Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
G2 — The Return of Persephone.
Source data for narratives and traditions is drawn from Berezkin’s Analytical Catalogue. If you use this data, please acknowledge and link to it: Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.
Summary of motif
OverviewA character embodying fertility and life, who first disappears and then (periodically) returns.
Berezkin category: Fertility and Agriculture
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 3, Cosmogony, the earth and the sky, etiology of the elements, natural and biological phenomena (fire, water, soil, thunderstorms, dream, etc.), cataclysms and cosmic threats, spirits of nature.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| I75 | 94.04% | Before the emergence of the present world or present humans, there were others (at least two worlds or races). |
| M63 | 93.16% | Before reaching the part of the body that is most suitable for certain purposes, others are named or tried. (Cf. Motive F22: The enumeration is related to finding the partner's genitals). |
| K22 | 91.81% | The inhabitants of a distant land, who differ from (ordinary) people, occasionally fight off enemies of a non-human nature who attack them. |
| F9A | 91.71% | There are teeth, blades or sharp stones in a woman's vagina or on the inside of her thighs; the vagina is a toothy mouth. (Only texts with a focus on authenticity are taken into account, not anecdotes). |
| K27C | 91.69% | Test: to remain alive when coming into contact with piercing, cutting, or crushing instruments. See motif K27. |
| H32A | 90.86% | A young woman is the embodiment of fertility; she comes to live with people, and food becomes readily available. The woman is wronged, she leaves, and the superabundance ends. |
| A17 | 90.70% | Having travelled halfway across the sky or the underworld, the Sun stops to rest. |
| E1B | 90.24% | A character made of unsuitable material and turns out to be short-lived or poorly suited to performing his functions. |
| J4 | 90.21% | The heroes avenge the death (enslavement) of their father, uncle, grandfather, or mother and father, or in general their descendants, with the loss of men being the most painful. |
| F94 | 89.99% | A man ascends to the upper world, where he can choose a wife associated with either life or death. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
69 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 69 traditions: Akkad, Assyria, Babylonia, Ugarit, Phoenicia, Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Ewe, Dogon, Wa (incl Kawa), Bulang, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, Slovakians, Slovaks, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Ancient Greece, Hittite, Hurrit, Karelians, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Karachays, Balkar, Lezgians, Archin, Kürin; Khinalug, Armenians, Ainu, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Han, Athna, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Lenape (Delaware), Blackfoot, Shawnee, Kiowa Apache, Crow, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Tillamook, Kutenai, Pomo, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Yokuts, Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Southern Paiute, Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos), Hopi, Zuni, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Eastern Keres (Cochiti, Sia, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana, Paguate, Seama), Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Papago, Huichol, Tzotzil, Kekchi; Mopan, Rama, Guatuso, Boruca (Brunka), Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Guayabero, Cañari, Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Puinave, Baniwa (incl. Wakuenai), Bare, Piapoco, Curripaco, Siusi, Guarikena , Mojo, Baure, Itonama, Kanichana, Chiquito, Manasi, Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Oriya (incl. Dom/Domba/Dombo, Ghasi, Bhat and other Oriya-speaking castes of Odisha), Mustang, Lisu, Lolo (incl. Bai), Achang, Yi, Axi, Nasu, Jino, Taungyo, Lao, Ingrians, Phoenicia, China
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