The session covered: Common Themes– There are themes which appear in creation mythology which occur in more than one culture.  There are theories as to how these myths became common and widespread.  Perhaps this was spread by travelling people.  They have commonalities with each other which could be explained by similarities in society structure, agricultural environment so could… Read More »

The session covered: Germanic Creation Myths– Creation mythology belonging to the Germanic tribes, including the Angles and Saxons who were settling in Britain from c400AD onwards, and there is a familiar pattern of a Sky God who mated with Mother Earth to produce the various elements of the universe. Scandinavian Creation Myths– The creation mythology that belonged to… Read More »

The sessions covered: Hindu Creation Myths- According to Hindu mythology (in the Rig Vega) Varuna, the sky god and the god of water, willed the universe into being.  He set out the three worlds- the heavens, the Earth and the air in between the two, and “fixed the waters above the heavens”.  Varuna held the heavens above the… Read More »

S. H. Hooke, “Middle Eastern Mythology”, London, Penguin, 1963 Donald MacKenzie, “Mythology of the Babylonian People”, London, Bracken Books, 1996. The Folklore Society which studies all aspects of folklore and tradition – http://folklore-society.com/ Steve Round, “A Pocket  Guide to the Superstitions of the British Isles”, Penguin, 2004 Steve Round,  “The English Year”, Penguin, 2006 Christina Hole and E… Read More »

The session covered: Four Main Egyptian Creation Myths – There are four main traditions for the creation for which records have survived, based in cultural centres along the Nile.  These were Heliopolis, Memphis, Hermopolis and Thebes.  These have similar themes of a primeval ocean to the ones in Suma etc. covered in the previous session Khum – In… Read More »

Topics Covered : Why Creation Myths Came about – a discussion around the topic. Location – Near East/Middle East Maps giving an indication for Sumer and Babylonia’s location, roughly where Syria and Iraq are now. Time Line – Approximate dates to give time context. Sumerian and Babylonian Creation Mythology – these are the earliest with surviving physical records. … Read More »

Topics covered: May Eve – Before 1752, when the Julian Calendar was in place, May Day was later in the year and May blossom was flowering on the day.  Hawthorn was special, representative of the earth mother, fertility and goddess and used symbolically at May Eve. May Poles – were saplings, often birch, where most branches were taken… Read More »

Unfortunately June could not attend the session so the topic was carried forward to May.

Topics covered: Eggs. Associated with Spring and new life by many cultures with painted and coloured eggs being given as gifts by the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Persians and Chinese in pagan festivals celebrating the return of Spring.  Eggs were symbols of Christ’s resurrection for early Christians. Colouring eggs. Colouring eggs is ancient and widespread, with mysterious reasons to… Read More »

Topics covered: Dressing as animals. Frowned on by the church but ignored by the people. Mummer’s plays. Plays of the people. Based on pagan traditions. Players always dressed in disguise as a form of protection. Yule candle, yule log. To ensure good luck in new year both candle and log must remain lit. New Year First footing and… Read More »

Monday 18 January 2016:  Christmas Festivities and its pre-Christian precursors.  There was much symbolism in the use of greenery and decoration from pagan times.  A good attendance at our third session Monday 21 December 2015:  Halloween and New Year.  This included burning the Clavie in Burghead on 11 January, New Year’s Eve in the old calendar.  The Clavie was a… Read More »