dwarfs

[orcot]

What would be the origen of the dwarf myth? Dwarfs as a mythological race and are older then many gods predating writen history and honnestly they don't fit in wel, they are apear human for the most part with significant differences who don't really matter and they are as far as I know the only mythological beings who are actually known for exercicing a profesion.


So could it be that instead they where originally based on a specific european population in stead of earths spirits

 

[spidergoat]

I believe the proper term for more than one dwarf is dwarves.

 

[Orleander]

What would be the origen of the dwarf myth? Dwarfs as a mythological race and are older then many gods predating writen history and honnestly they don't fit in wel, they are apear human for the most part with significant differences who don't really matter and they are as far as I know the only mythological beings who are actually known for exercicing a profesion.


So could it be that instead they where originally based on a specific european population in stead of earths spirits

I'm not understanding the whole mythological part. I'm pretty sure its not a myth.

 

[orcot]

believe the proper term for more than one dwarf is dwarves

from wiki

The plural form dwarfs has been traced to the 17th century. The alternative plural dwarves has been recorded in the early 18th century, but was not generally accepted until used by philologist J. R. R. Tolkien in his fantasy novel The Hobbit. Neither spelling represents the regular phonetic development of the Old English plural dweorgas, namely dwarrows

So both dwarfs and dwarves can be considerd correct I gues

I'm not understanding the whole mythological part. I'm pretty sure its not a myth.

Well there apears to be no dwarves around in the world and they only apear in fairy tales and ??devine literature?? (sounds pretty mythological to me)

 

[orcot]

wiki gives a rather good possibleanswer

 

[tablariddim]

There are plenty of dwarfs around; dwarfism is a medical condition.

http://www.commonwealthadoption.org/images/johnston.jpg

http://www.tjhsst.edu/~jleaf/disability/jweb/mattnem.jpg

 

[orcot]

yes and theirs also a whole country filled with mongols

There might be some truth in the smaller southern people who migrated up north, to mine rare ores.

 

[Till Eulenspiegel]

Orcot,

Watch, Llittle People, Big World on television. It is a show about two dward parents and their four kids, one of whom is a dwarf. There are lots of Little People, the term they prefer, enough in fact that they have annual conventions.

 

[Orleander]

yes and theirs also a whole country filled with mongols

There might be some truth in the smaller southern people who migrated up north, to mine rare ores.

??? Have you ever left your house? You have never seen a little person? Ever watched Austin Powers? The Wizard of Oz??
WTHell

 

[kevinalm]

There is some confusion here, maybe I can clear it up. I'm certain orcot is quite well aware of little people. He is using dwarf in quite a different meaning. In many old traditions/myths there are dwarves. Typical is Norse mythology. They are not human beings (little people) but an entirely separate race/species. Naturally short in stature, usually magical, often ascociated with mining and metal work and other crafts. Now orcot is wondering about the origin of these myths, which is common to many cultures. Possibly (probably) little people are part of the origin, but to say they are the only source is oversimplification.

Incidently, in very early Norse myth dwarves are of normal height. They did have beards and pale skin (in the sense of palor or deathly), were ascociated with mining and technology, etc. The other characteristics are apparently older than the tradition of short stature, which kind of hurts the little people hypothesis. Here's a good link on Norse dwarves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_dwarves

 

[orcot]

if I wanted to discus a medical condition I would do it in the biology thread.

I believe the myth of the short dwarf is based on a story between a promised mariage between one of thor's (a norse god) daughters with a dwarf, thor tought he was to short that was a 11th century story but the ID of short dwarf only took really of between the 13th and 15th century.
I also wonder how old those dwarf stories really are they apear in Norse mythology but then again they apear to be quit a bit older then Odin, wiki speaks of the neolithic (latter stone age). Thats quit old

 

[Orleander]

so, not dwarves, but elves? Pointy eared people?

 

[orcot]

so, not dwarves, but elves? Pointy eared people?

Some of them where known as dark elves, but there not really elves or pixies 'pointed eared)
Their generally described as a bid shorter then men with a lighter skin tone a musculare barrel shaped upper boddy and old(er) looking.

the dwarf is the one on the right

 

[kevinalm]

if I wanted to discus a medical condition I would do it in the biology thread.

I believe the myth of the short dwarf is based on a story between a promised mariage between one of thor's (a norse god) daughters with a dwarf, thor tought he was to short that was a 11th century story but the ID of short dwarf only took really of between the 13th and 15th century.
I also wonder how old those dwarf stories really are they apear in Norse mythology but then again they apear to be quit a bit older then Odin, wiki speaks of the neolithic (latter stone age). Thats quit old

Interestingly, iirc dwarves predated the current group of gods (Odin, Thor and company) in the plot of the myths as well. Although its been a while since I read much mythology so I may not have that quite right.