. They hold the highest positions in the Hittite pantheon. Istantu is also a goddess of judgment. Her sacred animal is the deer. Sun goddess of the Earth & Underworld She personifies the chthonic aspects of the Sun and opens the doors to the Underworld. She's also said to cleanse all evil, impurity, and sickness on Earth. See also: Tooth Worms of Ancient Mesopotamia Eye of Ra Egypt - Wrath of the Woman Fairy Rings, Moon & Nature Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Hungarian Myth Nap Anya Goddess of the sun and partner of Nap király. Her name means "sun mother". Inca People Ch'aska ("Venus") or Ch'aska Quyllur ("Venus star") was the goddess of Sun, fire, divination and love. She created dawn and twilight. She uses her light to draw plant sprouts from the earth to grow. Indigenous North American Myths Pawnee Shakaru is the Sun or Sun Goddess of the Pawnee of the Central Plains. She's invoked or celebrated with elaborate sun dances. Cherokee Uelanuhi is the Goddess of the Cherokee of the Southeast. According to lore her warmth is coveted by men. Unelanuhi’s name means “apportioner,” and her movement through the sky creates time. She was called from the Underworld to the Sky by the Spider Woman. See also: German Harvest Spirits - Dragons Kohl: Eye Beauty Magic of Ancients Castor Oil, Wigs & Death in Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Inuit Mythology Akycha A Sun goddess worshiped in Alaska, Akycha runs across the sky with a flaming torch to escape the unwanted attentions of her brother the Moon, who pursues her. Malina Goddess of the Sun found most commonly in the legends of Greenland, Malina has a story similar to that of Akycha. Her lustful brother chases her across the sky every day. Japanese mythology Amaterasu, goddess of the Sun, is one of the major deities (kami) of Shinto. She appears in in Japan's earliest literary texts. Considered one of the Three Precious Children, she's the daughter of Creator god Izanagi. See also: Wild Women and Winter Tales Silver - Queen of Precious Metals German Myth: Lindwyrm, Mare & Pig Demons Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Mesopotamian myth Šerida is also known as Aya. She's a Sumerian goddess of light, married to the god of the Sun. In ancient Sippar (Sumeria) she and her husband were worshipped together. Aya is literally translated as "dawn." Norse Germanic mythology Sól/Sunna/Sunne, the common Sun goddess among the Norse Germanic people. She's chased across the sky in chariot by a wolf, who wants to consume her. At the end of the world, he will. Sami myth & lore Beaivi, Beiwe, Bievve, Beivve or Biejje, all meaning sun, is the Sami goddess of the Sun, spring, fertility, and sanity. The Sami people of Northern Scandinavia were inhabiting the area when the Vikings first arrived in the 7th century. See also: Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones German Myth & Folklore: Moss People Winter Tales - 4 Novellas Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Scythian religion Most venerated of all the Scythian deities, Tabiti is an ancient Iranian goddess of the primordial fire which alone existed before the creation of the universe. The fire was the basic essence and source of all creation, with possible connections to the Sun. Vietnamese mythology Thần Mặt Trời is a Sun goddess in Vietnam. Her name translates to God of the Sun. The embodiment of the Sun, she and her sister the Moon goddess share a husband who is a bear. When they meet with the Bear God a solar or lunar eclipse happens. See also: Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life German Nature Folklore - Fruit Trees Sacrifice of the Male: Temple at Uppsala Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Back to Top

Shams is a sun goddess of Arabian myth and patron goddess of the Himyarites in the southern highlands of Yemen. She's equated with the North Arabian sun goddess, Nuha. Her name means shining, Sun or brilliant. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones Elp: Bronze Age Militant Cattle Culture Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Arabian Peninsula before Islam (c 610 CE) is a loose group of scattered kingdoms and city-states, with each region dedicated to its own gods. The early gods are protective, guarding the towns, households or individuals from physical harm and evil magic. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Common to both North and South Arabia is the concept of the sacred trinity composed of the Sun, Moon and planet Venus. Through Arabia the names differ but the principle remains the same. See also: Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Nuha the sun goddess in Northern Arabia and Shams (Shamsum or Dhat-Ba' dhanum) the southern Sun Goddess are seen as two manifestations of the same deity. Shams as Nuha is worshipped in a trinity with male gods of the Moon and Venus. In Saba', west Yemen, she's revered as Shams with Athtar, the god of the planet Venus, and Almaqah, the god of the Moon. In Hadhramaut, south Arabia, Shams forms a magic trio with Athtar and the moon god Syn (Sin). See also: Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Oldest Cattle Cult 6000 BCE - Arabia Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The alabaster calcite carving above is from a temple donor, whose name is inscribed on the bottom: Rathadum. The priestess has her hand raised probably in a gesture of blessing, or she has to use the bathroom. Shams is spouse of Athtar or 'Attar, god of Venus. He's a war god and praised as a giver of water. His symbols include the spear-point and the antelope, possibly the Arabian or white oryx (Oryx leucoryx), or the Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana). See also: Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Shams receives votive offerings in the shape of horses, who are animals of the Sun. Horses represent success, achievement, work and reward, good fortune and prosperity. They're associated with the elite, warriors and the wealthy. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Arabian horse is prized for speed, stamina, beauty, intelligence and gentle nature. After a long history of development the horse appears as a breed by the 7th century CE. Arched neck and raised tail are classic features of the Arabian horse. See also: Ancient Arabia - Stone Age to Bronze Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Arabian is developed by the nomadic Bedouin people, who often bring the horse into the family tent for shelter and protection from theft. The horse has a friendly personality and interacts well with people. Until about the 4th century, people of the Arabian Peninsula have varied beliefs. Some bring their own gods, such as El of the Canaanites and Bes of the Egyptians, thought to be originally a Nubian deity. See also: Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Warrior Portal Gods Lugal-irra & Meslamta-ea Bes: Household Protector God of Egypt Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In Mesopotamia, Venus god Athtar is identified with Goddess Queen of Heaven Ishtar / Innana. Shams gender-changes into the sun god Shamash. Shamash is the son of Sin, the Moon God, and has presided over Mesopotamian belief systems since c. 3400 BCE. As Nuha in the north, she's also known as "the elevated sun". She is responsible for strong emotions of humans. Inscriptions in the region of Najd describe emotions as a gift from Nuha and other gods. See also: Shapshu: Sun Goddess of Canaanites Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods House Spirits of Germanic Mythology Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books One inscription reads, "by Nuha is the flying into a rage". Another states, "by Nuha is the jealousy of a lover". See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Back to Top

In the late nineteenth century, women of the German Empire had more influence than ever before. Women's rights movements gained ground despite conservative opposition. Woman artists, inventors and entrepreneurs made their presence felt. Famous woman artists of this time include Elisabet Ney, Anna Peters and Dora Hitz. Jump to: Elisabet Ney Anna Peters Dora Hitz More women were involved in the visual and literary arts, as lessons in painting and poetry were proper for young ladies. Most came from progressively thinking families who were wealthy enough to send them to art school or employ tutors, or experienced enough to teach them at home. As demand rose in the later half of the century various art schools for women opened. Women could learn artistic skills and techniques and learn anatomy from plaster casts, but still weren't allowed to draw from a nude model. It was deemed improper and even dangerous. Finally, near the turn of the century rules relaxed and women could finally do live studies. Sort of. In the Academies at least, the model had to be draped. See also: 3 Great German Artists for Art Lovers 19th Century: Home Gym, Bicycles, Antiseptic The Mystic Victorian - Fortune Telling 1. Elisabet Ney (1833 - 1907) Back to Top Born in Münster (northwest Germany) in 1833, Elisabet Ney became one of the first sculptors in the world to make a living from her work. Her father was also a sculptor and taught her his skills. Highly independent, she would not take no for an answer when she wanted to pursue studies in the arts as a professional sculptor. She went on a lengthy hunger strike until her parents capitulated. In 1852 she entered the Munich Academy of Arts as the first female sculptor ever. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Later she studied in Berlin under Christian Daniel Rauch, the leading German sculptor of the times. She became part of his inner circle of student artists, who undertook the tradition of working at the studio of the Master. Join me on: Facebook Linked In Pinterest Blog Elisabet Ney sought commissions from wealthy patrons, and established herself as a proficient creator of busts and statues. She immortalized people like Otto von Bismarck, Arthur Schopenhauer, Jakob Grimm and Pope Pius IX. An advocate of natural health, she rejected the contemporary body-cinching fashions for flowing gowns and clothes made for ease of movement. Like many women artists and activists she also cut her hair short, in contrast to the predominant style of long tresses. See also: 3 More Great German Artists German Myth & Folklore: Moss People German Inventions We Still Love Today 2. Anna Peters (1843 - 1926) Back to Top Daughter of a Dutch artist, Anna Peters was the first woman in Germany to make a living entirely from her artwork. Her sister Pietronella was also successful as a painter, specializing in portraits and genre works of children. Born in Mannheim, Peters lived and worked primarily in southern Germany. Her works include drawings, oil paintings and watercolors. Sylvia Rose Books Author Page Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series She's especially known for flower still lifes in the Dutch tradition, including details such as insects; and castle decorations in Stuttgart and elsewhere. Her first known picture dates to 1860. Later work is more impressionistic. She regularly took part in art shows in