In Norse mythology, the Ravens Hugin and Munin sit on the god Odin's shoulders and bring to his ears all the news they see and hear. Their names are Thought and Memory. Odin sends them out with each dawn to fly over the world, so he can learn about everything that happens. The Old English word for a raven was hraefn; in Old Norse it was hrafn; the word was frequently used in combinations as a kenning for bloodshed and battle.
In Irish mythology, the goddess An Morr'gan took to the hero C° Chulainn's shoulder in the form of a raven after his death. In other ancient Celtic mythology, ravens were associated with the Welsh god Bran the Blessed the brother of Branwen, whose name translates to 'raven.' According to the Mabinogion, Bran's head was buried in the White Hill of London as a talisman against invasion.
The raven also has a prominent role in the mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, including the Tsimishian, Haida, Heiltsuk, Tlingit, Kwakwaka'wakw, Coast Salish, Koyukons, and Inuit. The raven in these indigenous peoples' mythology is the Creator of the world, but it is also considered a trickster god. For instance, in Tlingit culture, there are two different raven characters which can be identified, although they are not always clearly differentiated. One is the creator raven, responsible for bringing the world into being and who is sometimes considered to be the same individual as the Owner of Daylight. The other is the childish raven, always selfish, sly, conniving, and hungry. Other notable stories tell of the Raven stealing and releasing the sun, and of the Raven tempting the first humans out of a clam shell.
According to Livy, the Roman general Marcus Valerius Corvus c. 370-270 BC had a raven settle on his helmet during a combat with a gigantic Gaul, which distracted the enemy's attention by flying in his face.
A raven is said to have protected Saint Benedict of Nursia by taking away a loaf of bread poisoned by jealous monks after he blessed it.
Of special note is the Kwakiutl or Kwakwaka'wakw of British Columbia who exposed boys' placentas to ravens to encourage future prophetic visions, thereby associating the raven with prophecy, similar to the traditions of Scandinavia.
The Hindu deity Shani is often represented as being mounted on a giant black raven or crow. The crow sometimes a raven or vulture is Shani's Vahana. As protector of property, Shani is able to repress the thieving tendencies of these birds.
In Irish mythology, the goddess An Morr'gan took to the hero C° Chulainn's shoulder in the form of a raven after his death. In other ancient Celtic mythology, ravens were associated with the Welsh god Bran the Blessed the brother of Branwen, whose name translates to 'raven.' According to the Mabinogion, Bran's head was buried in the White Hill of London as a talisman against invasion.
The raven also has a prominent role in the mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, including the Tsimishian, Haida, Heiltsuk, Tlingit, Kwakwaka'wakw, Coast Salish, Koyukons, and Inuit. The raven in these indigenous peoples' mythology is the Creator of the world, but it is also considered a trickster god. For instance, in Tlingit culture, there are two different raven characters which can be identified, although they are not always clearly differentiated. One is the creator raven, responsible for bringing the world into being and who is sometimes considered to be the same individual as the Owner of Daylight. The other is the childish raven, always selfish, sly, conniving, and hungry. Other notable stories tell of the Raven stealing and releasing the sun, and of the Raven tempting the first humans out of a clam shell.
According to Livy, the Roman general Marcus Valerius Corvus c. 370-270 BC had a raven settle on his helmet during a combat with a gigantic Gaul, which distracted the enemy's attention by flying in his face.
A raven is said to have protected Saint Benedict of Nursia by taking away a loaf of bread poisoned by jealous monks after he blessed it.
Of special note is the Kwakiutl or Kwakwaka'wakw of British Columbia who exposed boys' placentas to ravens to encourage future prophetic visions, thereby associating the raven with prophecy, similar to the traditions of Scandinavia.
The Hindu deity Shani is often represented as being mounted on a giant black raven or crow. The crow sometimes a raven or vulture is Shani's Vahana. As protector of property, Shani is able to repress the thieving tendencies of these birds.
