– Origins of European Folklore:
– Tropes trace back to Proto-Indo-European peoples.
– Influence from Classical Antiquity culture, including mythology.
– Impact of Hellenistic religion and magical practices on Christianity.
– Syncretization of Roman-era beliefs with Germanic, Celtic, and Slavic traditions.
– Adoption of folk traditions from contact with the Islamic world.
– Cultural Spread and Syncretism:
– Spread of traditions to territories colonized by Greeks and Romans.
– Influence of Christianity and Christianization on European, Middle Eastern, and North African traditions.
– Syncretism of local beliefs with Roman-era folk beliefs.
– Impact of Islamic world contact on Balkans and Iberian peninsula traditions.
– Development of regionally distinct folk traditions in Europe.
– Evolution of European Folklore:
– Transition of folk traditions to the Early Modern period.
– Cross-pollination of traditions since the 19th century.
– Influence of American folklore on European traditions.
– Persistence of ancient myth-archetypes in folklore.
– Adaptation of medieval dances into modern traditions.
– Influential Myth-Archetypes:
– Presence of Chaoskampf myth-archetype in European folklore.
– Belief in knocking on wood for good luck.
– Influence of ancient mythological beliefs on modern superstitions.
– Continuation of myth-archetypes in folk stories.
– Integration of classical mythological figures into European folklore.
– Scholarly References and Resources:
– Maria Leach’s “Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend.”
– Venetia J. Newhall’s “European Folklore: An Encyclopedia.”
– Mary Ziavras’ “Greek Folk Stories, Old and New.”
– Importance of historical resources in understanding European folklore.
– Scholarly contributions to the study of European mythologies and traditions.
European folklore or Western folklore refers to the folklore of the Western world, especially when discussed comparatively. The history of Christendom during the Early Modern period has resulted in a number of traditions that are shared in many European ethnic and regional cultures.
This concerns notably common traditions based on Christian mythology, i.e. certain commonalities in celebrating Christmas, such as the various Christmas gift-bringers, or customs associated with All Souls' Day.
In addition, there are certain apotropaic gestures or practices found in large parts of the Western world, such as the knocking on wood or the fingers crossed gesture.
