08-30-2014, 10:54 AM
Not up to date on the Arthurian/Celtic legends on the ‘Sword in the Stone’ and the ‘Lady of the Lake’ and the Celtic rites of throwing important objects into bodies of water however getting back to original question on connections between the Alans and Excalibur, the Alans were not the only people of the Steppe who worshipped the sword.
Herodotus mentions how the Scythians worshipped Ares/Mars in the form of an ‘akinakes’ set up on a platform of bundles of brushwood. Other sources mention that the Maeotians, Sauromatae both of these groups worshipped a sacred sword and Sarmatians after them as well as the Circassians. Ammianus probably heard about these ancient rites and wrote in his book about the Alans
I think it was this passage from Ammianus that prompted Bachrach to claim that their form of sword worship contributed to the Celtic/Arthurian sword in the stone. I think Bachrach even mentions later that Arthur could be Goar/Eochar the king of the Alans who were stopped by Germanus while on their way to punish the Armorican rebels in about 447 AD. But even after the Alans other steppe peoples worshipped the sword including Attila's Huns.
The Huns worshipped the Sword of Mars as mentioned by Priscus who while on a mission visiting Attila’s court heard that
Herodotus mentions how the Scythians worshipped Ares/Mars in the form of an ‘akinakes’ set up on a platform of bundles of brushwood. Other sources mention that the Maeotians, Sauromatae both of these groups worshipped a sacred sword and Sarmatians after them as well as the Circassians. Ammianus probably heard about these ancient rites and wrote in his book about the Alans
Quote:‘they fix a naked sword in the ground and reverently worship it as Mars, the presiding deity of those lands over which they range.’
I think it was this passage from Ammianus that prompted Bachrach to claim that their form of sword worship contributed to the Celtic/Arthurian sword in the stone. I think Bachrach even mentions later that Arthur could be Goar/Eochar the king of the Alans who were stopped by Germanus while on their way to punish the Armorican rebels in about 447 AD. But even after the Alans other steppe peoples worshipped the sword including Attila's Huns.
The Huns worshipped the Sword of Mars as mentioned by Priscus who while on a mission visiting Attila’s court heard that
Quote: Attila’s power was growing and their God had indicated this by revealing the Sword of Ares, which is a sacred object honoured by the Scythian (Hun) kings since it was dedicated to the guardian of wars. In ancient times it had disappeared and then was found through the agency of an ox when a herdsman noticed his heifer was limping and bleeding so he followed the trail of blood and found a sword which the animal had trodden on while grazing. He dug it up and took it straight to Attila. He was pleased by this gift and concluded that he had been appointed ruler of the whole world and would be invincible in war.So besides the Celts and Alans there were a host of peoples who similarly revered the ‘Sacred Sword’ so maybe the story goes back even further to Indo-European roots.
Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
