Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #wyrdwednesday
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A 🧵revisiting various bunny temples and shrines for #WyrdWednesday's Japan week.
1. Okazaki Shrine in Kyoto has bunny statues, wishing plaques, lanterns, and charms. The bunnies symbolize fertility and safe childbirth, and people who wish for those can rub the stone rabbits.
1. Okazaki Shrine in Kyoto has bunny statues, wishing plaques, lanterns, and charms. The bunnies symbolize fertility and safe childbirth, and people who wish for those can rub the stone rabbits.
2. Kamakura has Meigetsu-in, or "Temple of the Clear Moon", famous for its hydrangeas, moon-shaped window at the main hall, and various bunny statues, showing the folkloric connection between the moon and bunnies. The temple also takes care of bunnies.
3. Miwa Shrine in Nagoya has a stone hare related to the legend of Hare of Inaba. In the story, a flayed hare was helped by the kind Ōkuninushi, who returned its fur. In gratitude, the hare helped him wooing Princess Yakami of Inaba instead of his selfish older brothers.
For #WyrdWednesday's Japan week: my favorite 🧵 about the Five Great Cherry Blossom Trees.
Starting from Yamataka Jindai Zakura, a Double Weeping Rosebud Cherry (Edohigan) in Hokuto. Believed to be planted by semi-legendary prince Yamato Takeru and is about 1,900 years old. 1/7
Starting from Yamataka Jindai Zakura, a Double Weeping Rosebud Cherry (Edohigan) in Hokuto. Believed to be planted by semi-legendary prince Yamato Takeru and is about 1,900 years old. 1/7
One legend says that Nichiren, a famous Buddhist priest and philosopher, once felt pity when seeing the Yamataka Jindai tree in weakened state. He prayed compassionately upon the tree, which grew back into full vigor. 2/7
Usuzumi Zakura is famous for having pink color as buds, white in full bloom, and light grey before falling (Usuzumi: "pale ink"). The ancient tree was planted by Emperor Keitai (450-531) after returning from exile because of persecution. 3/7
Dragons feature prominently in East Asian folklore & mythology. They have different characteristics to the fire breathing dragons found in the west. In Asia dragons are considered auspicious & represent vitality & power. They are also connected to the weather.
#WyrdWednesday
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#WyrdWednesday
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In this thread I will share some of my earlier threads with dragon info and tales from #JapaneseFolklore. In Japan, dragons are known as wani and feature in many folktales. Firstly, here is some info about wani.
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One of my favourite tales is about the goddess Benzaiten and her encounter with a five headed dragon off the coast of Kanagawa. This tale first shows the dragon as a villain, but then later as a protective guardian.
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Costs An Arm and A Leg...
But Lasts a Hand And A Foot?!
What is it?
Renaissance Geography!
(Did I mention that early modern measurement schemes are endlessly fascinating!?)
1/?
#NewberryLibrary i-share-nby.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CA…
#WyrdWednesday #woodcutwednesday
But Lasts a Hand And A Foot?!
What is it?
Renaissance Geography!
(Did I mention that early modern measurement schemes are endlessly fascinating!?)
1/?
#NewberryLibrary i-share-nby.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CA…
#WyrdWednesday #woodcutwednesday
Going My Way?
Here's the full Geographie page, complete with a globe! From the Tableaux Accomplis de Tous les Arts Liberaux, Christopher de Savigny, 1587.
Want to see more?
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Here's the full Geographie page, complete with a globe! From the Tableaux Accomplis de Tous les Arts Liberaux, Christopher de Savigny, 1587.
Want to see more?
2/?
Terrific Title Page!
It promises that the "Tableaux" (Pictorial graphics? Diagrams? Both?) of the liberal arts with their singular, summarized method will make it easier to teach these important concepts to the youth . . .
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It promises that the "Tableaux" (Pictorial graphics? Diagrams? Both?) of the liberal arts with their singular, summarized method will make it easier to teach these important concepts to the youth . . .