Berlin, Dresden, Stuttgart and Vienna, winning several medals. From 1880 she was a member of the association of female Berlin artists (Berliner Künstlerinnen) and in 1893 she co-founded the Württemberg Painters Association, "to create a center for the ladies of Württemberg who are active in arts and crafts and to offer them the opportunity for them to interact with each other and, above all, to be able to give each other stimulation and support in their artistic endeavors." Anna Peters created fertile ground for countless artists to succeed. Female interest in the fine arts spiked at this time. In 1864/5 the Royal Art School in Stuttgart had eight female students. It wasn't long before demand forced the school had to reject some male students and organize women's classes. Women weren't allowed to study the nude, but where formal education faltered, the Württemberg Painters' Association and similar groups found a niche. See also: Gramophone, Player Piano & Motion Pictures Great Women Artists - Käthe Kollwitz Wild Women and Winter Tales 3. Dora Hitz (1856 - 1924) Back to Top Born in southwest Germany, Dora Hitz went to Munich at age thirteen to study at the Damenmalschule der Frau Staatsrat Weber, an art school for young ladies. She attended the school for eight years, 1870 - 1878. Hitz is known for a wide variety of work including oil paintings, book illustrations and frescoes. In 1876 she met the Queen Consort of Romania, which led to her appointment as Romanian court painter. She traveled and found inspiration in Paris, Berlin, Brittany and Normandy. After 1880 she returned to France and became more active in women's rights and artists' groups. She exhibited regularly at the highly esteemed Salon de Beaux Arts. Among her friends was the German artist Käthe Kollwitz. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series In 1898 she was among the founding members of the influential Berlin Secession. The impetus behind the group came when the 1891 International Art Exhibition in Berlin rejected paintings by Norwegian Edvard Munch. Bad vibes grew between artists and institutions, coming to a head when the Berlin Academy rejected work from another modern artist, Walter Leistikow. The Secession was founded as a "free association for the organization of artistic exhibitions". The establishment of the Berlin Secession involved sixty-five artists and opened roads for a bold new art form in Germany - Expressionism. See also: Add Photo: Phone Cases, Tags, Wallets, Playing Cards Pioneering German Women - Anita Augspurg German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Back to Top

Sailing begins in the Sumerian or southern Mesopotamian regions of river deltas and marshes. Boats and rafts at first are made of flexible reed bundles caulked with bitumen. Reeds are light, buoyant and abundant at the doorsteps of civilization. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Sun Goddess & Moon God in Myth Linen, Hemp & Cotton - Fabrics of Ancient Egypt Atum of Egypt - First Primordial God For caulking and glue, bitumen is a preferred choice among people since the Paleolithic Age, c. 40,000 years ago. Bitumen is used to adhere handles to tools and weapons such as hammers and axes. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Evidence of the first sails comes from excavations of the Ubaid period (c. 6000 - 4300 BCE) in southern Mesopotamia. About the same time, use of the sail develops in the southeast Asian Islands. See also: Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Aya - Goddess of Dawn, Mesopotamia Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Around 3300 BCE Egypt is also using sails in the river and marsh systems. The wind power is helpful traveling south along the north-flowing river Nile. A sail at first is a piece of hide or woven mat of reeds. Both Mesopotamians and Egyptians are building homes, watercraft, boxes and baskets with packed, bundled or woven reeds. Among Egyptians the papyrus plant is held in high favor for making boats, houses, sails and paper. See also: Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Reeds used by the Sumerians include the common reed (Phragmites australis) and giant reed (Arundo donax). Hemp (Cannabis sativa) is cultivated in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Hemp is already grown to make ropes and sacks, and has been used in textile and medicine since c. 8000 BCE. A versatile fiber for early fabric sails, woven hemp is light and easy to manipulate without breakage. Jute might also be used too, but it's less durable. See also: Egyptian Blue - First Synthetic Color Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients Girsu (Tello): Ancient Sumerian City Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The first sailing ships are single sail square rigs of Mesopotamia. Ancient Sumerians are using square rigged sailing boats about the same time as Egypt. The South Asian Island people, who create the outrigger and catamaran, also use sailboats to travel between islands. Sumerian and South Asian cultures are trading via sea routes to the Indus Valley in the area of today's Pakistan. Use of sails and square-rig boats spread through the cultures of the ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians and Greeks. See also: Aruna, Hittite God of the Sea Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt Ebony - Precious Wood of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Later the Romans, Scandinavians, Germanic people and Slavs also adopted the single square-rigged sail. It becomes a defining characteristics of classic Viking ships. Greeks