Beliefs rooted in ancient Latvian philosophy
Natives living geographically in Latvia
NEMUNA, KUNDA, NARVA CULTURES
- symbolic script
- sun - drawn as circle
fire - drawn as cross with equal length arms
both were very important
- Main deities female
- physical female and maternal ideas respected and nurtured
- grass-snake worshiped
-
- metempsychosis
- passing of soul at death to another body either human or animal
- anthropomorphic gods
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The Invaders
ARYAN INFLUENCE
The indo-european invasion was done by the Aryans. Surprisingly, it is unclear who these people
were or where they lived, other than somewhere in today's Afghanistan. The only thing
consistent is that they brought with the following in their indo-european invasion:
| 1)Information of natural phenomenon - Much represented in Old Hindu mythology |
accepted by Latvians |
| 2)Skills | accepted by Latvians |
| 3)Patriarch | rejected by Latvians |
OLD HINDU INFLUENCE (pre-Vedic 2,500 BC)
Philosophy before Aryan influence (influence Latvian philosophy)
Philosophy after Aryan influence (influence Hindu and India today)
Sanskrit (language of Old Hindu still alive today)
The following was adopted by ancient Latvians:
- Dievs is in everything (Brahma)
- all things are part of a greater, whole One called Brahma (neuter -> later masculine)
>therefore all beings and things (gods and demons, humans, pebble on beach) are part of
this one.
- Dievs is heaven & sky (Dyaus)
- Old Hindu Dyaus. Sky personified as anthropomorphic deity
How Dievs works. Dievs as creator
- Sauļotais stabs (the sunlike pole)
-
post for supporting building
all over indo-europe - much in Latvia before German colonization
a jantra with a saule in the middle
Ļauna diena priecājās,
Redzēj mani panīkušu;
Man' Dieviņš atspaidīja
Ar sidraba atspaidēm. 9230
Life (saule) is when the spiritual (Dievs)
meets with the material (Māra)
|
- Indian Sūrya (Saule)
- Surya goes across sky opposite moon (later in a wagon drawn by horses)
representative of female personality and characteristics esp. maternal
represents all aspects of life and therefore is very important
- Indian sacredness of cow (Mārsava)
Language Chart
Latvian, Lithuanian and Old Prussian come from the Baltic family of Indo-european languages. Latvian and Lithuanian are still living languages, while Old Prussian no longer exists.
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Indian Dievs
Indian Zemes Māte (earth mother)
Jantra: when spiritual world combines with material world -> get good luck
Laima