Running this as an excerpt [it's from my latest long-form (A)Arti-cle], because I think that this is quite important: "The supposition that this may, therefore, preserve an archaic PIE traditional understanding is likely to run into the immediate objection that so far as we know the Proto-Indo-Europeans were not large-scale plantation farmers. Which is often … Continue reading On Proto-Indo-European Agriculture – A Brief Excerpt
Linguistics (Comparative & Otherwise)
On Triptolemus And Demeter, Soma And The Sacral Rites Of Life And Land
A foundational principle of Indo-European ritual is succinctly expressed in the Latin maxim - 'Do Ut Des' : "I Give So That You Might Give". The Tale of Triptolemus might be thought to similarly simply express the truth of this utterance - although upon closer examination, its resonancies are anything but "simple", especially when considered in … Continue reading On Triptolemus And Demeter, Soma And The Sacral Rites Of Life And Land
Artemis Orthia – The Inescapable Indo-European Goddess Of Cosmic Law ‘Midst The Mediterranean : Part Two – Tracking the Skeins of Fate Via The Golden Bowstring
A particularly intriguing resonance is pointed via Artemis' Χρυσηλακατος ('Khryselakatos' - 'of the Golden Distaff'), for whilst we are not accustomed in the mythology to perceiving Artemis as engaged in such a 'housewife' and literally 'economic' role … this is not exactly what is meant via the term in specific application to Her. The notion of … Continue reading Artemis Orthia – The Inescapable Indo-European Goddess Of Cosmic Law ‘Midst The Mediterranean : Part Two – Tracking the Skeins of Fate Via The Golden Bowstring
On Herakles As Thunderer – The Recollection Of The Weapon In The Classical Conceptual Sphere
There are a few falsehoods in our field which stubbornly refuse to die. One of them is this ongoing notion that Zeus Pater / Jupiter is somehow the Indo-European Striker/Thunderer deific … rather than the Sky Father, Dyaus Pitar, that is the Father of said God. We have earlier poured quite some effort into demonstrating … Continue reading On Herakles As Thunderer – The Recollection Of The Weapon In The Classical Conceptual Sphere
On The Etymology Of Airavata – The Elephant Of Indra
Airavata is the Vahana ['Steed/Mount/Vehicle'] of Lord Indra; and with a rather apt etymology to connect it to the Thunderer. It effectively works out as 'Rain-bearing Cloud' ; which is rather apt, given that a stormcloud is, of course, large, grey, and may make a thunderous noise ['Garja'] … like an Elephant (indeed, गर्ज can … Continue reading On The Etymology Of Airavata – The Elephant Of Indra
Artemis Orthia – The Inescapable Indo-European Goddess Of Cosmic Law ‘Midst The Mediterranean : Part One – ‘Calling To Order’
Every so often, I am delighted to find that my work has become predictive in its accuracy. That the reconstructive efforts which we engage in are not merely idle conjecture of 'fitting together' elements within the confines of my mind - but the subtle perceptions of actually-extant archaic Indo-European religiosity and myth. In ways that I … Continue reading Artemis Orthia – The Inescapable Indo-European Goddess Of Cosmic Law ‘Midst The Mediterranean : Part One – ‘Calling To Order’
Arktos, Ursa, Rksa SaptaRsi – The Seven Bear-Seers Amidst The Stars And The Foundational Act Of Piety Of The Maidens Of Milk And Fate
Encoded within the Stars - and more specifically, the Constellations, the manner in which we project out up, upon them - is a wealth of archaic mythic meaning. We have earlier looked at some of these manifestations as applies Orion and the Pleiades (Krittikas) - now we shall turn our attentions briefly to an intricately … Continue reading Arktos, Ursa, Rksa SaptaRsi – The Seven Bear-Seers Amidst The Stars And The Foundational Act Of Piety Of The Maidens Of Milk And Fate
On Persephone As “Iron Queen”
I've been meaning to post this for some time - because it's an interesting perspective which I think is a useful part of countering the Victorian-era 're-characterization' of Persephone. But, as is my proclivity, I felt I had to check out some of the claims made herein … to make sure that things hadn't gone … Continue reading On Persephone As “Iron Queen”
On The Rudraksha – Tears of Rudra
Worn about my wrist upon many occasions are three things - two are bandhs from a Priest; one from my RudraAbhishek, some five and a half years ago, the other from an occasion where I had assisted that same Pandit in another matter. But the third … they are a Mala [akin to 'prayer-beads'] of … Continue reading On The Rudraksha – Tears of Rudra
The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere
Something I have long remarked upon is the manner in which certain terms, certain concepts … they are to be found in incredibly archaic spheres, and then they 'fade away' or they undergo some transmogrification which obscures their essence somewhat, only to thence re-emerge somewhere else entirely amidst one of the Indo-European descendant groups who … Continue reading The Way Of The Gun – The Surprising Re-Development Of A Proto-Indo-European Term Into Modern English … And its Comparative Cognates Considered In Both Ritual And Conventional Phraseology Across The Indo-European Sphere