As promised, short-form not-articles of broader interest. This is from an interaction about Soma / Kvasir / Mead of Poetry / Ambrosia, etc. etc.Begins:--We can tell that Soma & Kvasir *should* be the same substance based around the unmistakably coterminous elements contained in the Skaldskaparmal & Havamal mythology for the obtaining of the latter ... … Continue reading Brief Overview Of Some Empowering Elixir Comparanda – Soma, Kvasir, Mead of Poetry, Ambrosia, etc.
Indo-European Mythology
On The Archaic Notion Of The Indo-European Demigod
Recently, in the course of a discussion elsewhere, an occasional correspondant - 'Indian History' on twitter - made mention of a most intriguing Sanskrit term he'd observed in a Hymnal of the RigVeda. We were discussing 'Demigods', and whether these were a more exclusively Greek / Classical phenomenon or something of a broader Indo-European provenance. … Continue reading On The Archaic Notion Of The Indo-European Demigod
Of Monsters And Demonstrations – An Excerpt
Monster, is from the same root as ‘Demonstrate’ – and interestingly, the ‘Mon’ within this is a form of PIE ‘Men’ (i.e. Spirit, Mind, Mental Activity .. and a potential root for ‘Man’/’Men’ as our species (self-)designation … a perhaps rather better one than ‘Doubly Wise Man’ (‘Homo Sapiens Sapiens’), but, then, I digress). It … Continue reading Of Monsters And Demonstrations – An Excerpt
Towards An Indo-European Theory Of Demonology – Chaos, Devourers, Outsiders, Messengers and Monsters
Something I have long meant to pen is a sort of explanatory typology for 'Demons' in Indo-European understanding. There's almost certainly an entire book which could be written upon the subject - and it is undeniably significantly intriguing. After all, many a great and epic myth requires a suitably monstrous foe in order for the Hero … Continue reading Towards An Indo-European Theory Of Demonology – Chaos, Devourers, Outsiders, Messengers and Monsters
On The Spurious De-Indo-European-ization Of The Gods On Wikipedia And Elsewhere
This is what we're up against. And yes, yes I know - the hazards of reading Wikipedia … but that's just it, isn't it. So many people do. The stuff they see on that website is their first (and quite frequently, last and only) meaningful introduction to a topic, its nuances and its intricacies. As … Continue reading On The Spurious De-Indo-European-ization Of The Gods On Wikipedia And Elsewhere
The Birth Of Athena – On The Indo-European Genesis Of Tritogeneia
Earlier this week I encountered something which has, by now, become regrettably familiar to me - although this did not dull my rage at its ridiculous (re-)appearance. Somebody proclaiming that Athena - in amidst a veritable 'Who's Who' of the Greek pantheon - was part of a clade of "certain mythological stories or deities that … Continue reading The Birth Of Athena – On The Indo-European Genesis Of Tritogeneia
The Indo-European Death And Resurrection Show – A Remarkable Persistence Even At The Periphery Of Modern (Myth)Understanding
The recent Pew Research Forum analysis of religion in India makes for interesting reading. One point which has attracted some surprise is the finding that apparently 'only' 40% of Hindus really believe in Reincarnation (as compared, as a point of interest, to 27% of Indian Muslims, 29% of Indian Christians, 18% of Indian Sikhs, 18% … Continue reading The Indo-European Death And Resurrection Show – A Remarkable Persistence Even At The Periphery Of Modern (Myth)Understanding
On Proto-Indo-European Agriculture – A Brief Excerpt
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
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
arya-akasha 