نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
This article identifies a set of convergent semantic and ritual motifs associated with the figure of “Mother Earth” through a comparative analysis of Slavic myths and rituals. In these traditions, the earth is depicted as a maternal deity who is inextricably linked to birth, fertility, destruction, regeneration, death, the underworld, and hidden or sacral realms of religious experience. Parallel images of earth deities can be observed in other Indo-European cultures, as well. These cultures share common etymological roots (notably Dʰéǵʰōm/Dhem, Gaia, Zemya, Kṣam), as well as seasonal rites, agrarian sacrifices, and New Year festivals, which reveal remarkable structural correspondences. These convergences provide substantial evidence in favor of a Proto-Indo-European origin for the Mother Earth archetype and facilitate the reconstruction of a more profound pre-Indo-European religious worldview. The study employs a descriptive-analytical and comparative methodology, utilizing mythological narratives, historical linguistics, and archaeological evidence to investigate the figure of Mother Earth in two interconnected domains: (1) Slavic mythology, with a particular emphasis on “Damp Mother Earth” and popular rites of fertility, protection, and death; and (2) Neolithic Indo-European societies, as evidenced by female figurines and the tripartite pattern of life-giving, destructive, and regenerative functions. The analysis demonstrates that earth-centered cults are structurally intertwined with the cosmic cycle of decay and renewal, religious ploughing, nocturnal offerings, festivals of the deceased, and a constellation of symbols, including the cow, the moon, the snake, and birds of prey.
کلیدواژهها English