Etruskan
and Hittite mythologies.
In Etruria, in sacred city the god (whose name is transferred differently:
Velthuna, Vertumna? Velthina) was esteemed. Sometimes him is considered as
chthonic form of Tin or the god of a nature circulation (Nemirovsky, 1983). The
Romans inform an interesting history, as a certain demon in the wolf image
wanted to escape from the underground world and to devastate vicinities of
sacral Etruscan town, but hardly he has raised a cover of well as immediately
was tired out back. (Raschinger E, 1992, vol. 1, p. 44). Romans names a demon
of Olt (Olta), but Raschinger believes that in Etruscan this name was Veltha , that can be
identically mentioned chthonic Vertumn, 'the main god of Etruria'. Relieves on
some funeral urns give fines illustrations to this myth to one of the few it is
clean Etruscan plots, known to us in writing. We see a monster that is getting
out from well. More often it looks like the shaggy wolf though one relief shows
it with a smooth body and as though a horse head. There are variants, that
depict Olt/Veltha in an image of the person with a head of the wolf and even is
simple in the wolf mask. The monster is surrounded with people which are taking
place in the strongest excitement. They try to jostle it back in well or to
constrain, having covered with a circuit. One person has already fallen Veltha victim. On one
variant it is possible to see the most popular Etruscan goddess Vanth , messengeress of death, likes
Greek furies, and typologically - Scandinavian Valkyrie , Slavic
vilas, Baltic veles and etc. (Genetically all of them occur from the Great
Goddess).
The given plot puts before us some questions. On the one hand, the root
'vel' connected with the world dead, belongs to the God of Earth Powers.
Besides Vertumn was the main god of this city (that is the main god of
priests). With another - the wolf traditionally is the opponent of the God of
Earth Powers and is connected with the God of Thunder. And the motive of
chaining of the wolf by means circuit likes the Scandinavian myth about World
Wolf Fenrir. Probably we deal with inversion when contrasts converge - the God
of Earth Powers in Etruscan myth got features of the wolf, and the God of
Thunder in the Scandinavian and Hittite myths has driven about on a chariot
with the rams and the bull accordingly. For the benefit of that Veltha is the
God of Earth Powers, speaks also the image on Etruscan cista from Preneste. The
Minerva (the Etruscans esteemed her also) which whether helps, whether prevents
the naked baby to leave at the weapon from an amphora. Near to the baby it is
written 'Mars'. About Mars/Maris it was already spoken in connection with
Scythian culture. Now it is necessary to add, that the Roman Mars was
considered also as the god of arising year (Vertumn was gods nature
circulation). There is also small winged figure, reminding role Vanth on one of the relieves representing a
history about Olt.
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