Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
I8B — Pillars of the world: zoomorphic creatures.
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
OverviewThe earth or sky is supported by zoomorphic creatures.
Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures
I8 has 10 other sub-motifs
RelatedI8A. The world, earth or sky are supported by anthropomorphic beings.
I8B. The earth or sky is supported by zoomorphic creatures.
I8c. The earth is prevented from falling or swaying because it is tied with ropes.
I8D. The earth or sky is supported by mountains, pillars, nails, trees.
I8e. The sky or the earth is supported by four anthropomorphic male characters located at the four cardinal points.
I8e1. The sky or earth is supported by four objects or beings located at the four cardinal points (either four groups of beings, or four at the corners and a fifth in the centre). Th A841. See motifs 8A, 8D.
I8f. The sky, the world rests on a single object (a pillar or tree).
I8g. A single giant holds up the earth or the sky.
I8G1. At the foot of the world pillar is an anthropomorphic character, or a character identified with a tree or pillar on which the world rests, or a character holding ropes on which the world is suspended.
I8h. The earth is supported by a man and a woman in the underworld.
I8i. Initially, the earth rocks, unstable, and must be specially secured.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 0.00% | Another sun — less powerful or less favourable to humans — existed before the appearance of the current one. |
| A10 | 0.00% | The sun gets its sparkling eyes (eye) from an animal. |
| A11A | 0.00% | The visible sun or moon are their eyes; if the eyes of the luminaries were not damaged, it would be much brighter and hotter. |
| A11B | 0.00% | The sun or moon has one eye (usually the second eye is knocked out or sucked out, but sometimes the reason is not explained; among the Munduruku, the sun of the rainy season has lost both eyes, while the sun of the dry season has retained both). See motif 11A. |
| A11C | 0.00% | The Sun and Moon kill a monster whose eyes shine differently. At first, the Moon takes the brighter eye, but then swaps with the Sun. |
| A12 | 0.00% | A creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, winter and summer, night and day, phases of the moon) or occasionally (eclipses, eschatological catastrophes) attack the luminaries or block their light. |
| A12A | 0.00% | During an eclipse or under other circumstances, predators attack the luminaries: wolves, bears, jaguars, pumas, dogs, foxes, raccoons. See motif A12. |
| A12B | 0.00% | During an eclipse or at sunset (marked *), the luminaries are swallowed by a toad or frog. |
| A12C | 0.00% | Eclipses of the sun, moon or their setting (marked*) are caused by a snake, lizard, dragon, fish or crocodile; these creatures attack the luminaries now or attacked them at the beginning of time. See motif A12. |
| A12D | 0.00% | Birds attack the sun or moon during an eclipse (covering them with their wings) or (*) cover the sun during sunrise or sunset. See motif A12. |
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
95 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 95 traditions: Arabs of Egypt, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Western Australia: Walmanjeri, Njolnjol (Njulnjul, Nyul-Nyul), Worora, Kariara (Karierra), Karadjari (Karadjeri, Garadjari), Djaberdjaber (Djaberadjabera), Ngarluma, Wiilman (Wheelman), Bibbulmum (Pebelman), Burong (Panaka), Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Batak (Toba, Dairi), Minangkabau; Kerinci, Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Stieng, Chrau, Sre (Koho), Maa, Mnong, Wa (incl Kawa), Bulang, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Poles, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Ingush, Kumyk, Terekemen, Tats, Armenians, Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Gagauz, Anatolia Turks, Azeris (Azerbaijanis), Talysh, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Uyghur, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Mari (Cheremis), Udmurt, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Oirats (incl Torgouts, Derbets, Oilots), Mongols (Khalkha), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nenets, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Western Tungus (Evenki), Western Siberia Tungus (Evenki): Sym River, Ket River, Ainu, Tanana, Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Lenape (Delaware), Huron (incl Wyandot), Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Winnebago, Shawnee, Yuchi, Cherokee, Yuki (Yuki proper, Coastal Yuki, Huchnob), Chumash, Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Southern Paiute, Kitanemuk, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Huichol, Tzotzil, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Guayabero, Warao, Kaxuyana (Warikyana, Arikena), Kofan, Yagua, Xipaya, Tacana, Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Chechens, Southern Altai: Teleut, Early Russian written sources, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Laurentian Iroquois, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Russian Federation
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