Juno Sospita of the Palatine – An Interpretatio Romana In Motion !

Friday is, of course, Devi's Day - and so therefore, a visage less frequently depicted … a well-armed Warrior Goddess - Juno ! Now at first, this might seem strange. We are used to the idea of Juno as a regal, queenly figure; yet a shield and spear equipped female warrior amongst the Gods we … Continue reading Juno Sospita of the Palatine – An Interpretatio Romana In Motion !

The Description Of The Vajra In The Vedas – Some Initial Points

This is a modern depiction of Indra, and it forms a bit of a counterpoint to the more simple Vajra renderings you'll often see - however, the interesting thing is … this is actually rather close to how the Vajra is described in various RigVedic verses. [Although this *specific* version may in fact be intending … Continue reading The Description Of The Vajra In The Vedas – Some Initial Points

Devi At Panjikent – A Sogdian Depiction Of The Great Goddess Accompanied By The Spear-Wielder

I am a bit late with this one - but Friday's Day is Devi's Day, and with Dawn just creeping over the horizon … outline reproduction of one of the incredible mural paintings from Panjikent, a Sogdian centre in modern-day Tajikistan. The central figure to the depiction is Nana, mounted upon a lion-like vahana. As … Continue reading Devi At Panjikent – A Sogdian Depiction Of The Great Goddess Accompanied By The Spear-Wielder

On Roman Vejovis or Vediovis Via Light Of Vedic Rudra

It is Thursday - more properly, Dies Iovis, the Day of Jupiter (in Vedic terms - Brihaspati is the figure hailed for this occasion). And therefore … a brief look at the likely Indo-European positioning for a lesser-known Roman figure - the deific known as 'Vejovis' ('Veiovis', sometimes 'Veiove' or 'Vejove') or 'Vedius' / 'Vediovis'. … Continue reading On Roman Vejovis or Vediovis Via Light Of Vedic Rudra

On The Ill-Considered Choice Of ‘Angrboda’ Of Videogame ‘God of War’ As Vector For “Young Black Woman” Representation

We have had a few people contact us in relation to .. well, a certain video-game franchise dipping its toe (evidently in kicking format) into Nordic mythology. Now, I have never played a God of War game and I have no intention to do so. But I saw this comment from one of the key … Continue reading On The Ill-Considered Choice Of ‘Angrboda’ Of Videogame ‘God of War’ As Vector For “Young Black Woman” Representation

The Ganesha Of Kabul – And His Custodian Guard [ Arte-Facts #14 ]

In our field, we are so often delving into impressive legends of long ago - myths about men who once lived and wrought deeds so mighty that they seem frankly 'incredible' (in the old sense of the term) today. And that can leave one quite jaded about the modern era for reasons that ought be … Continue reading The Ganesha Of Kabul – And His Custodian Guard [ Arte-Facts #14 ]

Ganesha Atop The Volcano Of Brahma in Indonesia [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part VI]

For the Sixth Night of Ganesh Chaturthi - the theme of our devotional efforts on each of these nights has been that Ganesha Gets In Everywhere. So here's Ganesh, atop an active volcano in Indonesia where it has been and been in constant use for the past 700 years. The volcano in question is entitled … Continue reading Ganesha Atop The Volcano Of Brahma in Indonesia [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part VI]

‘Nomads’, ‘Murmurers’, & ‘Death-Seekers At the Border’ – Three Further Perspectives On Barbarians Drawn Into The Broader Indo-European Sphere

Following on from our earlier piece looking at 'Barbarian' in Vedic understanding - here are several further examples .. along with broader Indo-European comparanda contextualizing each. Two of these were furnished by the same associate [A.P.] whom I had been discussing with in the excerpt posted earlier. I have not independently tracked them down in … Continue reading ‘Nomads’, ‘Murmurers’, & ‘Death-Seekers At the Border’ – Three Further Perspectives On Barbarians Drawn Into The Broader Indo-European Sphere

A Brief Point On “Barbarian” Labelling In Sanskrit

Earlier, I'd been discussing with associates the curious co-occurrence of Barbaros / Barbara in Sanskrit and Ancient Greek respectively. This lead to the following - presented here for a broader audience.  "as applies the linguistics, I think from memory that earliest attested occurrences in Ancient Greek are some centuries prior to earliest attested occurrences in … Continue reading A Brief Point On “Barbarian” Labelling In Sanskrit