cas111:
>The identities of the seven might fluctuate from culture to culture
>and from period to period. They are common in the Near East, from
>where the early Neolithic peoples brought them into Europe where the
>incoming Greeks adopted them (IMO). Seven is rarely found in northern
>mythologies (unlike three and nine).[...]
The origin of the symbol of "seven" ultimately relates to the
Mediterranean, where the whole Goddess world-view would have
developed. This mythology must be neolithic- and agriculture-related
if it involves so heavily the astute observation in astronomy.
I see little reason for the average hunter-gatherer to be so
interested in the precise movements of the night-time sky aside
from the occasional occurance of the more spectacular comets,
meteorites or supernovae which would have either caused dread or
ecstasy in them.
To associate the Pole Star with the World Tree requires long,
nocturnal observations of the star to eventually notice that
everything "revolves around it", so to speak (or rather, that
the bright object lies so close to the axis of rotation of the
Earth). Again, where would a hunter-gatherer find the time or even
a reason to observe a specific star for any length of time
throughout the night. This is why I don't think that this Pole
Star and Tree association, which does appear to exist, goes
further back than the neolithic, no further than 6500 BCE. (The
Great Goddess concept, however, is simple enough to have existed
well before that time.)
>IMO the rising and setting Mercury represented the 'Twin Horsemen'
>in IE mythology.
Interesting. I've never heard of this before. How do you support
this idea?
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