Fravashis and Valkyries: PIE Worti- ?

Fravashi

In general, fravashi is believed to have at its root var- "to choose." From reconstructed *fravarti (/rt/ clusters in Avestan usually appear as /š/), fravashi could then be interpreted to mean "one who has been selected (for exaltation)." Also following var- "to choose" is the interpretation as "to choose/profess a faith," as also attested in the word fravarane, the name of the Zoroastrian credo.

Other interpretations take other meanings of var- into consideration: Either as var- "to cover" that in a bahuvrihi with fra- "to ward" provides "protective valor," or a derivation from var- "to make/be pregnant" which gives "promoter of birth, birth-spirit." One interpretation considers a derivation from vart- "turn" hence "turning away, departing, death."

Valkyrjar

It appears, however, that there was no clear distinction between the valkyries and the norns. Skuld is for instance both a valkyrie and a norn, and in the Darraðarljóð (lines 1-52), the valkyries weave the web of war (see below). According to the Prose Edda (Gylfaginning 36), “Odin sends the valkyries to every battle. They allot death to men and govern victory. Gunnr and Róta two valkyries and the youngest norn, called Skuld, always ride to choose who shall be slain and to govern the killings”.

Valkyries and Fravashi were female guardian deities. If we take “-varti” and compare to Norn’s name Urd, and Latin Vortae, we may add to these entities the moira-like goddess like Greek Moiras, Nordic Norns, and maybe Mousai and Celtic birds of Lug. A kind of PIE female guardian spirit, linked to birth, life and death, destiny and war. We may add to these comparations the virgin Saliae of Roman religion.

The original concept of multiple winged female deities was mixed in Europe with the non-IE  Triple Goddess (cf. Moiras, Norns, even Muses in his triple archaic form) and with a kind of corvid-demon of battles and corpses (cf. Badb, Keres).

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JS Lopes