--- In cybalist@..., MrCaws@... wrote:
> --- In cybalist@..., "Glen Gordon" <glengordon01@...> wrote:
> > > >Certain mythological references point to them(Villanovans)*
> being pretty IE,
> >
> > Be careful. Etruscan mythology may have common motifs with other
IE
> peoples
> > (as well as Sumerians, Akkadians and Egyptians) not because of a
> genetic
> > relationship but because of later ties with the dominant Middle-
> East and
> > contact with a million-and-one peoples before arriving in Italy.
> Etruscan
> > mythology also has some querky features as well (eg: the 16
> divisions of the
> > sky) and it's fun to think about how they might have arose when
> sipping a
> > nice tall glass of Iced Capp at a local cafe. (As you can see,
I'm
> a
> > caffeine junky.)
>
> *=My addition for clarification
>
> I know I am on shaky ground with my mythological argument, but I
> have a good feeling about it. Veles, Volos, Vala are all 'horned
god"
> types, related to the forest, the serpent, death. Veltha/Voltumna
is
> so similar in both name and spheres of influence that I have to
draw
> the connection. Veles and Volos are Slavic(and Baltic)and Vala
> appears to be old Indo-Iranian. While a Mid-East origin is
possible,
> I haven't been able to find any similar names for comparison in the
> region yet.
> The sky division thing is intriguing. I am right now contemplating
> it after recently consuming an obscene quantity of Mountain Dew:) I
> think I have read about Anatolian/Mid-East connections- There have
> been other model livers for haruspicy found with the Hittites and
> Babylonians(Unsure which incarnation)I am not sure if these livers
> represented the same microcosm of the universe that the Etruscams
> used.
> -Mr. Caws
Found this on www.brittanica.com when checking out "vela":
04/01/99
Astronomy
By Polakis, Tom
Magazine: Astronomy, April 1999
Section: CELESTIAL PORTRAITS
VELA AND CARINA
---------------
The winter Milky Way comes alive in the Sails and Keel of the great
ship Argo.
---------
Vela, the Sails of the legendary ship Argo, contains a couple dozen
stars brighter than 5th magnitude yet surprisingly has a form that's
difficult to trace. The galactic equator cuts right through the heart
of the constellation, making it a place rich in star clusters and
nebulae.
------
Both Carina and Vela once joined with their neighboring
constellations Puppis and Pyxis to form the huge, now obsolete
constellation Argo Navis, The Ship of the Argonauts. This single,
unwieldy constellation was divided into four by Nicolas Louis de
Lacaille in the 18th century. However, the Greek letter designations
remained as they were in the good ship Argo, so Vela finds itself
with neither an Alpha nor Beta (Beta) star.
------
These are just a few of the highlights in this impressive region. You
can find dozens more simply by scanning the rich Milky Way starfields
in Vela and Carina with binoculars or a small telescope. So the next
time you find yourself face-to-face with the southern sky, be sure to
explore the treats awaiting you in the ship of Jason and the
Argonauts.
The Ship
"Would that the Argo had never winged its way to the land of Colchis
through the dark-blue Symplegades! Would that the pine trees had
never been felled in the glens of Mount Pelion and furnished oars for
the hands of the heroes who at Pelias' command set forth in quest of
the Golden Fleece!"
Medea
-- Euripides (484? - 406? B.C.)
Euripides wrote of the Argo Navis (or Swift Ship), the first Greek
vessel built to sail the open ocean. The ship is most famous for
carrying Jason and the Argonauts (the "mariners of the Argo" that
included, in some versions at least, Hercules, Theseus, Orpheus, and
Nestor) on their legendary search for the Golden Fleece.
This quest began as a result of Jason's attempt to regain his
father's throne. When Jason was a boy, his father, King Aeson, grew
weary of the monarchy. He passed the crown to his brother, Pelias,
with one condition: When Jason came of age, Pelias had to return the
crown to him. Time passed and Jason grew. When he went to Pelias to
reclaim his royal legacy, Pelias feigned a willingness to abdicate
and suggested a great adventure before Jason assumed the duties of
king.
The boy delighted at the idea, and called upon Argus to build the
massive ship. Athena, goddess of knowledge and skill, helped by
giving Argus the ability to complete his task. She also provided a
sacred oak timber from the forest surrounding the oracle of Zeus at
Dodona. Possessed of magical powers, this plank could speak and see
the future. It was placed at the ship's prow and formed the
figurehead.
One of the many dangers the Argonauts faced were the Symplegades, or
Clashing Rocks, that guarded the entrance to the Black Sea. To guide
their way, the sailors released a dove. As the bird flew ahead, the
rocks came together and clipped its tail feathers. As the rocks
recoiled, the route was clear for a brief moment. With hard rowing by
the Argonauts and a push from Athena, the Argo barely slipped through
the strait, suffering only minor damage to its stern.
Stories of great ships can be found in several ancient cultures. In
Egyptian mythology, for example, this region of sky represented the
ark that carried Isis and Osirius to safety during the deluge.
Andrea Gianopoulus
-------
Me: Ask www.britannica about "vel" and see what you get..
Morten
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