[gothic-l] Re:Wolf-god

[Ingemar Nordgren]

Jeff wrote:

>  Thank you gentleman, for your postings on the subject.  What I am
>> pursuing is the Path of the IE Wolf-god.  Mr. Kershaw, who references
>> the material mentioned previously, purposes a "wolf-god", chief deity
>> of the "young warrior bands", whose genesis began with the Indo-
>> Europeans, and whose function was cattle-raiding.  Apparently, as
>> each "branch" of the IE tribes moved out into what would be their
>> eventual "settlement" zone, these "Mannerbund" modified and "renamed"
>> their Wolf-god.  In the Gmc. case, this would be Wodhanaz > Wotan > > Odhinn > Godan > and possibly Gaut.
>> Perhaps, in the case of the Goths, their "Mannerbund" remains
>> hidden from our records, or the records don't go back far enough (to
>> Scandia), or they adopted the Eagle from the Sarmatians.
>> In any case, I'm sure the Wolf-god was present among the Goths, as
>> he seems to have been in IE cultures from India to Scandinavia, he
>> has just not revealed himself yet.  Perhaps the answer lies in Gothic
>> raiding / war parties.
>


Dear Jeff,

I recall that I forgot to mention the Helgikviðae since you primarily
asked for picture motifs.

In those there are, at least according to my interpretation, Ylfings
(wolfs) fighting for summer and for Baldr (Helgi) and the Hundings
(dogs, hounds) fight for Hödr (Hunding) and the winter and in that way
keeping the plant cycle moving. The summer must be replaced of winter in
order to get spring and new plants. In that sense also the dogs
contribute till the fertility. Typically enough also the historically
recorded Werewolfs, in a  court protokoll in Riga from the 18th century,
claim to fight to preserve the crop and fertility of the fields - they
fight for summer. Hence the wolf is not specially a war symbol but a
kind of schamanistic fertility symbol waging war against the demons
stealing the fertility. This goes exellent with the schamanistic
Männerbünde being both fighters against demons and warriorbands
protecting their tribe. The connection with Óðinn is clearly not wrong
but maybe more directly with Balðr who is connected with Óðinn. Also
remember Hyrrokin riding a wolf also in the Helgikviðae. Also remember
Hekate and her death-dogs who make me think of the Hundings preserving
fertility by killing summer in order to  make spring possible.

Well, these are at least some ideas of mine that might contribute and
the Goths indeed were part of this belief at least in the Chernakov
culture and most probable  also earlier.

Best
Ingemar




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