What Ancient 'Myths' have been written about these wonders?Ana
Circumhorizonal Arcs - Fire Rainbows
Circumhorizon Arc - Summer Halo Atmospheric Optics
Rare Rainbow Over Idaho - "Rainbow Fire" - Circumhorizonal Arc
National Geographic June 19, 2006
Circumhorizonal Arc Wikipedia
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MythologyOne of the most interesting mythological presentations of rainbow is the Eddic Bifröst (or Bilröst, Bilfröst). In the Younger Edda it is described as a tricoloured bridge to Asgard, very skillfully built by the gods. The colours are not mentioned, but the bridge is very strong and destroyable only by the sons of Muspel, the giants of fire as it happened in Völuspá. Bifröst was kept guard by Heimdall, one of the Aesir, 'who casts bright rays'. In the Younger Edda there is also a remark, that the Bifröst appears red as there is a burning fire on it to show the way to Asgard (Gylfaginning XIII, XV).
The most wellknown rainbow representation in the European cultural area is the version in the Bible, where the rainbow is the sign of the covenant between Jehovah and Noah: I do set my bow in the cloud; and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth (Genesis 9.13). The Old Testament treatment of the rainbow is ambiguous denoting both Gods wrath and mercy. In the Old Testament there is likewise found an image of Jehovah's bow with which he sends arrows to the earth to punish the misdoers. It can be explained by the earlier Hebrew mythological motifs, where the rainbow was connected with bow and the arrows with lightning.
In the New Testament the rainbow appears in a new relation. It is a symbol of the covenant between God and people which has expanded to Christ as an establisher of the new covenant. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald (Relevation 4.3). Still, in the Bible there is found no reference to the colours of rainbow or to the number of them. Apparently with these apocalyptical motifs the rather popular role of the rainbow in the late Gothic painting can be explained. In Romanesque art it is possible to associate the rainbow with mandorla or halo surrounding the body of God or a saint. In Gothic art Christ is depicted sitting on the rainbow in scenes of Last Judgement as Maiestas Domini, it is the Lord's throne.
Older representations of rainbow in different mythologies can be divided into animate and inanimate ones. From the latter the already mentioned image of bridge and path of gods, which binds heaven, the ulterior or gods' world and this, the human world, is rather common everywhere (e.g. Greece, Japan, Indonesia, India, Mesopotamia).
The heroes of Polynesian and Hawaiian myths take by it the souls of the dead to paradise, in Indonesia it is the bridge of soul boats. In the myths of Finno-Ugric and other Nordic nations many features supposedly attributed to the rainbow have been melted with the image of the Milky Way, supported largely by their similar outward appearance.
Last but not least, the folk legends grounded on Christianity depict the rainbow as a bridge by what the dead will raise to the Heaven on doomsday, with an angel sitting on it calling them with a trumpet. Underfoot of the wicked dead the bridge will break down. So the rainbow as a bridge has near always been connected with the other world, the realm of gods and dead.
3 comments on WOW So much in the sky...beautiful rainbow clouds
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WOW is right!
I love those clouds!!! The text was quite nice to read, too...so often we just look at and admire rainbows or anything that resembles them, but don't think of what rainbows represent and why. I enjoyed this entire post!
Thank you Donna, I appreciate your comments and input always.