and Phoenicians begin trading by ship by c. 1500 - 1200 BCE. Both seafaring trade cultures, they work toward economy and efficiency of ship design. The Phoenicians have access to forests of cedar, which they claim are guarded by ferocious monsters. See also: Kamrushepa: Hittite Goddess of Magic Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Animal Spirits - Puma, Butterfly, Dog Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books At busy coastal cities such as Phoenician Byblos, boat-building is a major occupation. Phoenicians build ships specially designed for trade or for war. Egyptians call the deep-sea traveling vessels "Byblos ships". The Phoenicians become the foremost trade and sailing nation after the Bronze Age collapse of c. 1200 BCE, establishing colonies throughout the Mediterranean. Their innovative ships of wood, sails billowing, appear in fleets of up to 50 vessels on the seas. See also: Byblos, Vibrant Port City - Bronze Age Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Phoenicians invent the alphabet, but before that they invent the maritime battering ram on the ship's bow and the cutwater, a narrow metal addition to the hull allowing a ship to "cut through" the water with less resistance. Sails undergo several changes. Material use varies from cotton, grown in Egypt c. 2600 BCE, to linen (from c. 9000 BCE). Cotton canvas is water-resistant and catches the wind well. It's more lightweight than linen, but linen is stronger. See also: Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant Blue Gem of Ancients Land of Punt: Pre-Bronze Age Kingdom of Riches Early Sun Mythology: Mid European Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Favorite sail material of the early ages varies between cotton and linen, though linen eventually prevails. Lightweight with a durable dense weave and easy to handle, linen is a popular trade item on the maritime routes. Fabrics for clothing might have a finer weave than industrial use linens. A product of the fibrous flax plant, linen has already been used in Egypt for thousands of years in clothing, funerary shrouds, trade currency and home decor. See also: Hutena & Hutellura: Dyad of Birth & Fate Folk Magic: Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) Kaska - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the Bronze Age linen fabric is coarser than today's textile but beloved by rich and poor for its light weave and natural breathability in the hot climate. Fine linen is also considered an appropriate gift for royalty. Both linen and cotton are used to make sails, along with blends of hemp, linen, cotton and wool. The Vikings of the North (c. 800 - 1100 CE) use wool as sailcloth. See also: Before the Vikings - Early Northern Cultures Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books After c. 1400 CE, the Renaissance years, linen and cotton are both most popular as sail fabric. Linen has a brief surge in the 18th century as the fabric of choice. Synthetics hit the market in the 20th century. See also: Inara & the Dragon - Purulliya Festival Eschenfrau: Wicked Ash Tree Woman Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Back to Top

Ancient cultures attuned to spirits living in all things including trees, plants, rivers, breezes, rocks and animals. In mythology and shamanic tradition animal spirits are helpers, advisors, gift bringers of luck, prophecy, qualities and wealth in both spiritual and material ways. Jump to: Horse Otter Goose Pagan nature worship integrates animal spirituality with everyday life. Ancient people lived close to wild animals in their environment. Evidence of bonding with animals as companions and working helpers goes back to prehistory. The horse was first domesticated in the bronze age about 3,500 BCE. Earlier yet, donkeys were in human company since 5,000 BCE. The first evidence of domestic dogs appears in the stone age, over 20,000 years ago. See also: Animal Spirits: Doe, Magpie, Wolverine Animal Spirits - Frog, Cat, Bull Animal Spirits - Puma, Butterfly, Dog Animal Spirits - Bear, Stag, Eagle Animal Spirits - Wolf, Mouse, Swan Animal Spirits - Fox, Rooster, Orca Animal Spirits - Goat, Hare, Falcon 1. Horse - Travel, Wealth, Work, Freedom Back to Top The Horse is a creature of the Sun. Qualities associated with the Horse are travel or journeying, freedom, positive energy, wealth, good fortune, health, society, an eye for detail, beauty, grace and charisma. Horse statues and artwork are fortunate for entrepreneurs and business people. The Horse is a Yang energy equated with power, work, prosperity and lucky number seven. With Horse as spirit guide or totem, stamina improves and work toward a goal brings satisfaction. An amiable companion and helper, the Horse is quick to spot danger, especially details out of place. A bracelet or charm of horse hair can awaken perception. