--- In cybalist@..., "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...> wrote:
> >The Hebrew religion was heavily influence by the Zoroastrians of
the
> >Achaemenid dynasty.
>
> Sure, but who influenced the Zoroastrians? :)
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Glen Gordon
From what I've read, I see strong similarities in Hinduism which is
not surprising. However, the similiarities with the Norse mythology
is particularly striking. Also, from what I have read on Slavic
mythology, there are also strong parallels. Some of this may be
attributed to later influences going north via the Sarmatians et al.
However, I believe that if I could find more, I would see stronger
ties with Iran. Some myths we may be able to relate to Sumeria and
Babylonia, though I can't think of any off hand (been a while since I
read that).
There are also some name similarities between Iran and the Norse and
Slavs that are not all easily explained other than for a very ancient
common religion, IMO. A couple odd ones I'll mention here are
the 'world serpent' Norse Jormungander that is found, in addition to
Azi Dahaka, as Gander. Jormun means 'snake' or 'serpent', as I
recall, but I always wondered where they got "gander." The Persian
demoness Jeh or Jahi is found in Slavic myth as Baba Yaga in Russia
and as Jezi Baba to the Czechs and Jedza to the Poles, with her
minions known as the Jezinky. I believe that Jeh/Jahi was the demon
of the abyss who recieves the souls of the damned before passing them
off to the other demons down there. She equates to the Norse's Hel.
She was also adopted by the Hebrews as Jezebel.
I suspect that perhaps the Hebrew 'world serpent' Yamm was also
adopted from Azi Dahaka. In Zoroastrian religion, the evil god
Ahriman seems on the one hand to have made Azi Dahaka, but also to by
synonymous with him. Basically, it seems that the Hebrew name for him
suggests he was the 'evil twin' of god and synonymous with Satan. As
you know, the Norse Ymir, Persian Yima, and Hindu Yama are all
derived from a root meaning 'twin', and that Ahriman and Ormazd were
also twins.
In Zoroastrian religion, Ahriman and Ormazd are depicted as a black
snake and white snake biting an egg. This is the primordial egg that
seems to represent Spihr and/or Zurvan, the primordial creator god.
These eggs are often seen as a disc or orb and also associated with
gods such as Mithra. They don't have rays such as we would expect
with a sun-god, but they do often have wings.
This is the weird part: the Greek caduseus is a black and white snake
winding around a staff with a winged disc at the top. I believe this
is the motif as expressed in Zoroastrianism, with the staff and
winged disc being Spihr, which is basically a version of the 'world
tree' or 'north pole' with the primordial world egg at the top.
The caduseus was an attribute of Apollo before be gave it to his son
Asclepius. I used to wonder how Apollo was depicted as a serpent on
Delos, or even how he slew the Python at Delphi considering he was in
no way a thunder-god. Now I know. Delphi was the center of the world
in Greek tradition. Ormazd defeated Ahriman in the center of the
world before casting him into the abyss. Apollo continued this same
myth in Greece. Even his birthplace on Delos makes sense: the
heavenly paradise located in the center of the world, where is
located in Persian myth the 'world mountain' as is found on Delos. In
Russian myth the goddess Lada equates to the Greeks' Leto. There also
the god Rod and goddess Ros equal Apollo and Artemis. In Norse myth
they are Frey and Freya. In Welsh myth they are Don and Don. In
Persian myth they are Yima and Yimak. In Hindu myth they are Yama and
Yamana (or something like that). I believe that Anahita was
originally Ormazda's sister before Zarathustra changed things around.
This theme is played out so many times its not funny. In Greece we
also have the Dioscuri and their sister Helen. One of the Dioscuri
dies but is later redeemed in heaven, as the souls of the damned are
destined to be at the end of time in Zoroastrianism. In Roman myth we
have the twins Romulus and Remus (no sister, though). Remus dies.
Mithra, who was basically an aspect of Zurvan, had two attendants -
one held a torch up (immortal good son) and the other held his down
(evil dying twin).
Personally, I see strong Persian and Slavic mythological themes in
the Gundestrap cauldron, too, though Chris Gwinn believes in the
Irish Cattle Raid of Culaigne theory.
>
> >From: cas111jd@...
> >Reply-To: cybalist@...
> >To: cybalist@...
> >Subject: Re: [tied] Nostradamus and Dumezil
> >Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 02:47:14 -0000
> >
> >The Hebrew religion was heavily influence by the Zoroastrians of
the
> >Achaemenid dynasty. The Persians released the Hebrews from their
> >captivity in Babylon, but Nehemiah and the rest lingered long
enough
> >to adopt Zoroastrian mythos, among which we should recognize the
> >Final Battle between good and evil at the end of time and the
coming
> >of the second savior to lead the world in a new Golden Age, and so
on.
> >
> >--- In cybalist@..., "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...> wrote:
> >The biblical apocalypse story springs
> > > ultimately from Eastern Mediterranean neolithic mythologies
> > > concerning the change of the seasons... next!
> > >
> > >
> > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > gLeNny gEe
> > > ...wEbDeVEr gOne bEsErK!
> > >
> > > home: http://glen_gordon.tripod.com
> > > email: glengordon01@...
> > > -------------------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > >Joao SL
> > > >Rio
> >
> > >
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