u/Nezeltha-Bryn

Greetings from r/Hellenism! I promise, we're not here to sycretize your gods into caricatures this time. We learned our lesson when the Ptolemaics screwed stuff up.🙃😅🤣

Anyway, the picture. If one actually interprets that as like a canopic jar, would that be disrespectful, or funny to you guys? I know the whole thing about remembering a person's name to keep their soul alive(assuming that's anywhere near accurate), so maybe it helps us to remember the dead? Or maybe it makes light of a sacred concept. Curious where you guys stand. I'm sure that, if one uses that cup without seeing it as a canopic jar, there's no concern either way, but if one does, what's the verdict?

Edit: so, it seems the consensus is, it's funny. I'm not surprised, but it's still interesting to know.

So I've been getting in to woodworking as a hobby. I've mostly liked making tools and interesting designs or modifications for furniture. My brother makes cabinets, and that really doesn't capture my interest. More marketable, but less interesting to me.

Anyway, I'd like to try carving some little symbols, both carved into my work and as their own little display pieces. But most symbols for the gods or for Hellenism in general seem to be much to complex for my skill level. The laurel wreath, for example, would stretch my capabilities to the breaking point. I suppose I could carve a lyre, but while I like Apollo, music isn't really my thing.

(Although, come to think of it, I know some lesbians who might appreciate a carving of a lyre as a reference to Sappho's lyric poetry... okay, that one goes on the backlog)

I keep seeing Christians in woodworking groups making beautiful crosses. Simple design, great way to hone your skills. Also goes well with their demigod hero, since he was a carpenter in life. Making a cross requires a little bit of solid, quality joinery, and some effort. If it was at all meaningful to me, I'd already have made a dozen of the things. Embedded them into cutting boards and chairs and stuff.

So I'm wondering if anyone knows of any symbols of any of the gods that are geometrically simple. A few straight lines and curves. In particular, I work with Haephestus, Zephyros, the nymphs of a couple mulberry trees, and a forge spirit of some kind who inhabits the garage I work in. I also try to work with Aphrodite/Ishtar, and as I said earlier, Apollo in his less musical aspects. Oh, and Artemis, who cares more about my dog than about me, which, fair. So symbols associated with them specifically. But I'm interested in hearing about others as well.

The ones I've thought about so far:

Laurels

Lyre

Zeus's lightning bolts

A marble column

Do you guys consider this kind of thing disrespectful?

Geometric symbols of the gods