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In romance, the Horse is a free spirit. Falling in love with a Horse person is a wild ride. It can be hard for this person to make commitments. Adventure is always in the air. Can the Horse settle into a domestic relationship? Horses have a wide range of personalities. Some attune to domestic harmony. Others will kick up their heels. The vibrant Sun personality of the Horse is mitigated by Earth, an element of grounding and stability. Horses love to feel the earth beneath their feet whether traveling or not. Balance of Earth and Sun (Fire) is lucky in business and daily life. Horse is the seventh animal in the Chinese zodiac. Lucky colors include pink, blue and purple. Horse plants include yarrow, rosehip, chamomile, mint and thyme. See also: Herbology & Lore - Chamomile German Myth - Headless Horseman Monday's Muse - Demons of Doubt People relating to the Horse animal spirit guide or totem are energetic and optimistic. They tend to be fortunate in life, and generally in good health. They are graceful, well-traveled and educated. Horse people love to explore and learn. The Horse attunes to arts, performance and athletics. The number seven is especially fortunate for Horse people, sparkling with energy and motion. In Wicca, seven is one of the 'magic' numbers. Although Horse totem people can be overly dramatic or even paranoid at times, they are solid companions who would rather work smart than work hard. Attractive and charismatic, these freedom lovers have many friends and admirers. Join me on: Facebook Linked In Pinterest Blog 2. Otter - Play, Rejuvenation, Hidden Knowledge Back to Top The delightful Otter symbolizes playfulness, games, youth or rejuvenation, refreshment, crossing spiritual borders, hidden knowledge, strategy and sometimes trickery. The Otter spirit can guide us around obstacles with ease. The Otter exudes strong family energy. Otters live in family groups with mother, younger and older pups, and sometimes the male. The pups learn through play and imitation how to fish, hunt, build dens and use tools such as rocks for breaking open clam shells. They are canny hunters who go after what they want. A dream or vision of Otter in water can relate to introspection or hidden secrets. See also: Winter Tales - 4 Novellas German Herbology - Edelweiss German Myth - the Lutzelfrau In some cultures Otter is a trickster similar to Fox or Coyote. The River Otter is a member of the weasel family. In Northern European myth, the magic qualities of Otter include shape-shifting. In one version of the Niebelungenlied, a medieval Germanic saga, Norse gods mistakenly slay a shape-shifting Dwarf in the form of an Otter. People with Otter energy tend to have a playful sense of humor, but may also have a dark side. Often highly intelligent, Otter people must be careful not to overthink, and let intuition lead the way. See also: Great 19th Century German Woman Artists Victorian Health: Sea Water Hydrotherapy Herbology & Lore: Poison Hemlock The Otter inspires creativity and invention. The dominant Otter element is Water, which brings mental refreshment and rejuvenation, hunches, gut feelings, knowing when to relax and ride the current. As Water can act as a portal to other worlds, the Otter is a canny guide to hidden dimensions in spiritual journeying. Otter people have quick minds and may also have a store of hidden knowledge, skills or talents. They don't show everything at once and are full of surprises. They're good with their hands. See also: German Harvest Spirits: Roggenhund (Rye Dog) Pioneering German Women - Anita Augspurg Nature Spirits of German Mythology As Otters love playing chase, agile swimming or wrestling, an Otter person may be have athletic talent. Social and active, Otter people are fun at parties, and are stimulating friends and partners. While they may seem shallow at first, they have multiple facets and hidden depth. River otters spend considerable time on land, compared to sea otters who are almost always in water. The river otter has a water-resistant lining of fur under its coat, which keeps its skin dry. If it gets waterlogged the otter loses buoyancy. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Likewise, too much thinking (water - flood) and not enough activity (solar energy) can drag us down. Suppressed energy can cause health problems. If life has lost its zip, attune to the Otter spirit and learn to play again. 3. Goose - Protection, Abundance, Family Back to Top Geese relate to family, prosperity, protection, generosity, faithfulness, life cycles, harmony, marriage or commitment. The Goose takes qualities from all four elements. It's a bird of daylight and the sun, spending time in water, on land and in flight. The Goose spirit brings balance and fulfilment. As a protective energy, few are stronger than the Goose or Gander. In ancient Egypt, geese appear on tomb artwork, symbolic of souls. They were sacred to the god Geb, an Earth god and the patron of farmers. Geese are especially associated with seasons of spring and fall, and natural cycles of life. Animal spirits of the Harvest, they bring blessings of abundance. Returning from migration in spring, their airborne calls signal hope for a new year. See also: German Harvest Spirits - Dragons Easter Bunny, Prussian Blue & Penguins Rhinestones: Treasures of the Rhine The Goose asks us to be generous and share earthly abundance, wisdom or happiness. We can do so knowing good things are coming our way. Family is important to a person with Goose spirit guide or animal totem. This person may have a large extended family or network of friends. Goose parents take turns brooding the eggs, which hatch in early May. Immediately on hatching, the goslings can swim and find their own food. At this stage geese remain in a single protective family unit. Later, they join a flock of several families. The goslings swim together in a nursery environment, watched by two or three geese while other parents take a break. See also: German Traditions - the Linden Tree Herbology & Lore: Caraway Nixies - Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Geese in flight call to the wild spirit in all of us. The Wild Goose is a traveler related to spiritual journeying. The Domestic Goose usually has her wing feathers clipped and thus doesn't fly. She attunes