Latin materials speak of 'Divine Crows' [Corniscae Divae - Allen has this as "Crow-Goddesses", even] which are of Juno; Festus' Epitome [56L] relates: "Corniscarum Divarum locus erat trans Tiberim cornicibus dicatus, quod in Junonis tutela esse putabatur", with this being often cited in accompaniment of an engimatic inscriptional "DEVAS CoRNISCAS SACRVM". This, whilst lesser-known today, … Continue reading The Crows of Juno
Herodotus
Scythian Tabiti In Her Indo-European Theological Context – [Part One: As To The Claims, An EmPyreical Investigation]
A few months ago, an associate raised with me a curious concept. Namely, the idea that a) the archaic Indo-European divinity of the Fire was Female, with this being attested via b) the Scythian figure of Tabiti identified with Hestia by Herodotus, and therefore indicating that c) the Vedic figure of Agni was an 'innovation' … Continue reading Scythian Tabiti In Her Indo-European Theological Context – [Part One: As To The Claims, An EmPyreical Investigation]
The Indo-European Bows Afore Divinity
And so, we came to it again. An enthusiastic assertion somewhere on social media that it was somehow un-Indo-European to bow to one's Gods, and much which is entailed with that. I say "we came to it again", because seriously - this seems to keep coming up, despite it being a very well attested fact … Continue reading The Indo-European Bows Afore Divinity
On The ‘Interpretatio Germanica’ Of Odin
In the dying days for the past year, we had yet another brew-up of that perennial comparative IE misapprehension that we can succinctly surmise as "Jupiter is Thor", with a side-order of "because Tacitus said so". Now, as it should happen, Tacitus in fact said no such thing (and indeed, it's the Hercules that Tacitus … Continue reading On The ‘Interpretatio Germanica’ Of Odin
On Ritual Substitution And Traditional Offerings [Part Two: When In Rome…]
Practicing an Indo-European religion amidst the Modern Age is no easy thing. One seems endlessly caught between the twin considerations of 'Authenticity' contrasted with 'Accessibility'. The former correlates to the quite righteous desire to 'do things properly' (and so they actually work) - customarily by seeking to follow reasonably closely within the foot-tracks of one's … Continue reading On Ritual Substitution And Traditional Offerings [Part Two: When In Rome…]
‘For Want Of A Horse’ – On The Proper Perspective Upon Ritual Offerings And Why The ‘Asva’ Of ‘Asvamedha’ Is Held To Be Necessary As Same
Over the weekend, we had received a question from a reader as to the reasoning underpinning the Asvamedha - the Horse Sacrifice. Specifically, why would one offer a horse given the high value of such a creature in the late Bronze Age / early Iron Age milieu. Now, several people proffered suggestions as to the answer here, … Continue reading ‘For Want Of A Horse’ – On The Proper Perspective Upon Ritual Offerings And Why The ‘Asva’ Of ‘Asvamedha’ Is Held To Be Necessary As Same
Artemis Agrotera And Devi – Queen Of The Wilds, Ruler Of Animals, And Huntress Supreme
I find this very adorable. Devi as - as we would say in the Western IE sphere (well, in Ancient Greek, at any rate) - a 'Potnia Theron'. Now this term is generally applied to Artemis. And we have explored in great depth elsewhere how Artemis concords with our Devi. It therefore seems adamantly excellent … Continue reading Artemis Agrotera And Devi – Queen Of The Wilds, Ruler Of Animals, And Huntress Supreme
In Search Of Scythian Ares – Part Two : The Swords Of The Sky Father
As we'd noted towards the outset of Part One, the Scythian religion is endlessly, fascinatingly frustrating. We know so little - and yet we can seemingly 'piece together' a few elements from the scant textual (and usually virtually third hand) viewpoints of their faith that have come down to us from Antiquity. One figure in … Continue reading In Search Of Scythian Ares – Part Two : The Swords Of The Sky Father
The Spirits Of Ash And Fury – A RUDRAGANIKA Resonancy
It is Monday - Lord Rudra's Day - And therefore … absolutely amazing illustration by HC to further accompany our RUDRAGANIKA work looking at His Female Retinue. What we have hailed here as the Rudraganika we also find encounterable amidst the other and more westerly Indo-European spheres - as the Maenad (or the Meliae, etc.), … Continue reading The Spirits Of Ash And Fury – A RUDRAGANIKA Resonancy
In Search Of Scythian Ares – Part One : Mapping The Terrain
Now before we begin, we consider it of some importance to set out a few 'preliminary considerations' - sketch out how these things have been generally thought about previously, and why we are departing on a rather different trajectory with our own quest for this most scintillatingly shrouded of Sword-Gods. This shall also serve as … Continue reading In Search Of Scythian Ares – Part One : Mapping The Terrain
arya-akasha 