The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis - Female ere ibeji twin figure pair

Twins in mythology are in many cultures around the world. In some cultures they are seen as ominous, and in others they are seen as auspicious. Twins in

myth Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

ology are often cast as two halves of the same whole, sharing a bond deeper than that of ordinary siblings, or seen as fierce

rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...

. They can be seen as representations of a dualistic worldview. They can represent another aspect of the self, a doppelgänger, or a shadow. Twins are often depicted with special powers. This applies to both mortal and immortal sets of twins, and often is related to power over the weather. Twins in mythology also often share deep bonds. In Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux share a bond so strong that when mortal Castor dies, Pollux gives up half of his immortality to be with his brother. Castor and Pollux are the Dioscuri twin brothers. Their mother is Leda, a being who was seduced by Zeus who had taken the form of a swan. Even though the brothers are twins, they have two different fathers. This phenomenon is a very common interpretation of twin births across different mythological cultures. Castor's father is Tyndareus, the king of Sparta (hence the mortal form). Pollux is the son of Zeus (demigod). This brothers were said to be born from an egg along with either sister Helen and Clytemnestra. This teleologically explains why their constellation, the Dioskouroi or Gemini, is only seen during one half of the year, as the twins split their time between the underworld and Mount Olympus. In an aboriginal tale, the same constellation represents the twin lizards who created the plants and animals and saved women from evil spirits. Another example of this strong bond shared between twins is the Ibeji twins from African mythology. Ibeji twins are viewed as one soul shared between two bodies. If one of the twins dies, the parents then create a doll that portrays the body of the deceased child, so the soul of the deceased can remain intact for the living twin. Without the creation of the doll, the living twin is almost destined for death because it is believed to be missing half of its soul. Twins in mythology are often associated with healing. They are also often gifted with the ability of divination or insight into the future. Divine twins in twin mythology are identical to either one or both place of a god. The Feri gods are not separated entities but are unified into one center. These divine twins can function alone in one body, either functioning as a male or as male and female as they desire. Divine twins represent a polarity in the world. This polarity may be great or small and at times can be opposition. Twins are often seen to be rivals or adversaries.

By culture

Africa

Egyptian

* Nut and Geb, Dualistic twins. God of Earth (Geb) and Goddess of the sky (Nut) *

Osiris Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wikt:wsjr, wsjr'') was the ancient Egyptian deities, god of fertility, agriculture, the Ancient Egyptian religion#Afterlife, afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He was ...

- Isis' twin and husband. Lord of the underworld. First born of Geb and Nut. One of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. *

Isis Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...

- Daughter of Geb and Nut; twin of Osiris. * Ausar - (also known by Macedonian Greeks as Osiris) twin of Set. Set tricked his brother at a banquet he organized so as to take his life.

West African

* Mawu-Lisa - Twins representing moon and sun, respectively. Ewe-Fon culture. * Yemaja - Mother of all life on earth. Yoruba culture. * Aganju - Twin and husband of Yemaja * Ibeji - Twins of joy and happiness. Children of Shango and Oshun.

Amerindian

* Gluskap and Malsumis - A cultural hero and its evil twin brother for the Wabanaki peoples. * Hahgwehdiyu and Hahgwehdaetgah - Sons of either Iroquois sky goddess Atahensic or her daughter Tekawerahkwa. * Asdzą́ą́ Nádleehé and Yolkai Estsan - Navajo goddesses. * Monster Slayer and Born-for-Water - Navajo Hero Twins. * Jukihú and Juracán - Twin sons of Atabex (Mother Nature), the personifications of Order and Chaos, respectively; from the

Taíno The Taíno are the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, Indigenous peoples of the Greater Antilles and surrounding islands. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of what is now The ...

Arawak nation which once stretched from South America through the Caribbean and up to Florida in the US. * Hun-apu and Ixbalanque, the Maya Hero Twins - Defeated the Seven Macaw * Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl or Tezcatlipoca * Xochipilli, and Xochiquetzal - God and goddess of sex, beauty and love. * Kokomaht and Bahotahl - Good and evil forces in nature.

Ancient Mesopotamian religion

* Inanna and Utu.

Greek and Roman mythology

* Divine **

Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...

and

Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...

- God and goddess, children of

Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...

and

Leto In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Leto (; ) is a childhood goddess, the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe (Titaness), Phoebe, the sister of Asteria, and the mother of Apollo and Artemis.Hesiod, ''Theogony' ...

** Hypnos and Thanatos - Sons of Nyx ** Despoina and Arion - Goddess and immortal horse, children of

Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...

and Poseidon. ** Palici - Sicilian chthonic deities in

Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

and

Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans, and is a form of Roman folklore. "Roman mythology" may also refer to the modern study of these representations, and to th ...

. * One divine, one mortal **

Heracles Heracles ( ; ), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a Divinity, divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of ZeusApollodorus1.9.16/ref> and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive descent through ...

and Iphicles - Though their mother was Alcmene, Hercules was son of Zeus while Iphicles was son of

Amphitryon Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named ...

. ** Castor and Pollux, known as the Dioscuri - Though their mother was Leda, Castor was mortal son of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta, while Pollux was the divine son of Zeus. ** Helen and Clytemnestra - Sisters of the Dioscuri, they were the daughters of Leda by Zeus and Tyndareus, respectively. * Children of a god or nymph and a mortal ** Belus and Agenor - Sons of Poseidon and

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

. ** Aegyptus and Danaus - Sons of Belus and Achiroe, a naiad daughter of Nile. ** Aeolus and Boeotus - Sons of Poseidon and Arne. ** Lycastus and Parrhasius - Sons of Ares and Phylonome, daughter of Nyctimus of Arcadia. ** Amphion and Zethus - Sons of

by Antiope **

Centaurus Centaurus () is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the 88 modern constellations by area, largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one ...

and Lapithes - Sons of

Ixion In Greek mythology, Ixion ( ; ) was king of the Lapiths, the most ancient tribe of Thessaly. Family Ixion was the son of Ares, or Leonteus (mythology), Leonteus, or Antion and Perimele, or the notorious evildoer Phlegyas, whose name connotes " ...

and Nephele or

and Stilbe. **

Pelias Pelias ( ; Ancient Greek: Πελίας) was king of Iolcus in Greek mythology. He was the one who sent Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece. Family Pelias was the son of Tyro and Poseidon. His wife is recorded as either Anaxibia, ...

and Neleus - Sons of Poseidon and Tyro. **

Romulus and Remus In Roman mythology, Romulus and (, ) are twins in mythology, twin brothers whose story tells of the events that led to the Founding of Rome, founding of the History of Rome, city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom by Romulus, following his frat ...

- Central characters of Rome's foundation myth. Sons of Rhea Silvia by either the god

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the "Red Planet", because of its orange-red appearance. Mars is a desert-like rocky planet with a tenuous carbon dioxide () atmosphere. At the average surface level the atmosph ...

, or by the demi-god Hercules. ** Eurytus and Cteatus - Sons of Molione either by Actor or Poseidon ** Ascalaphus and Ialmenus - Sons of

Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...

and Astyoche, Argonauts who participated in the Trojan War. * Mortal ** Byblis and Caunus - Children of King

Miletus Miletus (Ancient Greek: Μίλητος, Mílētos) was an influential ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia, near the mouth of the Maeander River in present day Turkey. Renowned in antiquity for its wealth, maritime power, and ex ...

and Tragasia or Cyanee. ** Kleobis and Biton - Sons of a Hera priestess in Argos. ** Crisus and Panopeus - Sons of Phocus and Asterodia. ** Iasus and Pelasgus - Sons of Phoroneus or Triopas. ** Proetus and Acrisius - Rival twins, sons of Abas and Aglaea or Ocalea. ** Porphyrion and Ptous - Sons of Athamas and Themisto. ** Thessalus and Alcimenes - Sons of Jason and Medea. ** Theraephone and Theronice - Daughters of Dexamenus, wives of Eurytus and Cteatus. ** Thoas and Euneus - Sons of Jason and Hypsipyle. **

Cassandra Cassandra or Kassandra (; , , sometimes referred to as Alexandra; ) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecy, prophecies but never to be believed. In modern usage her name is e ...

and Helenus - Children of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy with prophetic powers. ** Procles and Eurysthenes - Great-great-great-grandsons of

, sons of Aristodemus and Argia. ** Sisyphus and Salmoneus - Rivals who angered Zeus with their deceit and hubris. Sons of King Aeolus of Thessaly and Enarete.

Norse mythology

* Freyr and Freyja - God and goddess, children of Njörðr. * Baldr and Hodr - "The Shining One" and "The Blind God", sons of

Odin Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...

and

Frigg Frigg (; Old Norse: ) is a goddess, one of the Æsir, in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about her, she is associated with marriage, prophecy, clairvoyance and motherhood, and dwells in the wetl ...

. * Móði and Magni - Courage/Bravery and Strength. Although not Twins in every Source, they often come in a pair. In some iterations, twin sons of Thor and Sif. * Sigmund and Signy - Characters of the Völsunga saga, children of King Völsung.

Hinduism

* The Ashvins - Sons of the sun God, Surya. Represent dualities such as building and destroying. * Dhrishtadyumna and

Draupadi Draupadi (), also referred to as Krishnā, Panchali and Yajnaseni, is the central heroine of the Indian epic poetry, ancient Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. In the epic, she is the princess of Panchala Kingdom, who later becomes the empress of K ...

- Mythical figures from the Mahabharata. * Koti and Chennayya - Twin heroes * Yama and Yami - God and Goddess of death. *

Lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...

and Kusha - Children of

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

and

Sita Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...

. * Nakula and Sahadeva - sons of the last born of the Pandavas * Lakshmana and Shatrughna - Children of Dasharatha and Sumitra *

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

and Agni - Mirror twins *

Nala Nala () is a legendary king of ancient Nishadha kingdom and the central protagonist of the '' Nalopakhyana'', a sub-narrative within the Indian epic '' Mahabharata'', found in its third book, '' Vana Parva'' (Book of the Forest). He is renown ...

and Nila Ramayan

Jewish

* Jacob and Esau - Sons of

Isaac Isaac ( ; ; ; ; ; ) is one of the three patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith. Isaac first appears in the Torah, in wh ...

and

Rebecca Rebecca () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical tradition, Rebecca's father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. Rebecca's brother was Laban (Bi ...

. Represented two nations. * Pharez and Zerah - Sons of Judah and Tamar.

Christian

* Thomas the apostle and his unnamed twin brother.

Zoroastrian

Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda (; ; or , ),The former is the New Persian rendering of the Avestan form, while the latter derives from Middle Persian. also known as Horomazes (),, is the only creator deity and Sky deity, god of the sky in the ancient Iranian ...

and

Ahriman Angra Mainyu (; ) is the Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive/evil spirit" and the main adversary in Zoroastrianism either of the Spenta Mainyu, the "holy/creative spirits/mentality", or directly of Ahura Mazda, th ...

- Twins of opposing forces: good and evil.

Ossetian mythology

* Akhshar and Akhsartag - one of the main characters and progenitors of the Nart saga

Afro-Caribbean cosmologies

* Marassa Jumeaux - The divine, children twins in Vodou. * Ibeji - Twins of joy and happiness. Children of Shango or Sango and Oshun.

East Asian

* Izanagi and Izanami - God and Goddess, creators of the Japanese islands.

References

Selected literature

* * * * "Ahura Mazda (Ohrmazd) and Ahriman." New Catholic Encyclopedia. . ''Encyclopedia.com.''12 Dec. 2018 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>. * "ISIS." ''Egyptian Mythology for Smart People'', egyptianmythology.org/gods-and-goddesses/isis/. * Lewin, Vivienne. ''Twin Enigma''. Karnac Books, 2017. * Myers, Bethany. "Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC." ''Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC'', 2002, opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1005&context=uhp_theses. * Voth, Grant, et al., directors. ''The Beauty of African Mythology''. ''Welcome to Virginia Commonwealth University , Kanopy'', 2015, vcu.kanopy.com/s?query=african+mythology.