Motif family
Sacred Fire and Divine Light
Fire as divine presence, purifying force, sacrificial medium, or cosmic principle. Includes the burning bush, Agni, sacred hearth fires, and fire as the element that mediates between human and divine.
77 traditions
581 occurrences
360 mapped motifs
11 sub-families
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- arthurian
- australian aboriginal
- basque
- biblical
- buddhist
- buryat mongol
- celtic
- celtic irish
- chaco amerindian
- comparative
- confucian
- daoist
- egyptian
- ekoi
- estonian
- filipino
- finnic
- finnish karelian
- ganda
- georgian
- germanic
- gnostic
- greek
- greek roman
- guiana amerindian
- hausa
- hawaiian
- hermetic
- hindu
- hopi
- indigenous australian
- inuit
- islamic
- islamicate folklore
- japanese
- jewish christian
- jewish pseudepigrapha
- khoekhoe
- korean
- malagasy
- malay
- maori
- maya
- maya quiche
- melanesian
- mesopotamian
- micronesian
- mongol
- nahua
- nahua maya inca
- native american great lakes
- native american northeast woodlands
- native american northwest coast
- native american plains
- native american plateau
- native american southeast
- native american southwest
- navajo
- norse
- oceanic
- persian
- roman
- romanian
- samoan
- shan
- sikh
- slavic
- sufi
- tibetan buddhist
- zoroastrian
- zuni
Conserved neighbors: axis mundi · sacrifice · theophany · world ages cosmic decline · enchanting music
Sub-families · the next landing down
Hearths, Sanctuaries, and Ceremonial Flames
15 motifs
- sacred fire 3 occurrences · 2 traditions
- australian aboriginal
- jewish christian
- disguised figure extinguishing ritual fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- fire deity accompanying procession 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Eternal sacred fire tended by priestesses 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- guarding an ever-burning sacred flame 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- hermitage recognized by fire and smoke 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Portable sacred fire preserving continuity between homeland and colony 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- preservation of sacred or poetic fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- ritual fire at a goddess sanctuary 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- ritual fire or torch custom associated with a deity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Sacred domestic hearth as center of household worship and protection 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- sacred fire guarded by ritual restriction 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- sacred hermitage with maintained fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Temple as national hearth 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- Torch-bearing ritual race 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
Kindling, Rekindling, and New-Fire Making
8 motifs
- burning animals or bones in the Easter fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- domestic fire kindling as household duty 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- Need-fire generated by friction of prescribed woods 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- new fire generated by paired specialists 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- ritual fire made under metal prohibition 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Sacred fire kindled from sacred wood 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Sacred fire rekindled from deity's object 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- special production of ritual fire by wood friction 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
Purifying, Protective, and Boundary Fires
11 motifs
- Fire purgation before approaching a ruler 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Fire purification at thresholds of encounter 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Miraculous fire boundary around the Buddha 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Prayer for divine protective fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- protective and purifying fire or smoke 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- protective fire responding to a faithful woman's prayer 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- purifying and protective fire for people and livestock 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Ritual fire used after spirit expulsion 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- ritual passage of cattle through fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- threatening fire at the boundary of the camp 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Woman figured as purifying fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
Funerary Fires and Fiery Trials
5 motifs
- sacred fire kindled by friction in an incantation 207 occurrences · 52 traditions
- african bantu
- akan
- australian aboriginal
- basque
- biblical
- buddhist
- celtic
- celtic irish
- +44 more
- faithful sufferers and fiery ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Holy death by fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- immortality test by fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- sacred fires in ritual and funerary order 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
Revelatory Fire and Miraculous Illumination
5 motifs
- cloud fire guidance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- fire encountered as guide to revelation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Fire from the green tree as sign of creative power 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- light entering an enclosed house 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- radiance spreading from holy tomb 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
Cosmic, Celestial, and Solar Fire
16 motifs
- cosmic light threatened by divine grief 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- creator makes replacement heavenly fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- Fiery origin of djinn 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Fire beneath the sea 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- luminous plants holding solar fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Ritual rekindling of a threatened celestial light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- sacred mountain smoke explained by burning of celestial gift 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- japanese
- Solar deity as cosmic sustainer 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- solar deity's three-step course 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Solar emergence from cloud or darkness 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Solar fire of disciplined individual art 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- solar hero marked by radiance and golden armour 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- sun as reflection of divine glory 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- sun as source of illumination and growth 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Sun confined and released from a tower 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Sunlight petrifies beings of darkness or fog 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
Divine Light and Sacred Radiance
12 motifs
- divine light resisted but perfected 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Divine illumination as dawn 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- divine radiance around the head 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Extinguishing and perfecting divine light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- heroic radiance attracts dangerous outsider 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- light as divine or faith allegory 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- marvelous or fiery bodily attribute 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- sacred light dependent on saintly taper 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- small light overcomes encompassing darkness 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- Unextinguishable divine light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Unquenchable divine light opposed by unbelievers 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- World-illuminating sacred body 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
Destructive and Weaponized Fire
8 motifs
- Civic evil as uncontrolled fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- destructive enchanted birds with fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Fire as revenge against a rival bride and royal house 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- humiliating attack on animal tail becomes destructive fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- quenched war fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- sacred fire turned into weapon 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- sacred fire weapon repelling hostile missiles 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- self-consuming destructive fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
Sympathetic and Imitative Fire Magic
4 motifs
- imitative magic through fiery sun-images 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Imitative or coercive fire directed toward the sky 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Making sunshine by sympathetic fire, heat, or solar imitation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- sympathetic fire charm to summon the absent 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
Mystical, Poetic, and Personified Fire
6 motifs
- poetic fire as animating force 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- divine transformation of fire and water 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- luminous nature and sacred fire imagery 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- personified mystical fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- sacred power imagined as fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- unconsumed or non-burning flame imagery 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
Not yet placed in a sub-family
264 motifs, showing the 60 most attested
- Fire-making by friction 4 occurrences · 4 traditions
- amazonian
- chaco amerindian
- malagasy
- malay
- Perpetual sacred fire 3 occurrences · 2 traditions
- germanic
- roman
- Hearth as domestic social center 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- buryat mongol
- shan
- morning star as light-bearer 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- native american plateau
- slavic
- Origin of fire 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- native american southeast
- Divine light opposed but perfected 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Solar chariot drawn by seven steeds 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Solar praise before renewed combat 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- All-pervading cosmic fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- ancestral fire nearly lost in a storm 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- andamanese
- Anger and quarrel as fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- biblical
- animal guardians of fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hawaiian
- Apotropaic fire against demons 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- awakening of the fire-encircled sleeping valkyrie 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- battlefield clearing figured as divine light after cloud 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- beacon fire guiding vessels 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Blessed tree and self-luminous oil 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- burning and ash prepare new fertility 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- calling fire guides a lone survivor 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- Celestial light pervading and pacifying worlds 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- gnostic
- celestial watcher duties preserving ordered light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- central sacred fire distributed to households 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- ceremonial light as honour 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- confucian
- Christian light influence 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Circular ritual fire with eastern opening 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- Circumambulation with fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Cock-crow ends apparition 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- cockcrow dispels nocturnal apparition 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- Cockcrow ends nocturnal supernatural power 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- slavic
- Cockcrow ends supernatural visitation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- Communal ever-burning hearth 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- amazonian
- complete burning required to prevent supernatural escape 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- slavic
- constant sacred fire or sacred kept object 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- continual sacred light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- continual sacred light before the deity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- Continually maintained household fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- andamanese
- continuing life or soul figured as transmitted fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- daoist
- controlled fire display from ritual pipe smoke 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american plains
- cosmic authorities subdued by overwhelming light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- gnostic
- cosmic fiery brilliance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Cosmic praise by heaven and luminaries 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- biblical
- Cosmic proclamation of divine glory and solar procession 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- biblical
- cosmic radiance pervading worlds 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Cosmic solar journey halted by divine crisis 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- egyptian
- Dangerous fire contained by successive fish-swallowing 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- dangerous fire-fetching across water 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- dangerous night and protective firelit gathering 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- amazonian
- Darkness transformed into daylight through ritual action 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- Dawn as fiery consumption of the starry night 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- nahua maya inca
- dawn marked by solar chariot sound 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- shan
- Dawn's chariot heralds the day 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- Deadly light defeated by shielding and deception 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- australian aboriginal
- deliverance and protection by a crown of light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- gnostic
- Demonic use of an unblessed light to create destructive fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- slavic
- Destructive and protective fire in the same escape sequence 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- dispelling darkness by arising light 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- divine association with fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- nahua
- Divine bestowal mediated by spirit and Fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- zoroastrian
- Divine fiery revelation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- divine guidance and presence by cloud and fire 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
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