Proto-Indo-European (PIE) Mythology

PIE mythology is the mythology of the Proto-Indo-European speakers, who were the hypothetical speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language. Despite limited direct records, scholars have reconstructed details through linguistic comparisons and thematic similarities in daughter languages.

Pantheon

  • Sky Father: *Dyḗws Ph₂tḗr
  • Earth Mother: *Dʰéǵʰōm
  • Dawn Goddess: *H₂éwsōs
  • Divine Twins: Horse Twins with names varying by tradition
  • Storm God: *Perkʷunos
  • Fire God: *h₁n̥gʷnis

Myths

  • Serpent-slaying Myth: A hero or god vanquishes a multi-headed serpent to release trapped waters.
  • Fire in Water: A fiery being resides in waters.
  • Death of a Son: A father unknowingly kills his son in battle.
  • Trito Myth: A myth of creation involving the sacrifice of a primordial being.
  • King and Virgin: A king is saved by his virgin daughter's offspring.

Cosmology

  • Celestial realm above, mortal realm below.
  • Earth as a vast, circular continent surrounded by waters.
  • Cosmic opposition between the never-aging gods and mortal humans.

Rituals

  • Sacrificial rites involving cattle and horses.
  • Cult of weapons, particularly the dagger.

Comparative Reconstruction

The mythology of PIE has been reconstructed through comparisons of mythologies in Indo-European languages, including Vedic, Norse, Celtic, Greek, Slavic, and Hittite.

Limitations

  • Direct textual evidence is scarce.
  • Reconstructions may be speculative.
  • Myths may have evolved significantly in daughter languages.

Additional Features

  • Animism and the deification of natural elements.
  • Tripartite ideology reflected in the divisions of priests, warriors, and commoners.
  • Dualistic opposition in mythology, such as dark vs. light or chaos vs. order.
  • Influences from pre-IE cultures, such as the influence of Near Eastern imagery on Greek mythology.