We frequently encounter perceptions that the Zoroastrian figure of Verethragna is 'their' Indra. This is … not exactly the case. For a start, the Zoroastrian Indra is, conveniently enough, also called Indra. And, just as Indra (our Indra) is a Deva (God), we find that the Zoroastrian Indra is a Daeva - in their heretical … Continue reading Against Verethragna / Indra Equivocation
Zoroastrian
On The Etymology of Marut – A Mytholinguistic Illumination As To The Indo-European ‘Storm Troops’ Of The Skies
[Author's Note: I am a great proponent of 'mytholinguistics' - the notion that we can make important and useful addeucements as to the effective mythic essence of an element by looking at its etymological roots and likely even further archaic depth of meaning. And, as part of this, the application of remarkably consistent patterns of … Continue reading On The Etymology of Marut – A Mytholinguistic Illumination As To The Indo-European ‘Storm Troops’ Of The Skies
‘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
A Brief Point On “Barbarian” Labelling In Sanskrit
Earlier, I'd been discussing with associates the curious co-occurrence of Barbaros / Barbara in Sanskrit and Ancient Greek respectively. This lead to the following - presented here for a broader audience. "as applies the linguistics, I think from memory that earliest attested occurrences in Ancient Greek are some centuries prior to earliest attested occurrences in … Continue reading A Brief Point On “Barbarian” Labelling In Sanskrit
On Wolves Against Zoroastrian Identification
Something else that has been playing upon my mind as applies that fine Sogdian funerary sculpture's purported Zoroastrian provenancy … is the name of the Sogdian whose tomb it was. In his own language, it is Wirkak - that is to say, 'Wolf', from the same root a Sanskrit 'Vrka', etc. Now, why that is interesting … Continue reading On Wolves Against Zoroastrian Identification
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