Thunderbolt - in Mythology

In Mythology

Lightning plays a role in many mythologies, often as the weapon of a sky god and weather god. As such, it is an unsurpassed method of dramatic instantaneous retributive destruction: thunderbolts as divine weapons can be found in many mythologies.

• Indo-European traditions
  • In Hittite (and Hurrian) mythology, a triple thunderbolt was one symbol of Teshub (Tarhunt).
  • Vedic religion (and later Hindu mythology) the god Indra is the god of lightning. His main weapon is the thunderbolt (Vajra).
  • In Greek mythology, the thunderbolt is a weapon given to Zeus by the Cyclops. Based on this, in Roman mythology, the thunderbolt is a weapon given to Jupiter by the Cyclops.
  • In Celtic mythology, Taranis is the god of thunder, in Irish, Tuireann.
  • In Germanic mythology, Thor is specifically the god of thunder and lightning, wielding Mjolnir.
• In Turkish mythology, Bayülgen creates the thuderbolts.
• In Maya mythology, Huracan is sometimes represented as three thunderbolts.
• In Cherokee mythology, the Ani Hyuntikwalaski ("thunder beings") cause lightning fire in a hollow sycamore tree.
• In Ojibway mythology, thunder is created by the Thunderbirds (Nimkiig or Binesiiwag), which can be both benevolent and malevolent to human beings.
• In Igbo mythology, the thunderbolt is the weapon of Amadioha/Amadiora.
• In Yoruba mythology, the thunderbolt is the weapon of Shango.