Indo European Horse Worship

By the first millennium AD, Christianity had spread throughout most of Europe, leaving paganism primarily in the far north, where Christians had yet to reach. At the turn of the millennium, they had managed to penetrate Scandinavia and Russia, leaving the Baltic coast as the only remaining pagan stronghold. The Teutonic Order’s Crusades between the 12th and 14th centuries converted them as well, but by the 11th century, they were still pagans, while the Scandinavians had already converted.

A new study by researchers at Cardiff University found, based on biomolecular analysis of horse remains and strontium isotope analysis of tooth enamel, that despite their conversion, the Scandinavians continued to trade with the Baltic pagans and provided them with horses for their burial rites, which were prevalent in the pagan world since the Iron Age. Among the reported uses of horses were: halving or quartering, beheading, skinning, burying alive with all riding equipment, burning, and more.

The horse cult originated in Indo-European cultures, and many cultures of this origin revered horses. Horses were considered emblems of various fertility gods, and as part of this association, also of rebirth and therefore of the afterlife (death during life, known as a altering of consciousness). Pagans were buried with horses, and in some cases where bodies were burned, they were burned with their horses. Sometimes, when the deceased was truly important, he was buried with his chariot. Horses were believed to lead the dead to the underworld, and the passage to the afterlife also involved altering of consciousness, hence the need for intoxicating drinks. These drinks were made from fermented mare’s milk.

An example of an Indo-European fertility god was Poseidon, who was therefore associated with horses. The horses’ volatile nature and tendency to run amok also made them a symbol of fits of rage and mood swings. Poseidon was like that too. It is said that when he had fits of rage he would strike the ground with his trident and cause storms at sea, hence he also became the god of the sea. Freyr and Freya were also such fertility gods. Their father was Njord (Njörðr), the god of the sea. These gods were all part of the Vanir group of gods. The word Vanir is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word for “love”, “desire”, “connection” or “friendship”, wenh. Some believe that this is also the origin of the word wóyh, meaning “to wrap” or “to embrace”, a word that has evolved to describe the climbing plant, the grapevine. Or perhaps this nickname for wine is because it was used as an aphrodisiac, or as a mediating tool in social gatherings. To this day, it is customary to drink wine at gatherings.

Horses were also used for warfare, and their rage is one of the sources of the berserker. Warriors who got drunk to get battle frenzy tried to imitate horses. Berserker warriors often participated in sea raids. Horses were used for divination, analyzing both their internal organs, of course, and their behavior in general. One of the main uses of divination was to answer the question of when the right time to go to war was.

In Celtic mythology, horses symbolized the connection to the land and represented its fertility. Therefore, they were used as a totem, and were incarnated in the figure of Rhiannon riding on a white horse. Rhiannon is actually a personification of the Celtic fertility goddess Epona, whose name is derived from the Celtic word for horse, Epos. Rhiannon is etymologically related to the Celtic words for both maiden (rhiain in Welsh) and queen (rígan in Old Irish), and this hints at the practice of hierosgamos, the sacred marriage of Celtic kings, who, as Gerald of Wales tells us, had sex with a white mare during their coronation, and immediately afterwards they slaughtered and ate her.

why should the Yggdrasil be identified with the yew and not with the ash tree, and the psychedelic and typographic connection!

The Yggdrasil tree is considered the norse “world tree,” the axis mundi, or the central pillar of the universe, connecting and separating different realms of existence. Its roots extend to various regions, and its branches reach the heavens. It serves as a bridge between worlds, linking Asgard (the realm of the gods), Midgard (the realm of humans), and Hel (the realm of the dead).

The exact nature of the tree is somewhat ambiguous, but it is clear that the tree is supposed to be evergreen. Evergreen trees symbolize eternal life, continuity, and resilience. Their foliage remains green and vibrant throughout the year, even in harsh conditions like winter, drought, or distress. As a result, they are often associated with immortality, renewal, and the cyclical nature of life. In many cultures and mythologies, evergreens represent the enduring presence of life, connecting the past, present, and future. They serve as symbols of hope, strength, and the eternal cycle of growth and rebirth.

The identity of the tree is generally considered to be an ash tree. In the Eddas, where the tree is described, it is named Askr Yggdrasills, with Askr being the Norse name for the tree. The name “Yggdrasil” is often translated to mean “Ygg’s horse.” Ygg is one of the Old Norse names for Odin, meaning “the Terrible.” Meanwhile, “drasil,” although literally meaning “horse,” can also be interpreted as “gallows” (derived from the Proto-Indo-European root der, meaning “to support.” In other words, a gallows supports someone from above). One of the myths about Yggdrasil is that Odin hung from the tree for nine days and nine nights to understand the secrets of the runes. Thus, the tree is supposed to symbolize wisdom, akin to the biblical Tree of Knowledge. What’s unique about such trees and stories about miraculous knowledge is that they are often poisonous; those who seek this knowledge must die and be reborn.

A tree that fits this description is the yew tree, known as Taxus. It is an evergreen conifer with highly toxic bark and seeds. Originally, the poison (called “taxol”) is meant to prevent pests and larvae from growing, as the poison inhibits cell growth (and thus, it also serves, incidentally, as a treatment for malignant cancerous tumors). As a result, the tree’s growth rate is very slow, likely because it poisoned itself and managed to overcome this poisoning. Due to its slow growth, the yew tree has a very long lifespan, hundreds or even thousands of years. It is also very tall, reaching up to 15 meters. The Celts revered it for this reason, and it is often planted over graves in cemeteries.

Regarding its toxicity, most animals that eat its fruit (which is edible and called “berries”) cannot avoid swallowing its seeds. Their stomachs cannot break down the seed’s shell containing the poison, and they die. The poison is also found in the leaves, which are eaten by grazing animals. Interestingly, deer can digest it, setting them apart from other livestock. Deer are traditionally seen as capable of eating leaves from trees considered toxic, such as the acacia tree.

Furthermore, it turns out that the tree’s bark releases a toxic gas called taxine on particularly hot days. Taxine can cause hallucinations in certain cases, which might be the source of the myth about Odin and the miraculous knowledge, as the tree’s poisons can kill. Incidentally, one of the creatures described as living in or near the tree is a dreadful dragon named Nidhogg (Níðhöggr). Dragons, snakes, and generally terrible creatures are often considered guardians of trees in various mythologies. Therefore, it is likely that a poisonous tree would be the world tree. Specifically, Odin’s horse is considered an eight-legged horse capable of crossing long distances, another common metaphor for a hallucinogenic experience (credit: Carl Ruck, in his book “Entheogens, Myth & Human Consciousness”. From this book, I took the image depicting Odin on his horse).

I will conclude with an anecdote. In one of my previous posts, I mentioned the hieroglyph symbolizing a curved snake and somehow related to hidden knowledge. Well, one of the runes that Odin tried and succeeded in understanding is called yew (and symbolizes this tree). In Old English, ēoh. In Proto-Germanic, īhaz. And in Old Norse, therefore, Eihwaz. Its symbol: like the discussed letter N, a curved snake, ᛇ. Now it is clear why.