The god or goddess of spiders is a figure from Greek and Roman mythology, usually referred to as Arachne.
The spider was syncretically associated with the goddess Neith of Ancient Egypt in her aspect as spinner and weaver of destiny, this link continuing later through the Babylonian Ishtar and the Greek Arachne, who was later equated as the Roman goddess Minerva.
Arachne, her name meaning spider in Greek, was a beautiful woman that had a great talent in weaving. Everyone was amazed at her work and one day, Arachne boosted that she had a greater talent than goddess Athena herself.
In Celtic mythology the spider was associated with the Welsh goddess Arianrhod (meaning 'silver wheel'). Arianrhod is a mother goddess of the stars and a weaver of cosmic time and mankind's fate. The spider goddess is also referred to as 'Fíodóir Máthair' (mother weaver) in Irish.
Spiders, and the flies in their webs are symbols of Loki's, as are nets, and images of bondage. It should come as no surprise when his lips get sewn shut as a punishment in one of his stories. A common modern mis-translation is that Loki is the brother or half-brother of Thor.
In Ancient Egypt, the goddess Neith was associated with the spider as the “spinner” and “weaver” of destiny. As a deity, the goddess Neith wove the entire world into being with her loom. It is said she reweaves the world daily much like a spider that consumes and reweaves its own web.
Lakota Legends
American Indian culture recognized Iktómi as both a spider and a spider-like man. He was born full-grown from an egg and was the size of an ordinary human. He has a big round body like a spider, with slender arms and legs and powerful hands and feet.
Mictlantecuhtli was associated with spiders, owls, bats, the 11th hour, and the northern compass direction, known as Mictlampa, the region of death.
Although they are commonly associated with darkness and death, spiders can also represent new beginnings and life cycles. In many cultures, spiders are seen as protectors and symbols of good luck.
The Dagda was chief of the Tuatha dé Danann, the foremost of the Irish ancestral gods. Highly skilled and wise beyond measure, he was not only the god of life and death, but of seasons, agriculture, fertility, magic, and druidry as well.
Uttu and spiders
Thorkild Jacobsen argued that Uttu was envisioned as a spider spinning a web.
Anansi is mostly depicted as a spider and sometimes as a man that can turn into a spider. Anansi has also been depicted as a man-spider hybrid, with characteristics of both beings.
4. Athena Created Spiders. In Book VI of Metamorphoses, Ovid tells the story of Arachne, whom Athena turned into a spider (Lines 1-145).
Arachne, (Greek: “Spider”) in Greek mythology, the daughter of Idmon of Colophon in Lydia, a dyer in purple. Arachne was a weaver who acquired such skill in her art that she ventured to challenge Athena, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason.
They are seen as symbols of wisdom, patience, destiny and fate. In some cultures, spiders represent female power and strength; in others, they are seen as protectors of humankind. In Native American folklore, spiders are often associated with creation stories and tales of protection from danger.
Spider has a variety of spiritual meanings. Spider symbolism includes creativity, rebirth, being self-aware, and we're all connected.
History: (Amazing Spider-Man II#791 - BTS / Superior Spider-Man#24 (fb) ) - Roderick Kingsley, the Hobgoblin, established himself for a time in Delvadia as the Devil-Spider, a costumed mercenary patterned after the Delvadian patriot Tarantula.
Jorōgumo (Japanese: 絡新婦 (kanji), じょろうぐも (hiragana)) is a type of yōkai, a creature of Japanese folklore. It can shapeshift into a beautiful woman, so the kanji that represent its actual meaning are 女郎蜘蛛 ( lit. 'woman-spider'); the kanji which are used to write it instead, 絡新婦 ( lit.
The Great Goddess of Teotihuacan (or Teotihuacan Spider Woman) is a proposed goddess of the pre-Columbian Teotihuacan civilization (ca. 100 BCE - 700 CE), in what is now Mexico.
Nehebkau (also spelled Nehebu-Kau) was the primordial snake god in ancient Egyptian mythology. Although originally considered an evil spirit, he later functions as a funerary god associated with the afterlife.
Ra, as the first god, created heka and harnessed it, resulting in the birth of Heka who then maintained and controlled the divine magic afterwards. Ra is therefore associated with this transformative power, which linked him with the sun that allowed for growth.
Seth, the god of disorder, murdered his brother Osiris, the god of order. Seth was furious because his wife, Nephthys, had conceived a child, named Anubis, by Osiris.
Athena, in a fit of rage turned Arachne into a spider and ripped her tapestry before anybody saw it. From that point on, the children of Athena fear spiders because they worried that each spider was Arachne coming to take revenge on them.
Arachnes are beings that originate from Greece, but are widespread now. They are all descended from Arachne, Grecian spider Immortal, who challenged fellow Immortal Athena to a weaving contest and tied, but was cursed to be a spider forever.
When Minerva could find no flaws in the tapestry Arachne had woven for the contest, the goddess became enraged and beat the girl with her shuttle. After Arachne hanged herself out of shame, she was transformed into a spider.