Mythological cycle
Mythological cycle is the modern name for some ancient and central Irish stories about the beings of Irish mythology .
The term encompasses narratives that mainly deal not with humans but with elves and fairies . These beings, in Irish fir Side ( "Men of síd") mná Side ( "Women of síd") or generally AES Side called ( "People of the síd"), inhabiting the old tradition, the natural hill ( Síd ) and mountains of Ireland , as well as the man-made burial mounds of the pre-Celtic population. In most texts, the áes síde are equated with the Túatha Dé Danann . Modern researchers assume a euhemerism (“humanization of the gods”) of this and other forms of the pre-Christian mythology of the country.
The most important narratives of the mythological cycle include Lebor Gabála Érenn , the battles of Mag Tuired , Tochmarc Étaíne , Aided Chlainne Tuirenn , the Dindsenchas , as well as the myths known as realrae and immram .
Some of the themes mentioned in the mythological cycle overlap with themes in the historical or king cycle . Some Remscélas ("prehistory") of the Táin Bó Cuailnge also contain mythological motifs, but are usually assigned to the Ulster cycle .
See also
literature
- Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 .
- Bernhard Maier: The religion of the Celts. Gods, myths, worldview . Beck, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-406-48234-1 .