3/?
Lady Isabel & the Elf Knight (Child #4, Roud #21) is a large class of European ballads where a young woman defeats a man who tries to murder her. There are a number of variants, categorized below. 1/ #WyrdWednesday
In the variant Child's A "The Gowans Sae Gae", Lady Isabel meets an Elf Knight who leads her to the Greenwood intending to kill her, as she discovers. Isabel tricks him into falling asleep, usually either with a charm or by singing & kills him with his own dirk. 2/ #WyrdWednesday
"The Gowans Sae Gae" variant of this song can be heard here: or here: 3/
How to magically charm dice in 5 easy steps (according to ‘Lækningakver’):
1. Bury your dice for 3 nights in the north of a churchyard, 3 nights to the south & 3 nights to the east.
2. Place them on the altar under the cloth for three Masses.
#WyrdWednesday
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1. Bury your dice for 3 nights in the north of a churchyard, 3 nights to the south & 3 nights to the east.
2. Place them on the altar under the cloth for three Masses.
#WyrdWednesday
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3. Throw the dice in the air and say:
`I invoke you, Thor and Odin, by Christ the crucified, that you transfigure these dice’.
4. Throw them again and say:
‘I invoke you by Enoch and Elijah’.
`I invoke you, Thor and Odin, by Christ the crucified, that you transfigure these dice’.
4. Throw them again and say:
‘I invoke you by Enoch and Elijah’.
5. Throw them a third time and say: ‘I invoke you by Frigg and Freyja, by Thor and Odin, and by the holy virgin lady Saint Mary, that you, Fjolnir, let fall that which I can throw.`
Since today's #WyrdWednesday theme is Norse Mythology, I've decided to make a short thread on ancient Norse beliefs on the afterlife, specifically the various worlds that Norse pagans believed people would go to after death. I hope you enjoy! 1/
As far as Norse afterlife beliefs, they are mentioned a surprisingly small amount in early sources. Much of the actual descriptions of the afterlife realms are gleaned from later sources and should be taken with a grain of salt. It is however theorized that much of the 2/
afterlife destinations were not as removed from the normal lives of the ancient Norse as they are in other religions and were instead based on and influenced by the way each person lived and died on an individual basis. 3/
Hel is the daughter of Loki and the ruler of Helheim, one of the places souls may go after death. Hel is often described either as half skeletal & half flesh, or half black & half white. She is portrayed as having a gloomy aura and is very powerful and respected. #WyrdWednesday
Helheim, the realm that Hel rules over, is one of the places people can go after death. It is often said that the people who go here are those who did not die in battle, but it is hard to know for sure. It was described as being located downward and northward. #WyrdWednesday
Famously when Baldr was killed by Loki and went to Helheim, his brother journeyed to Helheim to ask Hel to return him. She replied that if everyone in the world weeped for him, she would return him to life. Everyone weeped except for Loki, so she did not. #WyrdWednesday
Since this week's #WyrdWednesday theme is architecture, I've decided to write a thread for you all on Islamic architecture and the beliefs and symbolism behind it! I hope you all enjoy this thread on this beautiful and spectacular architectural form. 🕌☪️ 1/
Islamic architecture has been influenced by Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Mesopotamian, Chinese, and Mughal architecture. (Although I think you'll find it has a flavor all its own!) The four main forms of Islamic architecture are mosque, tomb, palace, and fort. 2/
Islamic architecture is often referred to as "architecture of the veil" because the most beautiful aspects of it are inside of it. 3/
Okay, #WyrdWednesday... all this talk of lore-inspired comics and graphic novels, and NOBODY has shared the best of them all... yet! 🏆
🏺I give you... 'Age of Bronze', by Eric Shanower! 🏺
🏺I give you... 'Age of Bronze', by Eric Shanower! 🏺
Saying "best of them all" is a mighty claim, and here's why I think the arrow hits the mark in this niche:
#1: Its the most historically accurate depiction of the Trojan War myth in visual media that I'm aware of.
