This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AI (talk | contribs) at 01:41, 17 July 2005 (Reverted to version before VfD. VfD reason is misleading and did not take into consideration consensus as evident in this articles talk page). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 01:41, 17 July 2005 by AI (talk | contribs) (Reverted to version before VfD. VfD reason is misleading and did not take into consideration consensus as evident in this articles talk page)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Missing Sun myth is a motif that appears in many myths from around the world. The myth was probably used to explain any of several natural phenomena, including the disappearance of the sun at night, the shorter days during the winter, or even solar eclipses. Most incarnations of the myth involve the disappearance of a Solar Deity, through imprisonment, exile or death.
Examples of Missing Sun myths
- In Egyptian mythology, Ra passes through Duat (the Underworld) every night. Apep has to be defeated in the darkness hours for Ra and his Solar Barge to emerge in the east each morning.
- In Japanese mythology, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu is angered by the behavior of her brother, Susanoo, and hides herself in a cave, plunging the world into darkness.
- In Norse mythology, both the gods Odin and Tyr have attributes of a sky father, and they are doomed to be devoured by wolves (Fenrir and Garm, respectively) at Ragnarok. Sol, the Norse Sun Goddess, will be devoured by the wolf Skoll.