‘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

On The Hellenic Propitiation of Sirius Wolf-Zeus In Order To Re-Bestow Life To The Natural World

With a storm sweeping in tonight, bringing much rain and wind, it seems only apt to present the following. This is a slightly reworked excerpt from the Wolves of Rudra piece - one of many elements that, whilst they could not be fitted in to the final version, are nevertheless integrally linked to what we … Continue reading On The Hellenic Propitiation of Sirius Wolf-Zeus In Order To Re-Bestow Life To The Natural World

On Hera In The Orphic Canon – The Sovereign Queen & Sky Father’s Equal

It is occasionally alleged that our belief in a Goddess Who is, we may say, not only the "Radiant Queen of the Heavens" - but also an Imperial Sovereign over existence, and an 'Equal' (rather than a 'Chattel') to Her Husband, the Sky Father … is some form of curiously specific Hindu enthusiasm that we … Continue reading On Hera In The Orphic Canon – The Sovereign Queen & Sky Father’s Equal

‘Nomads’, ‘Murmurers’, & ‘Death-Seekers At the Border’ – Three Further Perspectives On Barbarians Drawn Into The Broader Indo-European Sphere

Following on from our earlier piece looking at 'Barbarian' in Vedic understanding - here are several further examples .. along with broader Indo-European comparanda contextualizing each. Two of these were furnished by the same associate [A.P.] whom I had been discussing with in the excerpt posted earlier. I have not independently tracked them down in … Continue reading ‘Nomads’, ‘Murmurers’, & ‘Death-Seekers At the Border’ – Three Further Perspectives On Barbarians Drawn Into The Broader Indo-European Sphere

Sirius In Central Asia – Soma, Tisya, Tishtrya, Rudra

It is Wednesday - Odin's Day - and so therefore, as has become our custom, some fine devotional (a)art-i.  Except this exquisite piece is not from the Northlands of Scandinavia - rather, its provenance is that most mysterious of Indo-European lands … far-flung Central Asia. Khotan, amidst the deserts and mountains fringing China's western edge in … Continue reading Sirius In Central Asia – Soma, Tisya, Tishtrya, Rudra

The Sogdian Shiva Weshparkar of Panjikent – Arte-Facts #13

It is Wednesday - which, in the Northern European end of things, is Woden's Day. Therefore, as has become our custom … fine Shaivite devotional (A)Art-i posting. Now this beautiful depiction has been upon my mind for some weeks now - because if you were asked to draw a fearsomely formidable Lord of the Wind … Continue reading The Sogdian Shiva Weshparkar of Panjikent – Arte-Facts #13

Weshparkar – Vayu-The-High-Working But Also Shiva – On Funerary Stonework Of Sogdian Wirkak And Wiyusi – Arte-Facts #12

I've had this image on my mind for some days now. Both for what it represents - yet also for what it doesn't. What's been projected upon it, in other words.  Now, as for the former - it's a representation of the Sogdian deific, Vesparkar (also anglicized as Weshparkar, Veshparkar, Wysprkr etc.), from a fine relief … Continue reading Weshparkar – Vayu-The-High-Working But Also Shiva – On Funerary Stonework Of Sogdian Wirkak And Wiyusi – Arte-Facts #12