Proto-Indo-European mythology (also known as Proto-Indic mythology, Proto-European mythology, Proto-Indo-Iranian mythology, Proto-Eurasian mythology, and Proto-Aryan mythology) is the body of myths and deities associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language. Although the mythological motifs are not directly attested – since Proto-Indo-European speakers lived in prehistoric societies – scholars of comparative mythology have reconstructed details from inherited similarities found among Indo-European languages, based on the assumption that parts of the Proto-Indo-Europeans' original belief systems survived in the daughter traditions.
The Proto-Indo-European pantheon includes a number of securely reconstructed deities such as *Dyḗws Ph₂tḗr, the daylight-sky god; his consort *Dʰéǵʰōm, the earth mother; his daughter *H₂éwsōs, the dawn goddess; his sons the Divine Twins; and *Seh₂ul, a solar goddess. Some deities, like the weather god *Perkʷunos or the herding-god *Péh₂usōn, are only attested in a limited number of traditions – Western (European) and Graeco-Aryan, respectively – and could therefore represent late additions that did not spread throughout the various Indo-European dialects.
The twin brothers, *Manu ("Man") and *Yemo ("Twin"), as the progenitors of the world and humankind, and a hero named *Trito ("Third") who ensured the continuity of the original sacrifice
Some myths are also securely dated to Proto-Indo-European times, since they feature both linguistic and thematic evidence of an inherited motif: a story portraying a mythical figure associated with thunder and slaying a multi-headed serpent to release torrents of water that had previously been pent up; a creation myth involving two brothers, one of whom sacrifices the other in order to create the world; and probably the belief that the Otherworld was guarded by a watchdog and could only be reached by crossing a river.
Various schools of thought exist regarding possible interpretations of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European mythology. The main mythologies used in comparative reconstruction are Vedic, Roman, and Norse, often supported with evidence from the Baltic, Celtic, Greek, Slavic, Hittite, Armenian, and Albanian traditions as well.
Descendant Mythologies of the Proto-Indo-Europeans[]
- Armenian Mythology
- Balto-Slavic Mythology
- Celtic Mythology
- Irish Mythology
- Scottish Mythology
- Welsh Mythology
- Germanic Mythology
- Norse Mythology
- Anglo-Saxon Mythology
- English Mythology
- Continental Germanic Mythology
- Gothic mythology
- Frankish mythology
- Hellenic Mythology
- Greek Mythology
- Mycenean Mythology
- Indo-Iranian Mythology
- Persian Mythology
- Hindu Mythology
- Buddhist Mythology
- Scythian Mythology
- Italic Mythology
- Anatolian Mythology
- Hittite Mythology
- Palaic Mythology
- Luwic Mythology (Trojan)
- Lydian Mythology
- Paleo-Balkan Mythology
- Albanian Mythology
- Illyrian Mythology
- Dacian Mythology
- Thracian Mythology
- Phrygian Mythology
Mythology[]
Deities[]
- Main article: List of Proto-Indo-European deities
Cosmology[]
Primordial State[]
- Main article: [[Chaos, Ginnungagap, Irius, Pralaya]]
The Primordial State is a void with absolutely nothing, only a deep where the Manu (Man) make the primordial sacrifice for begin with the creation, using the Yemo´s (Twin) corse for bring an order.
Creation Myth[]
- Main article: Manu and Yemo
The myth of *Manu ("Man") and *Yemo ("Twin") is the creation of the Indo-European cosmology, the myth tells how Man (Manu) sacrifices his own Twin (Yemo), but there exists the possibility that Manu sacrifices himself (so Manu will be the primordial hermaphrodite), after the sacrifice humanity is born, besides Yemo when die become into the first king. Other important elements for Indo-European mythology is the first mammal.
| Tradition | First Priest | First King | First mammal | Heavenly gods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proto-Indo-European | *Manu ('Man') | *Yemo ('Twin') | Primordial cow | Sky Father, Storm-god, Divine Twins |
| Indian | Mánu, Puruṣa | Yama, (Manāvī), (Tvastar) | Manu's bull (Kamadhenu) | The Vedic gods |
| Iranian | Manūščihr, Ahriman, Spityura | Yima, Gayōmart | Primordial ox (Gōšūrvan) | Ahura Mazda? |
| Greek | Phanes, Erichthonius | Cronus, Rhadamanthys, Menelaus | Pandora, Cretan Bull | Twelve Olympians |
| Germanic | *Mannus | Ymir, *Tuisto | Primordial cow (Auðhumla) | Odin, Vili and Vé |
| Roman | Rōmulus, Quirinus, Numa Pompilius | *Yemos (Remus) | She-wolf | The senators |
| Celtic | Amergin Gluingel | Donn | Donn Cuailnge and Findbennach Ai | Tuatha De Danann |
Cosmic Order[]
Cosmic Sacrifice[]
First Warrior[]
- Main article: Chaoskampf
In the Proto-Indo-European Religion the character *Trito (Third) is the slayer of the sea serpent, this myth could have been a meaning of the victory of the Indo-European Peoples over a Non-Indo-European people group or the order over chaos, the serpent is an opponent for Trito when the serpent steal the Trito´s present.
| Tradition | First warrior | Three-headed Serpent | Helper God | Stolen present |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proto-Indo-European | *Trito ('Third') | *H₂n̥gʷʰis | Storm-God or *H₂nḗr ('Man') | Cattle |
| Indian | Tritra | Vritra | Indra | Cows |
| Iranni | Thraētona ('son of Thrita') | Zahhak | Verethragna | Women |
| Germanic | þriði, Hymir | Three serpents | Thor | Goats? |
| Graeco-Roman | Alcides | Geryon, Cācus, Hydra | Helios (Sol) | Cattle |