Author: Federica Zigarelli

Odhinn and Týr: war, law and magic in the Germanic tradition

Published on: Last updated on: Written by: Categorized into: Anthropology, Right, Esotericism, Mito, History of Religions

Notes on mythical sovereignty in the Germanic tradition: a comparison between the two divinities (Odhinn and Týr) assigned to the ambit, from the point of view of the "Indo-European functional tripartite division", of the so-called "First function" - in the light of the historical evidence emerging from Tacitus's “Germany” and of comparative studies (with the Vedic and Roman traditions) of the French historian of religions Georges Dumézil.

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Germanic Isis

Published on: Last updated on: Written by: Categorized into: Anthropology, Mito, History of Religions

On the identity of the "naval" Isis mentioned by Tacitus in "Germany" a real quarrel has opened up between those who consider it a Roman import -- which would have its reflection in the practice of “Navigium Isidis” - e who, like Georges Dumézil, considers it connected to an original Germanic goddess, Freyja or Nerthus. But, beyond the denominations, the category to which the goddess can be ascribed is the broadest one of the Great Goddesses of the archaic period, including Rhea and Cybele.

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"Santa Claus executed", or the eternal return of an immortal rite

Published on: Last updated on: Written by: Categorized into: Anthropology, Esotericism, folklore, History, History of Religions

With an essay with a provocative title, "Santa Claus executed", Claude Lévi-Strauss is inspired by a bizarre news event at his time - the hanging and holocaust of a puppet of Santa Claus by the Dijonese clergy - to arrive to the understanding of the "true meaning of Christmas", based on the reciprocal relationship between the world of children and that of the dead. The method used for this purpose is a synchronic and confrontational approach with non-European societies.

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South and Magic: the South between archaisms and historical precariousness

Published on: Last updated on: Written by: Categorized into: Anthropology, folklore, Characters, Guests Book, History of Religions

Italy and in particular the South still experience a strong presence of archaic practices of a magical-religious matrix: this is the field of investigation in which the studies of Ernesto de Martino, a Neapolitan anthropologist known for having documented in the first person and for having interpreted the customs and beliefs (such as the evil eye and the fascination, the workmanship and the jetting) of which southern society is still pregnant today.

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