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The Uffington White Horse geoglyph as sun-horse .


DOI: https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2016.269

Josh Pollard has an interesting paper in the most recent "Antiquity " . An original suggestion , afaiaa , that the geoglyph is a symbol related to the Trundholm sun horse and associated motifs found on Scandinavian razors and rock art .

Flemming Kaul has been the main instigator in suggesting that the symbol(s) are derived from Indo -European myth and represent the sun on it's daily journey from east to west , whilst a boat or chariot takes it on the underworld return west to east journey .
In this case the horse is heading just west of south .
There are problems with the Kaul suggestion but it still has adherents since his initial "Ships on Bronzes " nearly 20 years ago .
tiompan Posted by tiompan
9th April 2017ce

Comments (2)

The link doesn't really give much away and seems quite brief. I'd very much like to read more as its seems quite a radical hypothesis. I'll keep an open mind but think the origins and purpose of Uffington White Horse remain a mystery. tjj Posted by tjj
9th April 2017ce


Fwiw , I can accept a possible relationship between the Trundholm chariot and the" shared Indo-European myth about the sun maiden and her twin brothers and helpers, the Divine or Heavenly Twins, who in disguise of ships and horses come to her help so that the sun can rise in the morning. "

But Kaul extends the connection to imagery found on BA razors ,and whilst this has been generally accepted others have also suggested much the same for ships found on rock art , both are on much shakier ground .

This is an even bigger step .
There is even a "sun roll " mentioned but instead of following the contours of the hill it simply rises above the hill , i.e. it's not a "sun roll" .


tiompan Posted by tiompan
10th April 2017ce
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