Zeus does not come "from" Dyaus.pitar but
represents an independent development of PIE *djeus-, which historically
underlies both names (but not Saturn or anything in the Book of Genesis).
Dyaus.pitar was an Aryan god only if by "Aryan" you mean Indo-Aryan, but he
was by no means the single greatest god in that branch. Most of
the major functions of the 'luminous diurnal sky' god have been taken over
by Varun.a by the Vedic times. Whether PIE *dje:us ph2te:r 'Father Sky' was
regarded as the giver of bread cannot be known; the wide attestation of the name
only proves that he was important and, shall I say, popular. "Daylight" is
commonly associated with transcendence, creativity, fertility, priestly
functions etc. Note also that "Father Sky" almost automatically presupposes
"Mother Earth" (as in Rigvedic <dya:va:pRtHivi:> 'Sky & Earth'),
though the latter is not equally well documented.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2002 9:09 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] why did romans and greeks have had the same
gods?
Dyaus Pitar - The one that brings the bread; the
first great god of the Aryans; from him we have then Zeus and Saturn and, maybe,
the story of the Genesis, when the Supreme God liked the Earth and gave birth
through his breath to the 7 gods of the world genezis, their leader being the
great god Dak-Sha.
Tara