drs. Marinus Anthony van der Sluijs (visit also the homepage)
The dominant themes in mythology centre round an object called the axis mundi. As a technical term this may sound unfamiliar and abstract, but in reality many of the better-known mythological objects and gods are based on forms of the axis mundi. Among these are the following:
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CULTURE: |
TREE: |
MOUNTAIN: |
GIANT: |
PILLAR, STONE: |
STAFF, CLUB: |
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Sky Tree |
Primeval Mound |
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Djed pillar |
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obelisk |
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kiškanu of Eridu |
Ḫursag or Kur |
Ninurta |
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Ningišzida's staff |
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olive of |
Ṣaphon |
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ambrosial rocks |
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Judaism |
tree of life in |
Ṣion |
Adam Qadmon |
'foundation stone' of the |
Moses' rod |
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sephirotic tree of the Kabbala |
Sinai |
Sandalfon |
'Central Pillar' of the Kabbala |
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Ararat |
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Christianity |
Jesus' cross |
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Christ |
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bishop's staff |
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Arabic |
Tuba tree |
Qaf |
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Ka`ba |
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classical |
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Atlas |
Delphic omphalos |
caduceus |
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Typhon |
Roman lapis |
Asclepius' staff |
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Zeus' lightning |
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Poseidon's trident |
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Germanic |
ash Yggdrasil |
Himinbiörg |
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Irminsūl |
Mjöllnir |
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Celtic |
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Hill of Uisnech |
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Pumlummon |
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Harā-Berezaiti |
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Aśvattha tree |
Meru |
Puruṣa |
Skambha |
Indra's vajra |
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Jambu tree |
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Śiva's trident |
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Bodhi-tree of Buddha |
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Kien-mou tree |
Kwen-lun |
Pan-Gu |
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ceiba tree |
Cuculcan |
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Huitzilopochtli's Xiuhcoatl |