Certainly more accurate than any movie or TV show.
#1: Its the most historically accurate depiction of the Trojan War myth in visual media that I'm aware of.
Certainly more accurate than any movie or TV show.
I spent months digging through research & art during peak COVID, looking for reference material for a semi-accurate depiction of bronze age clothing, daily life & architecture (WIP).
This comic series absolutely NAILS IT, albeit w/ a bit less skin and in conversational English🤷♂️
This comic series absolutely NAILS IT, albeit w/ a bit less skin and in conversational English🤷♂️
Hello All! We’re getting whisked away by the wee folk for #WyrdWednesday and I am here as your friendly guide through the otherworlds of #AfricanMythology where abduction by “bush spirits” or “forest dwarves” is a shockingly common theme.
#WyrdWednesday
These entities are pretty unpredictable though! Depending on where you are and who you meet, you might actually WANT to be whisked away, with the assurance that you will be taught the secrets of civilization.
These entities are pretty unpredictable though! Depending on where you are and who you meet, you might actually WANT to be whisked away, with the assurance that you will be taught the secrets of civilization.
#WyrdWednesday
Otherwise watch out! You could end up a captive being fattened for an upcoming feast, or be left to wander the forest forever, unable to put down whatever load you are carrying.
Otherwise watch out! You could end up a captive being fattened for an upcoming feast, or be left to wander the forest forever, unable to put down whatever load you are carrying.
Hello All! For a green themed #WyrdWednesday we have a folktale from the Alur people (DRC, Uganda) and some folklore from the Yoruba (Nigeria) and the Swahili-speaking people of the East African Coast.
#WyrdWednesday #AfricanMythology
Jokinam is the powerful Alur (DRC, Uganda) god of Lake Mwitanzige (also Lake Albert). It is said that he rules a beautiful green world at the bottom of the lake.
(Lake Mwitanzige 📸Wikipedia)
Jokinam is the powerful Alur (DRC, Uganda) god of Lake Mwitanzige (also Lake Albert). It is said that he rules a beautiful green world at the bottom of the lake.
(Lake Mwitanzige 📸Wikipedia)
#WyrdWednesday #AfricanMythology
Jokinam is very generous and is willing to share the secrets of the lake with anyone who can keep them. Those who spill the secret die.
Jokinam is very generous and is willing to share the secrets of the lake with anyone who can keep them. Those who spill the secret die.
Why, it's #WyrdWednesday! I must ask, have you ever heard of The Hexham Heads? Well, in 1972 a pair of boys dug up the stone heads in the back garden of their home in Hexham, not far from Newcastle. Almost immediately, strange a-doings began in their home...
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Furniture began to be moved when no one was present and smaller items would be launched into the air by invisible hands. This activity would even be felt next door. But there was more than just low-level poltergeist shenigans going on...
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One of the adult residents next door reported being scared half to death by 'a large half-man, half-sheep' walking about her house. A strange light hovering in place over the spot where the heads were found was also spotted.
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Deep in the Mexican rainforest, a wonderland of elaborate architectural structures lies hidden amongst tropical plants and vines. This garden of earthly delights is Las Pozas, a legacy of a life spent in dedication to the wyrd and fabulous 1/#WyrdWednesday
Las Pozas, was created by the late Edward James, enormously wealthy British poet and patron-collector of Surrealist art. James’s passion and enthusiasm for Surrealism was matched only by his love of plants. Las Pozas is the simulacrum of these loves 2/
#WyrdWednesday
#WyrdWednesday
Glimpses of the concrete stairs, walkways, towers and portals of Las Pozas can be seen amongst the giant tropical leaves of the surrounding forest, hidden like a lost city, and given names like The House with a Roof like a Whale, and The Staircase to Heaven 3/
#WyrdWednesday
#WyrdWednesday