motherhood, the hearth and home. People with the Goose animal spirit can show both aspects. They have good navigation skills and instinctively know which path to take when the time is right. Goose People have bright imaginations and may be artists, poets & authors, travelers, parents, caregivers and socialites. The gregarious goose mingles well with others and is rarely at a loss for words. See also: Your Photo on Mirrors, Buttons, Frisbees German Myth - Father Rhine River God Amazing Legacy of Alexander von Humboldt A Goose person can fit into a leadership role on occasion. Geese all know the leader in flight has to bear the most wind resistance. In the wild, a goose leads a flock until she's tired, then falls back and another bird takes the lead. Goose people fiercely protect that which they hold dear. They are highly creative and can be prolific in the right environment. As a friend or partner, the Goose is loyal, caring, funny and a great conversationalist, and may be prone to flights of fancy. Goose people must beware of making unnecessary sacrifices. If swamped in work, delegate. It's important to take time for the Self. See also: Animal Spirits - Frog, Cat, Bull Animal Spirits - Puma, Butterfly, Dog Animal Spirits - Bear, Stag, Eagle Animal Spirits - Wolf, Mouse, Swan Animal Spirits - Fox, Rooster, Orca Animal Spirits - Goat, Hare, Falcon Animal Spirits: Doe, Magpie, Wolverine Back to Top

German folklore, scientists and entrepreneurs are responsible for innovative inventions, discoveries and beloved traditions such as the Easter Bunny or Easter Hare; the color Prussian blue; and the adorable endangered Humboldt penguins of South America. Jump to: Prussian Blue Humboldt Penguins 1. Easter Bunny - Beloved Symbol of Spring See also: Animal Spirits - Goat, Hare, Falcon Cattle Goddesses & the Cosmic Cow Rabbit Fever Plague & Warfare: Hittites Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Originally a Hare, the Easter Bunny is popular among German Lutherans in the 17th century, and comes to be celebrated through much of the known world. Like St Nicholas and his companions, the Easter Hare is both kind and stern. The Hare brings eggs, candy and toys to good little children and threatens the naughty with punishment, such as a whipping. The Easter Hare presides over the season of Eastertide or Paschaltide to celebrate the coming of spring. See also: Lead White & Minium Red: Colors to Die For Hathor: Cosmic Cow Goddess of Ancient Egypt Scribes & Writing: Ancient Beginnings Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Other symbols associated with Easter include the lamb and newborn chick. The association of Hare with eggs goes back to ancient times. Unlike rabbits, who occupy burrows, the Hare makes a shallow nest in the grass of a meadow or vale. Greylag Geese are known to lay eggs in abandoned Hare nests. The custom of a rabbit or hare first appears in Georg Franck von Franckenau's De ovis paschalibus ('About Easter eggs') in 1682. It refers to a German tradition of an Easter Hare bringing eggs for children. See also: Your Photo on Mirrors, Buttons, Frisbees Winter Tales - 4 Novellas Sugar Beets, Altbier & First Newspaper Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Christian religion the hare relates to the Virgin Mary. At one time hares are thought to be hermaphrodites, giving virgin birth. Spiritually the Hare relates to mystery, crossing dimensions, mental or physical agility. Hares can also correspond to madness, "mad as a March Hare" as per their boisterous behavior in spring. See also: Mythic Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Alchemy Symbols - Circle, Snake & Lion Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The egg is associated with the fast of Lent; symbolic resurrection through the egg of the Phoenix; and is also a widespread fertility symbol. Eggs represent wholeness and beginnings. In pagan celebrations, Ostara falls on the Spring Equinox, usually between March 19 and 23. The tradition of the German goddess Eostre predates origins of Christian Easter. The sun inspires hope and happiness. Today, the Easter Bunny is a beloved symbol of spring. See also: Pagan Solstice Fests: Saturnalia Natron - Ancient Embalming & Household Salts Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books 2. Prussian blue - delight of artists & poisoners Back to top A vivid example of chemical reaction, Prussian blue is a vibrant hue first created in 1706 by Swiss German scientist Johann Jacob Diesbach (1670 - 1748) in Berlin. It's also called Berlin Blue, Brandenburg Blue, Parisian, Iron and Midnight Blue. See also: Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant Blue Gem of Ancients Suri (Śuri): Ancient Etruscan Fire God Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Prussian blue is an accident of chemistry. A pigment and dye maker, Diesbach wants to make a red pigment known as red madder. For this he needs potash, also called potassium hydroxide or lye. A caustic chemical, potassium hydroxide can cause severe burning or ulcers on contact. Evidence of lye used in soapmaking dates to c. 2800 BCE. It's used today as an electrolyte in alkaline batteries and in electroplating, lithography, and paint and varnish removers. See also: Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Obsidian: Volcanic Black Glass of Gods Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle He obtains potash from the alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel (1673 - 1734). Dippel achieves some fame in Germany for his animal oil. He's also known as one of the past residents of Castle Frankenstein in Odenwald. Claiming his oil is the Elixir of Life, at one point he tries to trade the recipe for the castle. The resident owners of the castle do not jump at the opportunity. See also: Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade What is the Philosopher's Stone? Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Created in the eighteenth century, Prussian blue is the first modern synthetic color. Used in paints, blueprints and 19th-century aizuri-e (Japanese woodblock prints), Prussian Blue is also considered a medicine. Like most toxic medicines, a little can heal and a little too much will kill. Prussian Blue can be given orally as an antidote to heavy metal poisoning. See also: Destroying Angel: Nature's Deadly Poison Sprites: Ethereal Creatures of Faerie Pagan Solstice Fests: Mithras & the Sun Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From Prussian Blue comes prussic acid, or hydrogen cyanide. In German, hydrogen cyanide is known as Blausäure or blue acid. French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac names it cyanide after the blue color cyan. 3. Humboldt Penguin - Alexander von Humboldt Back to Top Humboldt Penguins are favorites in zoos and in the wild. Cute and curious, these little penguins live in undiscovered bliss until German polymath and explorer Alexander von Humboldt stumbles across them on his travels. In 1834, scientist Franz Meyer named the Humboldt penguin. See also: Amazing Legacy of Alexander von Humboldt Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Scorpion Men of Babylonia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Humboldt Penguins inhabit the coast of Peru in South America, and may be found occasionally in Ecuador and Colombia. Their range may overlap that of the Magellanic Penguin in Chile. Humboldts are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. These agile sea birds live only on the Pacific Coast, and swim in the cold water current bearing Humboldt's name. Males are larger than females, with a longer bill, and weigh around ten pounds (4.5 kg). See also: Herbology & Lore: Plantain Plant German Inventions We All Love Modern Mirrors, Elevators & Kindergarten Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Peru the Humboldt penguin is called pajaro-niño, (baby bird), for its waddling walk and flightless wings out like arms. Humboldts have an array of vocalizations such as territorial yells, courtship brays or soft throbbing calls of adults, and peeps from chicks wanting food. During courtship, Humboldt penguins bow heads to each other and exchange glances with each eye, alternatively. They extend heads vertically, collapse their chests, flap their wings and bray. The pair stand side by side and repeat the display. See also: Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files 19th Century: Home Gym, Bicycles, Antiseptic Aufhöcker - Cursed Undead of German Myth Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Humboldts like to dine on crustaceans and schooling fish. Diet may vary depending on location and time of year. They are opportunistic foragers, and hunt by sight. Humboldts have spiny tongues to hold down prey. In 1977, the Peruvian government gives legal protection to Humboldt penguins. Peru and Chile have implemented protection under national law. Most penguins breed in protected areas. See also: Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Ammit - Eater of the Heavy Heart Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Peruvian legislation recognizes the species as endangered and prohibits hunting, possession, capture, transport or export of the Humboldt penguin for commercial purposes. Lately, the bird is a focus of eco-tourism. See also: Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Victorian Health: Sea Water Hydrotherapy Victorian Crime - Murder in the Cards Back to Top

We're familiar with Humboldt squid, and Humboldt penguins who swim in the Humboldt current off the coast of Peru. In the nineteenth century, German naturalist, explorer, artist, writer, scientist and philanthropist Alexander von Humboldt creates an amazing legacy. See also: Easter Bunny, Prussian Blue & Penguins German Inventions We Still Love Today Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769 – 1859) is active during the Romantic period in Germany. His work rouses popular interest in nature and the environment. On the forefront of geographic science as one of the first theorists of continental drift, Humboldt travels throughout the Americas 1799 to 1804, studying botany, biology, geography and culture. A prolific artist, he sketches animals, birds, plants and coasts. See also: Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Considered the father of ecology and father of environmentalism, Humboldt is the first to bring accurate descriptions of South America to the rest of the world. Political leader Simón Bolívar writes "The real discoverer of South America was Humboldt, since his work was more useful for our people than the work of all conquerors". See also: Drude: Germanic Demon of Darkness Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Nature Spirits of German Mythology Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Plants and animals are named for him, include a unique South American hummingbird, butterfly, oak and orchid. Geographic features bearing his name include Humboldt Bay in California, Humboldt Mountains of Antarctica and the Humboldt Glacier in Greenland. Humboldt is well known in the German social circles. Contemporaries such as German poet Wolfgang Goethe and playwright philosopher Friedrich Schiller