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gnome

File:Heinrich_Schlitt_Gnom_mit_Zeitung_und_Tabakspfeife.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Also known as nome, gnomide, gnomid

A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depicted as small humanoids who live underground. Gnome characteristics are reinterpreted to suit various storytellers and artists.

Key facts

Mythical creature.name
Gnome
Mythical creature.image
Heinrich Schlitt Gnom mit Zeitung und Tabakspfeife.jpg
Mythical creature.caption
Gnom mit Zeitung und Tabakspfeife (English: Gnome with newspaper and tobacco pipe) by Heinrich Schlitt (1923)
Mythical creature.Folklore
Renaissance
Mythical creature.Grouping
Diminutive spirit
Mythical creature.First_Attested
16th century

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image
Heinrich Schlitt Gnom mit Zeitung und Tabakspfeife.jpg
Show 3 more facts
time of discovery or invention
1600-00-00
Commons category
Gnomes
native label
gnomus
Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~30 min read

Article

31 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • Paracelsus
  • Precursors
  • Agricola
  • {{lang|la|De animantibus subterraneis}}
  • Rosenkranz mine, Annaberg
  • Demonology
  • Cobalt ore
  • Olaus Magnus
  • Praetorius
  • Folklore examples
  • Bergmönch of Harz and mine light
  • Communication through noises
  • Switzerland
  • Folkloristics
  • Cultural references
  • In Romanticism and modern fairy tales
  • Modern fantasy literature
  • Music
  • Games
  • Movies
  • TV Shows
  • Derivative uses
  • Garden gnomes
  • Gnome-themed parks
  • Gnome parades
  • Metaphorical uses
  • See also
  • Explanatory notes
  • References
  • Bibliography

A gnome () is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and widely adopted by authors, including those of modern fantasy literature. They are typically depicted as small humanoids who live underground. Gnome characteristics are reinterpreted to suit various storytellers and artists.

Paracelsus's gnome is recognized to have derived from the German miners' legend about '''' or , the "metallurgical or mineralogical demon", according to Georg Agricola (1530), also called (literal Latinization of Bergmännlein "mountain manikin") by Agricola in a later work (1549), and described by other names such as (sing. ; Latinization of German ). Agricola recorded that according to the legends of that profession, these mining spirits acted as miming and laughing pranksters who sometimes threw pebbles at miners, but could also reward them by depositing a rich vein of silver ore.

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