Carrying on with our series on the symbols of gods in Greek mythology, we will be discussing Hephaestus, the blacksmith of gods, who also happens to be the god of blacksmiths.
Who is Hephaestus in Greek Mythology?
Also known as Hephaistos, Hephaestus is the god of forges, volcanoes, fire, blacksmiths, carpenters, stone masonry, metalworking, metallurgy and sculptors in the Greek pantheon.
It is believed that he created some mythical items such as Hermes’ winged helmet and sandals, the armor of Achilles, the cursed necklace of Harmonia, the bow of Eros, the staff of Agamemnon and Aphrodite’s girdle.
Hephaestus’ Family Tree – Who Are Hephaestus’ Parents and Siblings?
Hephaestus is one of the sons of the Greek mythology’s main couple, Zeus and Hera. That being said, some believed Athena gave birth to him on her own, much like the belief in Virgin Mary and Jesus.
He was married to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty. One of the most important myths involving Hephaestus is about him trapping his wife Aphrodite and Ares, the Greek god of war, in a net while they were having an affair in order to humiliate them in front of the other Greek gods.
Hephaestus had a lot of siblings including Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Athena, Dionysus, Athena, Artemis, Persephone, Aeacus, Angelos, Heracles/Hercules, Eileithyia, Enyo, Hermes, Perseus, Eris, Ersa, Hebe, Helen of Troy, Minos, Pandia, Rhadamanthus, the Graces, the Muses, the Horae, the Litae, and the Moirai.
Hephaestus’ counterpart in Roman mythology is Vulcan.
Hephaestus Symbol List – What are the Symbols of Hephaestus?
Befitting for the god of blacksmiths, Hephaestus’ symbols were anvils, hammers and tongs.
What are the Sacred Animals of Hephaestus?
Guard dogs, cranes and donkeys were Hephaestus’s sacred animals while quail birds are also considered to be one of his symbols.
What are the Sacred Plants of Hephaestus?
Fennels were considered to be Hephaestus’ sacred plants.
This wraps up our post on Hephaestus, the god of the forge, blacksmiths and volcanoes in Greek mythology, his family, symbols including his sacred animals and plants and myths involving him.
If you liked reading the article, you should definitely check our round-up piece about the Greek god symbols here. You might also want to take a look at our article on the symbols, sacred animals and plants of Hades here. Thanks for reading with us!