praise his projects. Czar Nicholas I invites him to Russia. German Emperor Friedrich Wilhelm III sponsors his work. See also: Victorian Health: Sea Water Hydrotherapy Mythical Gods of Ancient Germania Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Thomas Jefferson called him "the most important scientist ... I have met." Cuban scholar José de la Luz y Caballero wrote, "Columbus gave Europe a New World; Humboldt made it known in its physical, material, intellectual, and moral aspects". Two asteroids and rare mineral humboldtine are also named for Alexander von Humboldt. The Humboldt current is crucial to ecosystem stability. Cold and shallow, the current moves slowly compared to others. It's a rich source of nutrients and fish for the penguins. See also: Great 19th Century German Woman Artists The Many Faces of Frau Holle Prussian Blue - Delight of Artists & Poisoners Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Alexander and his brother, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, co-found Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany in 1810. A public research facility, it's the oldest of the four universities in Berlin. Through his multi-volume work Kosmos, Humboldt resurrects the word "cosmos" from the Greek and wants to unify the different branches of scientific culture and knowledge. The books convey a holistic perception of the universe as one interacting entity. See also: Chamomile - Herbology & Folklore German Myth - Headless Horseman German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Humboldt's concepts of ecology led the way to environmentalism and further discovery. In 1800 and 1831, he described scientifically, on the basis of observations generated during his travels, local impacts of development causing human-induced climate change. See also: Pioneering German Women - Anita Augspurg Schrat: German Nightmare Forest Elf Gramophone, Player Piano & Motion Pictures Back to Top

Dating to 1386, Heidelberg University is the oldest in Germany. Besides studies in medicine or law, a student could aim for three badges of honor - a dueling scar; a few days in the Student Jail; and the esteemed title of King of the Krug. Heidelberg is the setting for the 1924 American musical operetta, The Student Prince, which includes the famous Drinking Song. See also: The Bronze Monkey of Heidelberg Death Cruise - Vacation Gone Bad Song of the Loreley 1. Dueling Scars (Schmisse) In Germany, dueling scars became badges of honor from 1825 until the early 1900s. Also called a bragging scar, an impressive one assured success with colleagues and the ladies. Ladies considered a man with a dueling scar to be a good choice as husband. Universities such as Bonn and Jena also popularized the concept. Academic fencing or Mensur is traditional fencing between two members of different fraternities. It's practiced especially among students and student corporations in Germany and other parts of Europe. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Chancellor Otto von Bismarck considered the scars to be symbols of bravery. Although academic dueling was largely a mark of status or class among young male students, military laws also allowed men to participate in duels of honor until the first World War. Because most duelists were right-handed, the scar often marked the left side of the face, keeping the right profile unsullied. Scars could be elaborate and in some cases students were over-enthusiastic, as in the 1877 death of a German student who had 137 dueling scars on his face, head and neck. See also: Sugar Beets, Altbier & First Newspaper Winter Tales - 4 Novellas German Harvest Spirits - Dragons 2. Student Jail (Studentenkarzer) In Heidelberg it was a bragging point to be incarcerated in the Student Jail. Built in 1778, the Jail was in operation from the 18th century until 1914, run by students policing other students. Offenses were usually small, such as being drunk and disorderly. From 1867 to 1914 the flag of Germany was black, white and red. The first line of the graffiti 'Einer für Alle, Alle für Einen!' means 'One for All, All for One!" The jail and others like it soon took on a party ambiance. Incarcerated students could invite their friends to drink and socialize. In Heidelberg the old Student Jail is now a major tourist attraction. Graffiti from the 18th to 20th century covers the walls. See also: German Traditions - the Linden Tree Amazing Legacy of Alexander von Humboldt Great 19th Century German Woman Artists 3. King of the Krug (König des Kruges) The King of the Krug was a competition among fraternities to find out who could drink the most beer. The Krug is a large stoneware mug or tankard popular for beer drinking, compared to a Stein which is decorative and usually has a lid. The King of the Krug competition was simple. Drink, drink, drink and the last man standing wins the crown. For obvious reasons this tradition is no longer in practice today. However the annual Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich, started in 1810 around a horse race, continue to draw record crowds. In 1910, at the hundred year anniversary, attendees quaffed an estimated 120,000 liters (31,700 gallons) of beer. In Germany, brewers must abide by the Reinheitsgebot or Beer Purity Law of 1487, a set of standards governing the brewing of beer, stating only water, hops and barley may be used. It also outlines the profit margin for merchants. Although a few items have been tweaked, the Reinheitsgebot is still one reason Germany's known for its famous beverage. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle