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Mythological objects (also known as mythical objects) encompasses a variety of items (e.g. weapons, armor, clothing) appearing in world mythologies. This list will be organized according to category of object.

Armour[]

  • The Armour of Achilles, created by Hephaestus and said to be impenetrable (Greek mythology)
  • The Armour of Thor, consisting of the Girdle of Might, a magic belt that doubled his strength; and iron gloves so he could wield Mjolnir (see below)
  • The Armour of Beowulf, made by Wayland the Smith
  • The Armour of Karna, known as Kavacha. In Indian mythology Karna was the son of the Sun god. Karna was born with Kavacha, his armor. Nothing can penetrate Kavacha. Indra, the king of the gods in Amravati in Svarga, tricked Karna to give it to him, so that Arjuna, Indra's son born as a human on earth can slay him in the Kurukshetra War.

Belts[]

  • Megingjörð, the belt of Thor, doubling the owner's strength. (Norse mythology)

Gloves[]

  • Járngreipr, Thor's mighty gloves, allowing him to wield Mjölnir. (Norse mythology)

Headgear[]

  • The Helmet of Rostam, upon which was fixed the head of the white giant Dive-e Sepid, from the Persian epic Shahnama.
  • The Helmet of Hades, created by the Cyclopes for Hades. It made the wearer invisible. Also used by Perseus.
  • The Tarnhelm, a helmet giving the wearer the ability to change form or become invisible. Used by Alberich in Der Ring Des Nibelungen.

Shields[]

Shields from the Matter of Britain[]

  • The Shield of Galahad, made by King Evelake and adorned with a red cross painted with the blood of Joseph of Arimathea.
  • The Shield of Lancelot, given to him by the Lady of the Lake, it instantly cured him of tiredness and gave him the strength of three men.

Shields from the Spanish mythology[]

  • The Shield of El Cid, according to the epic poem Carmen Campidoctoris, bears the image of a fierce shining golden dragon.[1]

Weapons[]

  • Cronus' sickle, made of Adamantine and able to cut through anything (Greek mythology)
  • Death's Scythe, was to represent the Christian cultural interpretation of death as a "harvest of souls". The view states that death takes life as we do crops. The scythe was never discussed in detail and is more popular as a common day icon associated with the Grim Reaper.
  • Grid's Rod, an iron staff given to Thor so he could kill the Troll King. Grid also gave him the "Armor of Thor" (see above)
  • Sudarshana Chakra A legendary spinning disc like weapon used by the Hindu god Vishnu.
  • Mjolnir, the magic hammer of Thor. It was invulnerable and when thrown it would return to the user's hand (Norse mythology)
  • The Thunderbolts of Zeus, given to him by the Cyclops in Greek mythology, or by Vulcan in the Roman mythology
  • Vajra, the lightning bolts of Indra (Hindu mythology)
  • Ruyi Jingu Bang, the staff of Sun Wukong; the staff of the Monkey King could alter its size from a tiny needle to a mighty pillar (Chinese mythology).

Swords[]

  • Zulfiqar, the sword given to Ali during the Battle of Uhud.
  • Chandrahas, the sword given to Ravana by Lord Shiva.
  • Crocea Mors, the sword of Julius Caesar according to the legends presented by Geoffrey of Monmouth.
  • Heaven's Will, also known as Thuận Thiên, was the sword of Vietnamese King Le Loi.
  • Totsuka no Tsurugi, the sword Susanoo used to slay the Yamata no Orochi.
  • Móralltach, the greatsword of the god Aengus in Irish mythology.
  • Philippan, the sword given to Marc Antony by Cleopatra. Antony lost the sword when he was defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium.
  • Taming Sari, the Kris belonging to the Malay warrior Hang Tuah of the Malacca Sultanate.
  • Melethling, the sword said to be the magical embodiment of love and courageousness.
  • Sword Kladenets, magic, very big sword in Russian and Slavic mythology. Probably originates from the huge sword of Swentowit.
  • Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (also known as Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi or Tsumugari no Tachi, sword of the Japanese god Susanoo, later given to his sister Amaterasu. It is one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. (Japanese mythology)
  • Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar (Persian: شمشیر زمردنگار) "The emerald-studded Sword" in the Persian mythical story Amir Arsalan. The hideous horned demon called Fulad-zereh was invulnerable to all weapons except the blows of Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar. This blade originally belonged to King Solomon.
  • The Sword of Peleus, a magic sword that makes its wielder victorious in the battle or the hunt (Greek mythology)
  • Sword of Attila – legendary sword that was wielded by Attila the Hun; claimed to have originally been the sword of Mars, the Roman god of war.[2]

Swords from Celtic mythology[]

  • Caladbolg (also Caladcholg), the sword of Fergus mac Róich and powerful enough to cut the tops off three hills; related to the Caledfwlch of Welsh mythology
  • Caledfwlch Often compared to Excalibur (and might be an alternate name for it), this sword is used by Llenlleawg Wyddel to kill Diwrnach Wyddel and his men.
  • Claíomh Solais (The Sword of Light), the sword of Nuada Airgeadlámh, leader of the Tuatha de Danann, legendary king of Ireland
  • Fragarach (also The Sword of Air, The Answerer or The Retaliator), forged by the gods, wielded by Manannan mac Lir and Lugh Lamfada. No armor could stop it, and it would grant its wielder command over the powers of wind.
  • Dyrnwyn aka The Sword of Rhydderch - "Rhydderch the generous." A flaming sword not unlike Excalibur in abilities. One of the Spoils of Annwyn.
  • The Singing Sword of Conaire Mór

Swords from Continental Germanic mythology[]

  • Mimung, sword that Wudga inherits from his father Wayland the Smith
  • Nagelring, the sword of Dietrich von Bern.
  • Nothung, the sword from Die Walküre (Wagnerian mythology), also known as Gram, or Balmung wielded by Siegfried, hero of the Nibelungenlied
  • Schritt, sword of Biterolf.
  • Waske, sword of Iring.
  • Welsung, sword of Dietlieb and Sintram.

Swords from Anglo-Saxon mythology[]

  • Hrunting, the magical sword lent to Beowulf by Unferth (Anglo-Saxon verse)
  • Nægling, the other magical sword of Beowulf. Found in the cave of Grendel's mother.[3]

Swords from the Matter of Britain[]

  • Clarent, is the sword in the stone which Arthur pulled free to become King of Britain. Sometimes is said to have been the blade used by Mordred (Arthur's illegitimate son) to kill King Arthur.
  • Excalibur, also known as Caledfwlch in Welsh and Caliburn in Latin, the sword which King Arthur received from the Lady of the Lake
  • The Grail Sword, a cracked holy sword which Sir Percival bonded back together, though the crack remained.
  • Carnwennan, The dagger Arthur used.
  • Galatine, Gawain's sword.
  • Arondight, Lancelot's sword.

Swords from Norse mythology[]

  • Angurvadal, sword of Frithiof.
  • Balmung/Gram, the sword that Odin struck into the Branstock tree which only Sigmund the Volsung was able to pull out. It broke in battle with Odin but was later reforged by Sigmund's son Sigurd/Siegfried and used it to slay the dragon Fafnir. After being reforged, it could cleave an anvil in half.
  • Dáinsleif is king Högni's sword, according to Snorri Sturluson's account of the battle known as the Hjaðningavíg.
  • Freyr's sword, Freyr's magic sword which fought on its own. It might be Lævateinn.
  • Hofud, the sword of Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost.
  • Laevateinn, a sword mentioned in an emendation to the Poetic Edda Fjölsvinnsmál by Sophus Bugge.
  • Mistilteinn, the magical sword of Prainn, the draugr, later owned by Hromundr Gripsson
  • Quern-biter, sword of Haakon I of Norway and his follower, Thoralf Skolinson the Strong.
  • Skofnung, a sword with mythical properties associated with the legendary Danish king Hrólf Kraki.
  • Tyrfing (also Tirfing or Tervingi), the cursed sword of Svafrlami, from the Elder Edda; also said to be the sword of Odin in Richard Wagner's works.

Swords from the Matter of France[]

  • Almace (also Almice or Almacia), sword of Turpin, Archbishop of Reims.
  • Balisarda, the sword of Rogero from Orlando Furioso.
  • Corrougue, sword of Otuel.
  • Courtain (also Curtana or Cortana in Italian), first of the two magical swords of Ogier the Dane, a legendary Danish hero, and a paladin of Charlemagne.
  • Durandal (also Durendal or Durlindana in Italian), the sword of Roland, one of Charlemagne's paladins, (Orlando in medieval Italian verse) — alleged to be the same sword as the one wielded by Hector of Ilium
  • Hauteclaire (also Halteclere or Altachiara in Italian), the sword of Olivier.
  • Joyeuse, sword of Charlemagne.
  • Murgleis, sword of Ganelon, traitor and cousin of Roland.
  • Précieuse, sword of Baligant, Emir of Babylon.
  • Sauvagine, second of the two magical swords of Ogier the Dane.

Swords from Spanish mythology[]

  • Tizona, the sword of El Cid, it frightens unworthy opponents, as shown in the heroic poem Cantar de mio Cid.[4]
  • Colada, the other sword of El Cid, as Tizona its power depends on the warrior that wields it.[5]
  • Lobera, the sword of the king Saint Ferdinand III of Castile, inheritance of the epic hero Fernán González, according to Don Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena.[6]

Polearms[]

Celtic mythology[]

  • The Gae Bolg, the spear of Cuchulainn, given to him by Aife, the sister of Scathach, and made from the bone of a sea-monster.
  • The Spear Luin (also Spear of Fire or Spear of Destiny), forged by the Smith of Falias for Lugh to use in his fight against Balor.
  • Ogma's Whip - the spear of Ogma (the Celtic sun god) is used to "guide the passage of the invisible sun".
  • Rhongomiant, which was the spear of King Arthur.
  • Ysbaddadan's Javelins This Fomori owned a set of spears dipped in poisonous venom.

Norse mythology[]

  • Gungnir, Odin's magic spear created by the dwarf Dvalin. It would never miss its aim and it could not be stopped in mid-throw.
  • Spears of the Valkyrie "Various" The weapons of the infamous Valkyries, these weapons are described as having flaming barbs.

Spanish mythology[]

  • The lance of Olyndicus, the celtiberians' war chief who fought against Rome. According to Florus, he wielded a silver lance that was sent to him by the gods from the sky.[7]

Greek mythology[]

Japanese mythology[]

Christian mythology[]

  • The Spear of Destiny (also Spear of Longinus or the Holy Lance), the spear said to have pierced the side of Jesus at the crucifixion.
  • Ascalon , the spear said that Saint George used to kill the dragon.

Tridents[]

  • Trishula, the trident of the Hindu deity Shiva, stylized by some as used as a missile weapon and often included a crossed stabilizer to facilitate flight when thrown. Considered to be the most powerful weapon.
  • Kongō, A trident-shaped staff which emits a bright light in the darkness, and grants wisdom and insight. The staff belonged originally to the Japanese mountain god Kōya-no-Myōjin (). It is the equivalent of the Sanskrit Vajra, the indestructible lightning-diamond pounder of the mountain-god Indra. There the staff represents the three flames of the sacrificial fire, part of the image of the vajra wheel.
  • Poseidon's Trident, used to create horses and some water sources in Greece. It could cause earthquakes when struck on the ground. (Greek mythology).

Bows[]

  • Gandiva, Arjuna's bow in The Bhagavad Gita ("Song of God")
  • Brahmastra is a weapon created by Brahma as per the Hindu mythology.As described in a number of the vedic literature, it is considered the deadliest weapon. It is said that when a Brahmastra is discharged, there is neither a counterattack nor a defense that may stop it.The weapon also causes severe environmental damage. The land where the weapon is used becomes barren for eons and all life in and around that area ceases to exist. Women and men become infertile. There is severe decrease in rainfall and the land develops cracks like in a drought.
  • The Pashupatastra in Hindu mythology, is the irresistible and most destructive personal weapon of Shiva discharged by the mind, the eyes, words, or a bow. Never to be used against lesser enemies or by lesser warriors, the Pashupata is capable of destroying creation and vanquishing all beings.
  • Apollo's bow, could cause health or could cause famine and death in sleep.
  • Cupid's bow, could cause one to love or hate the person he/she first saw after being struck.
  • The Golden Bow, Ilmarinen was tasked with forging Sampo, his first attempt produced lesser artifacts which he smashed - a Golden Bow, a Red Ship and a Golden Plough.
  • Heracles's bow, Which also belonged to Philoctetes, its arrows had the Lernaean Hydra poison.

Clothing[]

  • Babr-e Bayan, the mythical coat worn by the Persian legendary hero Rostam in combat, it was fire-proof, water-proof and weapon-proof
  • Hermes's winged sandals (Talaria), which allowed him to fly
  • The Hide of Leviathan was supposedly able to be turned into everlasting clothing or impenetrable suits of armor.
  • The Hide of the Nemean lion, which Heracles earned overcoming the Nemean lion, was supposedly able to endure every weapon and was unbreakable.
  • Aphrodite's Magic Girdle, a magic material that made whoever you desired would fall in love with you.
  • The Girdle of Hippolyta, sometimes called a magical girdle and sometimes a magical belt. It was a symbol of Hippolyta's power over the Amazons; given to her by Ares. Heracles' ninth Labor was to retrieve it.
  • Llen Arthyr yng Nghernyw: The Mantle of Arthur in Cornwall: whoever was under it could not be seen, and he could see everyone. One of the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain.
  • Pais Badarn Beisrydd, The Coat of Padarn Red-Coat: if a well-born man put it on, it would be the right size for him; if a churl, it would not go upon him. One of the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain.
  • The Falcon Cloak owned by Freyja, it allows the wielder to turn into a falcon and fly.
  • Seven-league boots allowed the wearer to travel seven leagues with each step.
  • Tarnkappe Sigurd's magical cloak that made the wearer invisible.
  • The Shoes of Vidar These shoes gave the god Vidar unparalleled foot protection. (Norse mythology)
  • Wigar the armor of King Arthur.

Jewelry[]

Greek mythology[]

  • The Necklace of Harmonia allowed any woman wearing it to remain eternally young and beautiful, but also brought great misfortune to all of its wearers or owners. It was made by Hephaestus and given to Harmonia, the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares, as a curse on the House of Thebes for Aphrodite's infidelity.

Norse mythology[]

  • Andvarinaut was a magical ring capable of producing gold, first owned by Andvari. (Norse mythology)
  • Brísingamen is the necklace of the goddess Freyja. When she wore it no man or god could withstand her charms. (Norse mythology)
  • Draupnir is a golden arm ring possessed by Odin. The ring was a source of endless wealth, since each ninth morning it had spawned eight more gold rings just like itself. (Norse mythology)
  • The Golden Tresses of Sif - Loki tricked the beautiful Sif into shaving her head. The Golden Tresses of Sif are the wig made to hide the mess. The Golden Tresses moulded themselves to Sif's head and even grew longer like real hair (Norse mythology).

Spanish mythology[]

  • The Ring of Mudarra is the ring that Gonzalo Bustos breaks in two pieces to later on recognize his future son. When Mudarra joins the two halves, it becomes again a complete ring and Gonzalo Bustos heals his blindness, as shown in the epic poem Cantar de los siete infantes de Lara.[8]

Philippine mythology[]

  • The Agimat or bertud or anting-anting, is a Filipino word for amulet or charm. Although stereotyped as a cross, a flat, round or triangular golden pendant accompanying a necklace or a necklace-like item. With it, the person can also be able to shoot or fire lightning via hands, or generate electricity throughout one's body. The person can also perform telekinesis, stop a live bullet, can have premonitions, morphing abilities, camouflage abilities like a chameleon, can have extreme good luck, invincibility or miracle curative powers.

Hindu mythology[]

  • Kaustubha is a divine jewel, the most valuable stone "Mani" is in the possession of Vishnu.

Jewish mythology[]

Arthurian legend[]

  • Necklace of a Lady of the Lake was a jeweled necklace given to Sir Pelleas after assisting an old woman across a river. It was enchanted so that its wearer would be unfathomably loved. Its true name isn't known.

Vehicles[]

Airborne[]

  • The Flying Throne of Kai Kavus was an eagle-propelled craft built by the Persian king Kai Kavus, used for flying the king all the way to China
  • The Flying Carpet or the "Prince Housain's carpet", the magic carpet from Tangu in Persia.
  • Auspicious Cloud a magical cloud that Sun Wukong used as a mode of transportation (Chinese mythology).
  • The Vimana is a mythological flying machine from the Sanskrit epics, of Hindu origin.

Boats[]

  • The Argo is the ship of the Argonauts. Its bow could talk and it had the power of prophecy (Greek mythology)
  • The Canoe of Gluskab, able to expand so it could hold an army or shrink to fit in the palm of your hand. (Abenaki mythology)
  • The Canoe of Māui, which became the South Island of New Zealand (Māori mythology)
  • Skíðblaðnir, a boat owned by Freyr. It could hold all the Æsir and their horses yet it could fold so you could fit it in your pocket. Once the sails were lifted a steady breeze would always come (Norse mythology)
  • Naglfar, a ship made out of fingernails and toenails of the dead. It will set sail during Ragnarök. (Norse mythology)

Chariots[]

  • The Chariot of the Sun, the fiery chariot driven across the sky by the Greek god Helios
  • The Chariot of the Sea, the oceanic chariot teamed by hippocampi and/or dolphins, driven across the sky by the Greek god Poseidon
  • The Chariot of Thunder, driven across the sky by Thor and pulled by his two magic goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (Norse mythology)
  • The Vitthakalai a gold-decorated chariot of Kali according to Ayyavazhi mythology.
  • The Chariot of Fire of the Angels of God who descended to earth, which he used to carry several persons in the Hebrew Bible to heaven.
  • The Norse goddess of the sun Sol's chariot in the sky which is pulled by two horses Arvak and Alsvid; the bright shines of whose manes give off what is seen as the sun's light.
  • The chariot of Dionysus was drawn by panthers, tigers, or centaurs.

Treasure[]

  • The Four Treasures (also Hallows of Ireland), consisting of the Claíomh Solais and Spear Luin, the Ardagh Chalice and the Lia Fáil
  • The Golden Fleece, sought by Jason and the Argonauts
  • The Golden Apple of Discord In Greek myth, the Golden Apple of Discord was used by the goddess Eris as a means cause an argument among the Olympian goddesses as to who among them was prettiest and thereby ruin a celebration to which Eris had not been invited.
  • The Qarun Treasure, said to belong to King Croesus of Lydia. The treasure is said to be in perpetual motion under the ground (Persian mythology)
  • The Sampo, a magic mill in Finnish mythology
  • The Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain, taken by Merlin to his cave for safekeeping until the time when they are again needed (Matter of Britain)
  • The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan, consisting of the Kusanagi (see above), the jewel necklace Yasakani no magatama (八尺瓊曲玉), and the mirror Yata no kagami (八咫鏡)

Relics[]

  • The Relics of Jesus
  • Yata no kagami a mirror offered to the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu in Japanese mythology. One of three Sacred Imperial Relics of Japan. It represents Wisdom.
  • Yasakani no magatama a bejeweled necklace of magatamas offered to Amaterasu in Japanese shinto mythology. One of three Sacred Imperial Relics of Japan. It represents benevolence.
  • Cintamani Stone a stone believed to have fallen from the skies during the reign of king Lha Tototi Nyentsen in a chest with four other objects.
  • The Holy Grail, the cup that Jesus of Nazareth and his disciples drank from during The Last Supper, and which was used to catch drops of his blood upon his crucifixion.
  • Pandora's Box The sealed box that contained all the evils of mankind.

Divine Treasures in Heaven[]

  • Treasures owned by Buryat goddess Manzan Gurme Toodei.

Books[]

  • The Book of Thoth is a legendary book containing powerful spells and knowledge, said to have been buried with the Prince Neferkaptah in Necropolis. (Egyptian mythology)
  • The Tablets of Destiny are mentioned in Mesopotamian mythology as a set of clay tablets which hold the power of creation and destruction. The bird-man Zu (also called Anzu) stole the tablets and the gods themselves were afraid that he would use their power to turn the gods back into clay.
  • The Jade Books in Heaven are described in several Daoist cosmographies.

Miscellaneous[]

  • The Crane-Skin Bag of Cumhail is the magical bag of the Celtic hero Cumhall and his son, Fionn mac Cumhaill, which held an untold amount of enchanted weapons.
  • The Cup of Jamshid is a cup of divination in the Persian mythology. It was long possessed by rulers of ancient Persia and was said to be filled with an elixir of immortality. The whole world was said to be reflected in it.
  • Gleipnir is the magic chain that bound the Fenris Wolf. It was light and thin as silk but strong as creation itself and made from six wonderful ingredients (Norse mythology)
  • Hliðskjálf, a high seat Odin uses to watch over all worlds. (Norse mythology)
  • Maui's Fishhook, used to catch the fish that would become New Zealand's North Island; the hook was also used to create the Hawaiian islands (Polynesian mythology)
  • Magic Mould, stolen from the Yellow Emperor by Yu so he could stop the flood. It would expand until you tell it to stop (Chinese mythology)
  • The Palladium was a wooden statue that fell from the sky. As long as it stayed in Troy, the city-state could not lose a war.(Greek mythology)
  • Caduceus is the winged rod of Hermes or Mercury, entwined with two serpents; originally a simple olive branch; in the hands of the god possessed of magical virtues; it is also seen as a symbol of peace. The Caduceus began to be used erroneously as a symbol of the medical profession in the United States in the 19th century, due to it having been confused with the correct symbol of the profession, the rod of Asclepius.
  • The Thyrsus aka the Sceptre of Dionysus. The symbol of the god Dionysus, a wand tipped with a pine cone and entwined with ivy leaves Greek mythology
  • The Kantele owned by "Vainamoinen" A Dulcimer made from a monstrous Pike which attacked the Sampo Questors, The Kantele could induce a deep sleep in a room full of Pohja warriors when played, but failed when one of the Questors "Lemminkainen" hummed another song too loudly wakening the sleepers. The Kantele was washed overboard in the same sorcerous tempest whipped up by Louhi. Finnish mythology
  • Cadair Idris, aka The Chair of Idris the Giant. Anyone sitting on this giant sized stone chair is transformed into a poet or driven mad if there is no poetry in his soul (Celtic mythology).
  • The Bone of Ullr - The god Ullr had a bone upon which spells were carved. (Norse mythology)
  • Orichalcum is a legendary metal mentioned in several ancient writings, most notably the story of Atlantis as recounted in the Critias dialogue, recorded by Plato. According to Critias, orichalcum was considered second only to gold in value, and was found and mined in many parts of Atlantis in ancient times. By the time of Critias, however, it was known only by name.
  • The Smoking Mirror, the mirror that the god Tezcatlipoca uses to see the whole cosmos.
  • Horn of Gabriel The name refers to the tradition identifying the Archangel Gabriel with the angel who blows the horn to announce Judgement Day, associating the infinite with the divine.

References[]

  1. Carmen Campidoctoris o Poema latino del Campeador, Madrid, Sociedad Estatal España Nuevo Milenio, 2001
  2. The History of the Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire vol. 3 Ch. XXXIV Part 1
  3. Garbáty, Thomas Jay (1962). The Fallible Sword: Inception of a Motif. The Journal of American Folklore. American Folklore Society. ISBN 1-898577-10-2
  4. Cantar de mio Cid. Edition of Alberto Montaner. Ed. Galaxia Gutenberg, 2007.
  5. Cantar de mio Cid. Edition of Alberto Montaner. Ed. Galaxia Gutenberg, 2007.
  6. Don Juan Manuel. El Conde Lucanor. Barcelona: Losada, 1997.
  7. Florus. Epitomae, 1.33.
  8. Épica medieval española (Cantar de los Siete Infantes de Lara). Madrid, Cátedra, 1991
Wikipedia
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at List of mythological objects. The list of authors can be seen in the page history.
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