[gothic-l] Wodhanaz 2

[hrafnsnest <mimir@smithsys.net>]

Hails All,
Continuing...

Again, I don't see Odhinn as having been a borrowing from the east.  I do see him as a Gmc. analog to the original IE wolf-god, the personification and leader of the herr.

As with any culture, there are the male and female rites of passage.  For the males, this included warfare and hunting.  Among the IE this was the "Mannerbund", or herr, which generally started at about the age of 12 or so.  These youngsters were trained to be "raiding parties" and the animale motif used was the wolf/dog.  Among the Gmc. cult of warriors in training, a psychological disposition had to be fostered, and I believe it was the emotive quality of "wodhs".  I believe this quality was eventually deified to become what they, and we, call Wodhanaz/Odhinn.  I also believe that as the herr gained in power and prominance, so did their chief - Odhinn Herjan, who eventually usurped the position of the sky-god Tiwaz.

In the posts to follow, I will draw upon the cultural status of the herr among the Latins, Greeks, Scythians, Indo-Iranians, Dacians, Indians, Slavs asf.

Sael,
Jeff


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