This is your occasional reminder that the 'bear taboo' is not actually a Proto-Indo-European understanding. The archaic Indo-Europeans of the Urheimat do not appear to have had a problem referring to a Bear quite directly - as *h₂ŕ̥tḱos. We can tell this because there's a suite of directly cognate terms for 'Bear' in not only … Continue reading On The Purported ‘Bear Taboo’
Proto-Indo-European Linguistics
Glorious Art Of The One Eyed God For Wednesday – Rudra
It is Wednesday ! Woden's Day ! And therefore … art of a One Eyed God (and His Wife) Now, of course, it becomes immediately apparent that this is Shaivite art - and so some might ask what I mean by this here. After all, whilst Rudra is Odin … Lord Shiva is also so … Continue reading Glorious Art Of The One Eyed God For Wednesday – Rudra
On Becoming Rudra – The Indo-European Investiture Of The Divine Essence In Ritual And Beyond
It is Wednesday ! Odin's Day ! And so therefore, some absolutely excellent (A)Art-i and accompanying commentary upon the relevant Indo-European theological precept, in His Name - quite literally, as it should happen. The art is by HC - and was initially destined to evocatively illustrate a section of my ongoing RUDRAGANIKA series.Yet it … … Continue reading On Becoming Rudra – The Indo-European Investiture Of The Divine Essence In Ritual And Beyond
The Thiasos Of Dionysus – A Rudraganika Excerpt
A further excerpt from my recent ' RUDRAGANIKA ' (A)Arti-cle, looking at the female Retinue of the Indo-European Sky Father deific. This time, oriented toward the 'Thiasos' ( θίασος ) processional that accompanies Dionysus (and, entirely uncoincidentally, Poseidon). The full-length piece can be found here: https://aryaakasha.com/2022/03/08/rudraganika-a-study-in-eternal-return-as-manifested-through-the-sky-fathers-female-retinue-across-the-indo-european-world/ Art, as per usual, by HC - who has … Continue reading The Thiasos Of Dionysus – A Rudraganika Excerpt
On Bellerophon – Echoes Of A Coronation Rite And Slayer Of The Demon Of Enclosure ?
Now *this* is interesting - quite a familiar shape, you'll see the various Christian depictions of St George engaged in a spot of dragon-slaying, for instance. However, what's depicted here is Bellerophon (mounted upon Pegasus) slaying the Chimaera, from a floor mosaic on Rhodes, circa 300-270 BC. I am not saying that various much more … Continue reading On Bellerophon – Echoes Of A Coronation Rite And Slayer Of The Demon Of Enclosure ?
On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
[illustration appears to be by a Jim Tierney] When it comes to Dionysus, there are various elements which are … challenging to make sense of. This is as it should be. One of these concerns the likely etymology - and therefore meaning - of one of His most prominent theonymics: Bacchus (or Bakkhos, Βάκχος, etc.). Usually … Continue reading On The Etymology Of Bacchus – The Roarer
The Goddess-Given Empowerment Of The Indo-European Hero – As Beautifully Illustrated Via Athena In The Iliad And Vak Devi
It is FRIDAY - Devi's Day ! And therefore, art by HC for a broad Indo-European mythic typology which I have long had trouble finding illustrated anywhere else. Now, in essence, what we have observed is a standard situation wherein the Goddess bestows empowerment to Her Chosen. This is found at several prominent points in … Continue reading The Goddess-Given Empowerment Of The Indo-European Hero – As Beautifully Illustrated Via Athena In The Iliad And Vak Devi
Toward The Indo-European Identification Of Janus – Some Preliminary Observations
Despite its comforting familiarity to many in the modern Western sphere, many of the figures of the Roman religion are somewhat mysterious to us. Particularly when we seek to link them up to what ought be their correlate co-expressions elsewhere within the Indo-European religious world. This invites much speculation - some of it well-founded, and … Continue reading Toward The Indo-European Identification Of Janus – Some Preliminary Observations
On The Mytholinguistics Of The Solar Speech
It is SUNDAY - The Day of the Sun ! And, in fact, twice over - for today is also Bhanu Saptami : The Shining (Bhanu) Day on the Seventh (Saptami). The reason for the observance is often said to be a (Re-)Birth Day of the Sun. AV XIII 2 25 therefore springs instantly to … Continue reading On The Mytholinguistics Of The Solar Speech
On Why Gods Are Gods – A Response To A Question
Earlier this evening, I was asked to contribute my thoughts on a frequently occurrent question - "What makes a God a God?" Now in this day and age of ever-shifting meanings and the relativism that enables the worship of literal out-and-out demons or flawed mortal would-be 'messiahs' in personality-cults across the land, it is a … Continue reading On Why Gods Are Gods – A Response To A Question