The Crows of Juno

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

The Thunderbolt (And Storm Shield) Of Athena – A Brief Compilation

Recently, we'd had somebody write in via the site with relation to the 'Storm' characteristic in association with Athena. It's something which one should think would enjoy more prominence in the perception as to the Goddess - but despite various attestations from around the Classical legendaria, as well as the strong implicit sense to such a prospect … Continue reading The Thunderbolt (And Storm Shield) Of Athena – A Brief Compilation

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]

Why We Offer To The Gods [Part Two: Irrigating The Worlds With Blood-Dimmed Tide]

As you can see there from the title, our intent with these linked pieces has been to take a look at one of the more foundational questions to the Indo-European theology. Namely, why it is that we carry out rites of sacrifice and offering to the Gods in the first place. I suspect that for … Continue reading Why We Offer To The Gods [Part Two: Irrigating The Worlds With Blood-Dimmed Tide]

On Algiz, Alcis, Ullr, The Germanic Iteration Of Indo-European Sacred Space, And Its Dread Protector

The following was initially an exploration for what I consider to be the likely meaning for the Rune *Algiz ᛉ (beautifully illustrated there by 'Automatic Moon'), featuring discussion also upon the theology for Ullr. It then … grew rather significantly - and now seems to feature a rather expansive hypothesis viz. a 'working model' for … Continue reading On Algiz, Alcis, Ullr, The Germanic Iteration Of Indo-European Sacred Space, And Its Dread Protector

On The Equinox War-Rites Of The Indo-Europeans – As Illuminating The Roman Quinquatria [Part One – The Goddess-Oriented War Rites Introduced]

The Spring Equinox approaches (at least, at time of writing; some weeks have passed since then) - and with it, the onset of the War Season of the archaic Indo-Europeans. Whether the Quinquatrus and Tubilustrium of the Romans, situated within their Month of Mars (mensis Martius - whence our modern name for it: 'March'); the … Continue reading On The Equinox War-Rites Of The Indo-Europeans – As Illuminating The Roman Quinquatria [Part One – The Goddess-Oriented War Rites Introduced]

Grim Waters, Vedic & Eddic – The Death-Visaged Wife Of The Sky Father In Nordic Expression I [The Indo-European Propitiation Of Persephone-Kali – Part Five]

Yet what of Persephone 'midst the North? Where might *She* be found? And, for that matter - with the Rivers (of the Underworld), the Water(s) as Pathways toward the Goddess and Cosmic Order within the context as to those Indo-European cultures in or about the Mediterranean ... where might the portals of liminal immersion lead … Continue reading Grim Waters, Vedic & Eddic – The Death-Visaged Wife Of The Sky Father In Nordic Expression I [The Indo-European Propitiation Of Persephone-Kali – Part Five]

The Divine Roadway of the Underworld – Oaths, Liminality & Law [The Indo-European Propitiation Of Persephone-Kali – Part  Four] 

In the preceding part, we had explored a most remarkable situation - attested and occurrent amidst both Hellenic and Hindu spheres - for the Goddess in relation to a certain Water of the Underworld; this (Blue-Black) pathway opening up at the behest (and, indeed, Spear) of Her Husband, the Sky Father (Hades & Shiva, respectively). … Continue reading The Divine Roadway of the Underworld – Oaths, Liminality & Law [The Indo-European Propitiation Of Persephone-Kali – Part  Four] 

On The Funeral Of A Germanic Chieftain Of The Rus Compared With Sati

Recently, we were asked to weigh in upon an interesting point of comparanda - namely, whether the immolation of a Germanic chieftain of the Rus constituted a parallel with the much-hyped (and rather correctly criticized) custom of 'Sati'. As it may prove of a more general interest, here we present a slightly edited rendition of … Continue reading On The Funeral Of A Germanic Chieftain Of The Rus Compared With Sati

Shravana , Ganymede , Gayatri , Shyena – And Other Points Of Syzygy Within Vedic And Classical Myth And Star-Lore

With the Shaivite Holy Month of Shravan Maas in full (indeed, double!) swing, it seems apt to detail a potentially remarkable Indo-European concordancy between the Nakshatra (Asterism) of Śravaṇa (aka Śroṇa ) and the Hellenic perception of same. Depicted upon this star-chart (sourced from Manasataramgini) is the constellation of Aquila in Western / Hellenic terms. … Continue reading Shravana , Ganymede , Gayatri , Shyena – And Other Points Of Syzygy Within Vedic And Classical Myth And Star-Lore