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WYRD WALKS

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"Pol was the Saxon name of Balder, the Norse dieing / resurrecting light god"

"the possible ruins of a Diana and Apollo temple"

Interesting. One of the major differences between Odin of the Eddas and Lugh is that Lugh has certain solar connotations - I'd argue that his name is behind words like "light", "luminescent" and "lustre". The Eddas, however, state that Odin and Loki are "blood brothers", and they sometimes seem so closely related as to almost be one figure. It's my view that Odin and Loki are descended from the same earlier deity (Ur-Odin, let's call him). Balder, on the other hand I'd argue to be descended from a more ancient solar deity called Baal (try not to think Phoenican Baal, but more Balor of the Evil Eye in Irish myth). In the Eddas Balder is killed because of Loki's machinations. Parallels can be found in Irish myth, I understand, where Lugh supplants Balor (need to look into that one a bit more mind you). I read this as essentially a myth remembering an early Sun cult (the Baal cult) being supplanted by a later one (the Lugh cult). Lugh has a lot in common with Apollo. Whilst we're on the subject, the Odin-Loki relationship is best understood within the context of the Wainamoinen-Louhi relationship in Sami Finland's Kalevala, which I believe to be truer to the Ur-Odinist root than the Eddas. The tale of Louhi's theft of the Sun (she - and yes, that's she - hides it in "a copper coloured mountain" for several months) is essentially a solar myth, explaining the utter absence of the Sun during the winter months (it remains dark 24 hours a day during winter, that far north).

I should make myself clear. I believe loki and louhi to be the Scando-Germanic Lugh/Llew Llaw, and also that all of them are descended from the same Ur-deity as Odin and Wainamoinen.

Facinating. Did I mention that some historians think Balder changed dramatically in the Balkans among the Eastern Saxons living in that region? They came into contact with 'Thracian' and 'West Asian' Mystery cults exported from Asia Minor into the region according to some sources. This gave a more mystical spin to Balder and probably brought the oriental Baal into the equation. This new spin in turn leaked back to the Saxons still in Germany and onto those in England. So its just possible a Balder Mystery cult may have developed of unusual sophistication. Perhaps absorbing elements of Odinism too?

Can't cope with all these names, but another name for Apollo was Loxias, which seems similar.

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